Cats hear almost three times better than we humans do and can see far more in the dark than we can. It’s no surprise, then, that the deafening bangs and bright flashes of New Year’s Eve fireworks frighten many cats. The good news: with our tips, you can reduce your cat’s stress on New Year’s Eve.
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Cats prefer to hide on New Year’s Eve and would happily do without the celebrations because of the noise.
Not all cats react the same way to the noise of fireworks. While some remain relaxed, others are thrown into a real panic by the loud bangs.
They tremble and pace restlessly around the house, groom themselves excessively or suddenly become house-soiling.
Outdoor cats may flee in fear so far that they can’t find their way home or even run into the road in their panic.
Fear can indeed have dramatic consequences . That’s why it’s so important to know how to manage your cat’s stress on New Year’s Eve and what steps you can take to ease their fear of fireworks.
The loud hissing and banging of the first New Year’s rockets usually catches cats completely off guard. After all, they don’t know that we humans celebrate the turn of the year with fireworks.
Fortunately, there are several measures you can take to reduce your cat’s stress and fright:
Even if you don’t always show it, cats are highly sensitive to their humans’ moods. The most important rule on New Year’s Eve is therefore: Project calm and composure. This feeling will be passed on to your pet.
If you become nervous yourself while frantically decorating the house with streamers and burning the New Year’s meal in the oven at the same time, your tension will transfer to your cat.
This will only increase the stress caused by the unfamiliar sounds of fireworks.
Of course, many households are in a festive state between Christmas and New Year. Nevertheless, cat owners should try to maintain their pet’s usual daily routine.
Feeding times, play sessions and outdoor access should not be changed.
It doesn’t matter where your cat retreats to in the house on New Year’s Eve. What’s important is that this safe haven is as quiet as possible. Close windows and doors and, if possible, lower the blinds or draw the curtains.
You won’t be able to shut out the fireworks completely, but you can at least muffle the noise. Try to shield the other rooms from the New Year’s spectacle as well.
Out of consideration for your feline friend, it’s best to skip a big party with lots of people, loud music and popping champagne corks.
A small celebration at home with family or close friends can be just as lovely as a large, lively party.
Many cat owners ask themselves before 31 December: “Can I leave my cat alone on New Year’s Eve?” Even if it’s difficult, do your cat a favour and stay at home with them if you can.
As well as peace and quiet, your cat needs above all a sense of security to cope with the loud fireworks. You’re the best person to provide that.
It’s understandable if you don’t want to miss the bright fireworks in the night sky entirely. However, for your cat’s sake, you should take turns with your partner or friends to step outside.
This way, one person can always stay with the potentially very frightened animal.
Even if your cat shows hardly any signs of fear and simply retreats to their cat cave – they’ll sense that you’re there and feel safer because of it.
Letting your cat outside on New Year’s Eve? Not a good idea! Even during the busy festive period, you should respect your cat’s usual habits. However, there’s one exception: outdoor access on New Year’s Eve. For safety reasons alone, it’s advisable to bring your cat indoors before the fireworks begin.
Cat flaps on doors that night so your cat can’t slip outside. The risk of your pet running into the road in a panic or being injured by fireworks is simply too high.
If your feline isn’t used to being “kept indoors”, practise staying inside now and again beforehand. A special cat treat will usually tempt even dedicated night owls back into the house.
Important tips for your outdoor cat on New Year’s Eve:
Cats are instinctively flight animals. If they can’t escape outdoors on New Year’s Eve, they’ll need a safe retreat.
Ideally, this is a separate, quiet room as far away from the fireworks noise as possible, where your cat can go whenever they choose.
To help them feel comfortable, place their usual cat bed there.
If you can’t offer a whole room, create a small “den” under the bed, behind the sofa or in a cupboard instead. An old cardboard box, darkened and lined with thick blankets, also makes a good hideaway.
Most cats love lying hidden under blankets or in cat tree dens. They’ll gladly take up this offer on New Year’s Eve too. However, if your cat chooses a different hiding place, don’t be disappointed – respect their decision.
Never force your cat to try out the “cosy den”.
To distract your cat from the unfamiliar noise of fireworks outside, it often helps to create familiar sounds and a cosy atmosphere indoors.
Further reading: Keeping your cat entertained: tips for fun and games
As soon as the first fireworks go off and the tension rises, give your cat some attention and – if they allow it – distract them with the games or treats described above.
Even so, try not to overdo your sympathy.
Excessive stroking or constant reassurance can have the opposite effect and confirm your cat’s fears. They may think there really is danger if you suddenly make such a fuss of them.
Instead, try to ignore your cat’s fear and behave as you normally would. This shows your feline that the fireworks are nothing to worry about and helps them calm down.
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Some cats can be soothed with the measures described above. However, sometimes a cat owner’s best efforts aren’t enough.
You may be wondering whether there are any aids to help your cat on New Year’s Eve. The following two options are worth trying if everything else has failed.
If you’d like to do even more to help your cat relax, you can use special plug-in diffusers. These contain synthetic versions of pheromones – your cat’s own scent messengers – which can promote their sense of wellbeing.
For example, the pheromone a mother cat releases while nursing tells her kittens that everything is fine and they can relax.
This can often help lower the increased stress levels caused by fireworks.
Cats are creatures of habit. They react just as sensitively to new and unfamiliar noises as they do to sudden changes in their daily routine.
A “firework desensitisation” approach using audio files or CDs that replicate the sound of New Year’s fireworks can therefore make sense.
Important: Start training in good time. Your cat won’t get used to new sounds overnight.
Here’s how to do it:
Make sure you carry out the training in a calm manner. Behave as normal and don’t pay attention to the noises. This shows your cat that the loud bangs in the background are nothing to worry about.
From a veterinary point of view, it is not advisable to give cats sedatives on New Year’s Eve. These preparations can have the following effects on your pet:
Only use calming medication in extreme emergencies. Always speak to your vet beforehand. They can advise you on whether and which medication might help your cat.
Herbal calming remedies can be an alternative. They can ease your cat’s restlessness naturally, without causing lethargy.
However, Bach flowers and similar remedies are controversial in terms of effectiveness. They also usually take some time before they have the desired effect.
If possible, it’s best to start the treatment a few days before New Year’s Eve.
Depending on how intense your cat’s fear of fireworks is, you may need more or less patience with the measures described above. Cats are individuals, and not every type of “therapy” will achieve equally good results.
However, if you follow the tips above, you’re likely to see success with one or two of these measures and significantly reduce your beloved feline’s firework stress.
This way, you and your cat can welcome the New Year calmly and leave the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year relaxed behind you.
Animals have accompanied me for as long as I can remember - there is hardly a child's photo without a budgie on my head or a cat on my lap. For more than ten years, I have been writing as an editor about various topics ranging from health insurance to cat ownership. Always with me: my cat Mimi, who is the best source of inspiration for many texts and knows when it's time for a break from writing.
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