New Year's Eve is the most dangerous night for animals and birds. In this article you will find some useful tips on how to protect your cat from firecrackers.
If for many people the New Year's Eve is an occasion of joy, the fireworks and the banging of firecrackers that come with this night of the year are not at all to the liking of cats and other non-speakers. It is regrettable that some irresponsible people (to put it mildly) use these pyrotechnic materials before the New Year.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of January every year, the Internet and the posts around the houses are littered with notices of missing dogs and cats, who, frightened by the bangs of firecrackers and fireworks on New Year's Eve, ran away from home. This is the happiest case, we might say, considering that some cats can have severe brain attacks and panic attacks after being startled by a firecracker. Diseases that can lead to death or irreversible degradation of the quality of life.
In many countries there are no laws prohibiting the use of these pyrotechnic materials, and real tragedies have occurred for animals and birds in the night between years. In a city in the American state of Arkansas, 5,000 dead birds were reported as a result of New Year's fireworks, which caused acute trauma.
I saw swans crossing the Vltava river chaotically, in large flocks, while on the Charles Bridge (Charles Bridge / Prague) was a real inferno produced by the explosions of firecrackers on New Year's Eve.
Coming back to cats, we would say that the most affected by these explosions of firecrackers are the cats that live in the house. It is true that an "urban cat" will not feel at all well with a firecracker exploding next to it, but they are more accustomed to sudden loud sounds than a cat that lives in the comfort and quiet of an apartment.
How to protect the cat from the bangs of firecrackers and fireworks on New Year's Eve
In the case of domestic cats, it is best for the owner to be near them on New Year's Eve, especially at 00:00 when the banging starts to be heard from all sides.
The cat perceives very well the states of the people in the vicinity, and if the owners are not panicked, the cat will more easily get over the shock of the noise. Try to calm your pet by giving her favorite toys, favorite food, petting her gently, but… without holding her against her will. Many cats, when frightened, even run away from their owners and become aggressive. Let the cat hide in a place of her choice in the house where she feels safer. However, do not lose sight of her and try to approach her gently without scaring her further.
A good idea are toys made from "catnip grass". This plant has a calming, relaxing effect and induces a feeling of well-being.
If you are away on New Year's Eve and the cat will be alone at home, it is highly advisable to close the windows, doors and do your best to reduce the noise coming from outside as much as possible. Leave the TV or music on at medium volume. In this way, the noise coming from outside will be much muffled by the sound inside, and the cat will be much quieter. Also leave a night light on.
In the case of cats in the yard, it is good that on the night between years you at least house them in a closed shed where they cannot escape, if it is not possible to keep them in the house for a night. This way you can protect the cat from the bangs of firecrackers and fireworks.
From my experience with Buffy, I noticed that there is also a "vaccine", which of course I do not recommend. The habit. As certain sounds that scare them are repeated, the cat will get used to them and won't be as scared anymore.
Buffy, the newest member of the family, a kitten of about 6 months, is as energetic and playful as she is scared when she hears loud sounds. He's the kind of cat that goes out of sight as soon as he hears the sound of the intercom or the doorbell.
Sporadic bursts of firecrackers start to be heard long before New Year's Eve. At the first bangs, he reacted very badly. Her eyes "all over her face", she hid and was panicking. As he's been hearing it day after day, I can tell he's gotten used to them, and now he doesn't have a problem with a loud bang. However, we do not waste leaving them alone on the night between years. After all, New Year's Eve is done in the family 😊.
