While July 4th may be a fun summer holiday for you, your furry friend probably feels less enthusiastic. Cats never really appreciate sudden, loud noises, so an entire night of crashing and booming is sure to make even the most calm kitty a little uneasy. Here are a few ways to make sure you keep your cat safe on July 4th:
Create a safe space: Make sure your best feline friend has a safe, quiet place to retreat during the festivities. A bedroom or large closet with a warm comfy bed, her favorite treats, and some water will be sure to lessen the stress.
Keep kitty inside: Indoors is always the safest place for kitty—but even if your pet goes outside normally, keep her in on July 4th. Fireworks are frightening and disorienting even to cats who are used to the great outdoors.
Keep windows closed: When the weather is hot, we tend to open windows, but even the smallest opening can be an escape route for a panicked or determined kitty. Screens are not always enough to keep a cat in, so shutting the windows is the safe way to enjoy this fourth!
Use white noise: In his purr-tection room that you set up for him, turn on the TV or radio to a calming station or movie (maybe a nice bird movie?) to drown out the noise of the fireworks.
Visit the vet: If you have an especially anxious kitty, plan to visit your vet’s office before the holiday to inquire about medications that can be used as needed to lower anxiety in high-stress situations.
Update your microchip: most importantly, check to make sure your kitty’s microchip information is up to date with your current contact info and address. Unfortunately, statistically July 4th is the day of the year when the most cats (and dogs, too) go missing. The above precautions should ensure that kitty stays safe at home with you, but it is always good to prepare and make sure that—in a worst-case-scenario—you can still be reunited with your furry friend.
Although 4th of July may never have your kitty jumping for joy, your kitty will thank you with purrs and cuddles for trying to make the festivities a little bit less stressful for him!
