It's that time of the year again! Loud noises from thunderstorms
and fireworks are permeating our quiet little home and the cats are finding
sanctuary under the bed.
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Sweet Praline seeking shelter under the dresser during fireworks (circa 2010) |
I’ve already heard some fireworks blasting in my neighborhood this week, which gave me reason to pause and think about meeting the needs of my cats when the larger explosions occur later this holiday weekend.
Due to Truffle’s recent fear of loud noises, such as fireworks and
thunderstorms and the connection of stress and anxiety to the occurrence of
bladder stones, I’ve become more interested in finding effective strategies to
help alleviate some of her fears. Brulee isn't as stressed with the loud
noises, but loud fireworks tend to send her under the bed with Truffle.
According to PetMD, there are three types of conditions in cats that may need
assistance, treatment, or coping strategies: phobia, fear, and anxiety.
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Truffle and Brulee feeling safe under the chairs in the examination room |
Fear is defined as having an instinctual feeling of apprehension resulting from a situation,person, or object that appears to present an external threat, whether real or perceived (PetMD, 2019). This is a normal behavior, but the context determines whether it’s normal or abnormal and inappropriate. Many believe that most abnormal behaviors can be unlearned with gradual exposure. I believe Truffle and Brulee experienced some fears with me leaving them alone when I was traveling so much for work. Bringing out the suitcase a few days before departure tended to cause some fear and anxiety in the girls. While I was traveling, we believe something happened to scare the girls, so they then associated the suitcase with something to fear. I believe my own anxiety about traveling also affected their behaviors. Every time I pull out the suitcase, both girls insist on resting on top of it or inside of it. I began pulling out the suitcases a week or more in advance to let my cats see there was nothing to fear because I wasn’t leaving them within a couple of days after it appeared. They do seem more relaxed with the pet sitter now and haven’t experienced any illnesses afterwards as they have in the past. Anxiety is nervousness regarding an anticipated threat (Fear Free Happy Homes, 2019) of future dangers from unknown or imagined origins that result in normal body reactions associated with fear. The most common visible behaviors in cats may be elimination (urination and/or passage of bowel movements), destruction, and excessive vocalization. The most common type of anxiety is separation anxiety where your pet may exhibit anxiety or excessive distress behaviors when alone. Cats can become anxious and fearful of car rides, especially if they’ve only been in a car to go to the vet. Your cats may suffer from many of the signs identified below because of fear, anxiety, or stress (FAS). Fear, anxiety, and stress is the result of a neuro-chemical reaction in a pet’s brain. It can be brought on by any number of situations, including a sudden change in their environment, past trauma, being left alone, certain medical conditions, and noises, such as thunder or fireworks.” (Levine, 2019). Kristen Levine, a pet living expert, founded the Pet Anxiety Awareness campaign (PAAW) and began Pet Anxiety Awareness Month each June to help alleviate FAS in pets.
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Brulee and Truffle hiding under the dresser |
If you suspect your feline is experiencing fear, anxiety, or stress, you should talk with your veterinarian to rule out conditions that may cause the behavior and consider contacting an animal behaviorist if the behavior exhibited by your cat becomes extreme. Veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Lisa Radosta, states that cats may have as much fear, anxiety, and stress as dogs, but people who live with cats may not be aware of the signs because they don’t see all of the signs if their cat is hiding and doesn’t appear stressed.
Here are a few possible signs of fear, anxiety, and stress you may observe with your feline (Levine, 2019; Moore, 2019; PetMD, 2019):
- Yawning
- Freezing in place of immobilization
- Licking the lips
- Cowering
- Meowing excessively
- Hiding under beds or in closets
- Grooming excessively
- Becoming reactive or aggressive when touched
- Inappropriate elimination
Possible Solutions to Relieve Fear, Anxiety, and Stress
Environment
Sometimes, adjusting the environment in your home is enough to calm down a stressed cat, especially during a thunderstorm or fireworks explosion. Cats are more sensitive to noise and can tune into high and low pitch sounds that human cannot hear.- Provide a Safe Place to Hide. Cats like to feel secure when they feel threatened. Having an easily accessible location in your home will provide comfort for both your cat and you. You know where she is and should the situation present itself, you can easily retrieve her and put her in a place of safety, such as a carrier or a bathroom. Truffle and Brulee’s favorite places to hide are under my bed, under the bookcase beside my computer, and inside their cat furniture. They do have other places they like to hide occasionally. It’s important to know those secret hiding places to you can get to them if needed. If you choose to let your cat’s hiding place be in a carrier, it’s important to acclimate them to the carrier long before a stressful situation. I do not recommend closing your cats up in a bathroom or bedroom unless your cat is already comfortable behind closed doors.
- Keep Cats Inside. The Pet Amber Alert infographic (see above) highlights the alarming trend of 30% more pets becoming lost between July 4th and 6th than any other time of year (PR Newswire, 2015).Unless you live in a rural area, it’s always a good idea to keep your cats indoors. There are too many dangers outdoors, such as cars, wild animals, dogs, and “mean” people. Should you choose to allow your cats outside, you should bring them indoors when there is a threat of a thunderstorm or fireworks in your area.
- “Drown Out” Outside Noises. If you usually leave your windows and doors open, it's important to close them during a thunderstorm or when there are fireworks. Some people recommend playing calm music to help quieten the noise. I’ve found some great music on Apple Music and You Tube for cats. In fact, I play some of this music at night to help me relax and fall asleep. I leave the television turned on during the day and when I leave the house. Truffle and Brulee are accustomed to having the TV on, so I tend to turn the volume up slightly to normal programming to help drown out some of the outside noise.
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Brulee hiding inside her Catit® Cottage |
I also talk in a normal voice, so the girls feel comfortable. I don't try to pick up the girls to comfort them unless they come to me. I've read that overcompensating cats when they are fearful with excessive attention can encourage their fear. Sometimes, Truffle will want to climb into my arms and other times, she heads for her haven under the bed.
Safety and Protection
With the large percentage of pets who become fearful and run away during blasting fireworks or loud thunderclaps, you should plan to protect your cat prior to such events.
- Identification Collar and Tags. There are a lot of devices and services available now to help you find your cat should be become lost. At a minimum, your cat should have an ID tag attached to her collar with contact information, especially if she has access to the outside world.
- Microchip Identification. One of the most effective products you can use to reunite with your pet should she be lost. Microchips are tiny transponders that communicate your cat’s ID information through radio frequency waves. A study from the American Veterinary Medical Association (2007) found that animal shelters were able to reunite people with their pets if they were microchipped 74.1% of the time. If a pet is taken to a shelter or veterinarian, they use hand scanners to check for the presence of a microchip.
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Brulee likes to watch TV |
Human Behavior
If possible, you should try to be home if you know there is the chance of fireworks or a thunderstorm in your area. However, even if you are home, there are some strategies you should use with your cat.- Remain Calm. Cats have an uncanny ability to sense your emotions and if you are stressed, chances are, they will also be stressed. Do things that help you relax such as watching TV, listening to music, exercising, or reading. If you know you experience stress or panic with loud noises or storms, you should prepare. Your cats need you to be a strong role model for them.
- Play with Your Cat. A tired cat is a more rested and less stressed cat. Pull out those wand toys and catnip toys and play with your cat. The interaction with you may help keep her mind off the noises occurring outside.
- Act Normal. This goes back to remaining calm. Cats hate change. You need to act as normal as possible, so your cat doesn’t pick up on things being different. If you usually sit at the computer or watch TV in the evenings, you should carry on with normal routines.
- Don’t Comfort Your Cat. This recommendation may be totally opposite what your instincts tell you to do. If your cat displays signs of fear or anxiety and you pick them up to try and comfort her, you are reinforcing her behavior to the stimuli. I admit I did this when the girls first became fearful and I’ve had to wean myself from this reinforcement. As I heard fireworks this week, I was sitting at the computer with the TV on and Truffle came into the office and quietly slinked under the shelf next to my feet. She was in her comfortable and safe hiding place, yet she was close to me. I fought the urge to try and comfort her because she appeared comfortable.
- Hire a Pet Sitter. If you must be away during an event that may cause stress, anxiety, or phobic behavior in your cat, consider hiring a qualified and professional pet sitter to stay with her. If your cat is comfortable with your pet sitter, this could be a great option to assist in helping her feel safe and less inclined to exhibit fearful behavior.
Anti-Anxiety Products
Sometimes,
you need additional help to provide a feeling of security and safety for your
cat. These can be in the form of prescription medication, flower essences,
pheromone sprays & diffusers, calming supplements, and calming shirts. If
you find you need to use any of these products with your cat, a key piece of advice
is to use these products during a time when there are no outside stimuli (storms,
fireworks, trips to vets). Your cat may need time to adjust to the various
products and you don’t want to cause more stress when your cat is fearful of
outside noises or situations.
I do want to emphasize that all pets should be kept indoors, if possible, during thunderstorms and when there are fireworks nearby. Using a combination of some of the above strategies and products are helping Truffle and Brulee better cope with thunderstorms and fireworks this season. I want to stress that not everything works for all cats. You should talk to your veterinarian and/or animal behaviorist to see what works best for your cat and you.
- Medication. Depending on the severity of the behavior, a veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety medication for your cat. Many of these medications must be administered daily and in advance of a situation in order to be effective. Cats taking a prescription-calming medication should have yearly blood tests done to determine their kidney and liver levels. Some cats are not good candidates for this type of medication.
- Natural Medications. If you believe your cat needs something to calm her for a short period of time, you may want to consider using a natural flower essence. Flower Essences are water that has been infused with the vibration healing of flowers. Different flowers aid in alleviating unwanted berhaviors, like fear, panic, or aggression (Coryelle Kramer, June 30, 2016). Coryelle explains that possible flower essences that may help are Rescue Remedy for stress, stimulus for known fears like fear of loud noise, or rock rose for panic. She continues to explain that one should put the appropriate flower essence in her pet’s water a week (or more) prior to a known date of fireworks or loud noises. This way, there will be enough of the flower essence in their system to help, especially on holidays like the 4th of July and New Year’s Eve. Coryelle believes that drops are more effective than sprays. However, if your pet is not a drinker, you may want to consider putting some drops on your fingers and gently rub into the skin of the inner ear. The natural calming medications usually last for a few hours to help relax your cat and there are no side effects. Natural calming medications don’t require a prescription from a veterinarian. However, if your cat is currently on medications or has a medical condition, you should consult with your veterinarian prior to giving your cat flower essences.
- Pheromones. Synthetic pheromones mimic your cat’s natural facial pheromones, which helps your cat feel calm and safe when she inhales them. Synthetic pheromones are available in liquid sprays and electric diffusers. Some common brand names for cats are Feliway and Comfort Zone. The spray is recommended for carpeting, bedding, carriers and other surfaces your cat likes to rest. I tend to use a spray of Feliway in their Sleepypod Mobile Pet Beds prior to taking them to the vet. Our veterinarian also has the Feliway spray and towels in the waiting area for clients to use. Diffusers are plugged into the wall and the small bottles last about a month. I have 2-3 wall diffusers in areas of my home where the cats spend a lot of time. You may need to use additional products such as flower essences or calming treats during a thunderstorm or fireworks.
- Calming Shirts. Thunderworks makes a calming vest for both dogs and cats. The ThunderShirt has a patented design that applies a gentle, constant pressure that has a dramatic calming effect on most cats. The ThunderShirt uses pressure to relieve anxiety in people and animals and is similar to swaddling human infants and the use of gentle pressure and weighted vests to help people with autism. You would definitely need to get your cat accustomed to the ThunderShirt prior to using it in a stressful situation.
- Calming Treats. There are a lot of calming treats/chews on the market. I’ve tried many of them with some success on my cats. I’ve found a lot of these calming treats are a little larger than a normal treat for my cats, so I need to break them into smaller pieces. As with other treatments, you need to try these treats with your cat before they are needed. I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried to give Truffle and Brulee a treat once that first clap of thunder or blast of a firework occurred. They are too fearful to try something new and are usually seeking a safe place to hide. During events such as the 4th of July weekend or New Year’s Eve weekend, I’ve learned to give calming treats to my cats about an hour prior to sundown.
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Truffle hiding, as a kitten, underneath the stereo shelves |
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References
7 Fourth of July Tips to Help Your Dog or Cat Cope with the Fireworks -
MyLap Pet Bed. MyLap Pet Bed. July 1, 2019. https://www.mylappetbed.pet/blog/7-forth-of-july-tips-to-help-your-dog-or-cat-cope-with-the-fireworks-mylap-pet-bed.
Extreme Fear and Anxiety in Cats.
PetMD. https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/behavioral/c_ct_fear_phobia_anxiety
Fireworks and Your Pet: Tips for Staying Safe
This Fourth of July. July 3, 2019. ASPCA. https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/what-if-your-pet-goes-missing-during-4th-july-fireworks-theres-app.
Kramer, Coreyelle. June 30, 2016. Helping Fearful Pets
During the 4th of July. Coryelle Kramer: Seer, Healer, and
Animal Communicator. https://coryellekramer.com/helping-pet-4th-july
Levine, Kristen. June 2019. Pet Anxiety Awareness Kicks
Off June 2-8, 2019. Kristen Levine Pet Living. https://kristenlevine.com/petanxietyawareness/
Levine, Kristen. June 19, 2019. How to Help Your Dog or
Cat Be Relaxed and Calm. Kristen Levine Pet Living. https://kristenlevine.com/pets-anxiety-calming-chews/
Moore, Arden. June 24, 2019. Boom, Bang, and Other Noises
That Freak Out Pets. Fear Free Happy Homes. https://fearfreehappyhomes.com/boom-bang-and-other-noises-that-freak-out-pets/.
July 4th Fireworks – Keeping Your
Pet Safe. July 2, 2015. Pet Amber Alert.com™. https://www.petamberalert.com/blog/july-4th-fireworks-keeping-your-pet-safe/
Preventing and
Alleviating Anxieties 101. Fear Free Happy Homes Course Video. https://fearfreehappyhomes.com/lessons/preventing-and-alleviating-anxieties-101/
There's a fireworks stand that sets up near my house for every holiday. So, my 18 year old isn't afraid of them. One of my deceased cats used to love to stand in the window and watch the Roman candles. I know, my cats are the exception. But when it comes to traveling by car, my cat is so stressed. I don't have any suggestions other than I play classical music for him.
ReplyDeleteLots of great info! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe Florida Furkids
Great post! So comprehensive. No stone left unturned! Especially like the suggestion of turning up the noise level. Aw those are such sweet pictures of your kitties under the bed!
ReplyDeleteWe dislike holidays due to fireworks, we cope okay but the ferals do not, poor sweeties.
ReplyDeleteHappy Fourth of July!
ReplyDeleteWE purray there aren't too many fireworks here!!
Great post. My cats love hiding in the Catit cottage we won from you. Happy 4th! Xo
ReplyDeleteGreat post and great advice ! Happy 4th of July ! Purrs
ReplyDeleteMy cats have never been a problem for noise issues; it's always been dogs for me. Currently, I have a German Shepherd who is very reactive to the loud booms. I think she's frustrated because it's her instinct to protect.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, you've certainly covered all the bases. Thankfully I've never had a dog or cat who was bothered by thunderstorms or fireworks, but one cat I rescued as a 3 week old feral kitten. She was petrified of everyone except me. We discovered Feliway and the change in her was so dramatic I don't think I would have believed it if I hadn't seen it. We kept it plugged in where she spent more of her time, and in just a couple of days my husband was able to pet her. I highly recommend giving it a try if you have an anxious cat.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we concentrate on our dog's anxiety over thunderstorms and fireworks that we forget about our kitties! One of my cats could care less about noise and the other feeds off the dog's fears; she'll hide for hours. I'm thinking calming chews might be something we want to experiment with - thank you for the great info!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I always look back at the time I had 3 cats and what I went through with them before all this knowledge was out in the world and how they must have suffered. I feel guilty in a way but it was not my fault. With Layla, although a dog, I am so diligent with what I do to make sure she is as comfortable as possible and it seems to be working. I hate Fireworks and feel they should be banned
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! For all I know, there's so much that I didn't! Both my cats are a bit skittish. A couple years ago, before we had Ellie, some fools in our courtyard set off fireworks on and off from 2pm to 2am (also technically illegal). Bear couldn't sleep. As 2am, I just got really sick and tired of this crap and turned on my music (alternative) very loudly ... and I turned around he was passed out. I'm sure my neighbors didn't appreciate my noise - but my cats come first.
ReplyDeleteAww.. poor kitties. Fireworks are so scary for lots of pets. My dog, Bastian, also suffers from major anxiety / stress seizures when it comes to loud fireworks. When he gets anxious, he pants, paces, his eye pupils get dilated, and sometimes he just starts peeing on the couch. He is in a very scary trans-like state.. I enjoy the fireworks, but I don't enjoy this part of it.. (From: Dachshund Station)
ReplyDeleteI heard good things about the Feliway. And it does make sense. I like treatments that make sense.
ReplyDeleteOurs hide in the bedroom furthest from the noise!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, we just posted on that today. We like the TV ones, but not the ones next door!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know cats can be as fearful as dogs when it comes to fireworks/thunder anxiety. I know the exact day when my springer spaniel became fearful. It was when a severe thunderstorm hit early one August morning and the thunderclap was so loud it shook me out of bed. Dogs can be pretty annoying with constant pestering when they are anxious. I finally had to resort to drugs. I used Solliquin to take the edge off, which helped except when a storm was directly overhead, and then CBD treats during the storm. Fans set on high also help drown out the fireworks. I've had my dogs actually sleep through the fireworks grand finale!
ReplyDeleteThese are great suggestions to help alleviate the anxiety that thunderstorms and fireworks often cause our pets. So far my dogs are not bothered by fireworks (but the dogs are inside, and the fireworks aren't too loud at our house.)
ReplyDeleteMy cats aren't typically afraid of storms but my male cat doesn't like fireworks so I just let him hide under the bed and turn the fan on high to drown out the noise and I try to get him to play with his toys or leave him alone until he's ready to come out when he feels comfortable.
ReplyDeleteStay home with your cat and try to avoid the noise by watching tv
ReplyDeleteIf I know there will be fireworks or a bad storm predicted, I do what I can to help tire out my furbabies ahead of time. My dogs love taking walks, even if it's just a short one. I will also play with them in the house if taking a walk or playing outside isn't feasible. Same with my cats - well, one of my two cats. I will get out the laser light and distract her and help tire her out. It does really help - especially with the dogs.
ReplyDeleteI turn up the tv a bit louder then normal and since I have multiple cat home I make sure they have a nice little hiding cubby with cozy fuzzy covers to curl up in
ReplyDeletesallstun
at
hotmaildotcom
No issue with fireworks and thunderstorms yet.
ReplyDelete