New Year's Eve must feel like hell on earth for our kitties. Their sense of hearing is ultra sensitive, so the loud firecrackers and fireworks send them to scout for a safe place in the dark.
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| Beautiful fireworks display on NYE as seen from my balcony. |
My kitties and I live in a condo unit on the 12th floor, facing a plush village where the neighborhood go all out and crazy in welcoming the new year. As humans, we enjoy the mighty display of fireworks from my balcony, but the kitties don't feel the same. For several years, I have been successful in making sure they feel safe and comfortable, so I'm sharing the things that I do for them. They may also apply for your furry dogs:
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| Rue's scaredy cat look. |
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| LOVE. Those. Eyes. She's easily startled by sudden loud sounds, and this is how she reacts. |
1. No matter where you live -- a house with a yard, condo, apartment building, etc. -- make sure that your cats are INDOORS before it gets dark. In my country (crazy but fun Philippines), people start with merry-making at dusk, and that means firecrackers start going off at the same time. If you gather them when the fun started, you may not find them anymore. I've also seen some photos of cats and dogs on the street abused with firecrackers during NYE (evil monsters putting firecrackers on animals' tails, etc.) so that's definitely another reason to keep them in.
2. Prepare a room just for them. Because we live in a studio condo, the only other room I have is the bathroom -- which is just perfect for them. It is away from the balcony, and that is where they hide when our vets come over for a house call appointment.
3. Make the room comfortable. I put their favorite boxes and carriers in the bathroom, so they can hide in them.
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| Rue loves sleeping in this carrier, so this goes to the bathroom on NYE. |
4. Play some soothing music. Any music with a relaxed beat can calm them down. I usually play my bossanova playlist.
5. Check on them and give them treats from time to time. I wanna make sure they are okay and not nerve-wracked, so I always go in the bathroom to see them. They are so relaxed that they are always ready to receive some treats!
OPTIONAL: If you have Bach's Remedy, you can put about 4 drops in their treats every hour. It helps ease their nerves.
That's it, and hope you'll have a fun NYE while your cats are safely tucked in a cozy room! :)
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