Why are cats and dogs scared of fireworks

Everyone loves fireworks, right? While it’s true that most people get quite excited in the run up to fireworks and bonfire night, our pets are often given quite a fright when fireworks start. After all, we know they’re coming, but our cats and dogs won’t.

According to the RSPCA , 54% of cats and 62% of dogs show signs of distress when they hear fireworks. When fireworks are set off the only thing your cat or dog will register is that something they can’t identify is making a very loud noise.

What makes this situation even more traumatic and stressful is that both cats and dogs hear at much higher frequencies than humans do. This makes them far more sensitive to noise, meaning the bangs from fireworks and other loud sounds are much harsher on their ears, and potentially even painful for them.

There are several ways you can help your pet, and the key is to prepare early. Exposing your pet to a recording of fireworks can help desensitise them. But, it’s highly likely they will still be shocked when the fireworks start going off. On the night, make sure you close your windows, doors and curtains. You can also turn the television volume up a little higher or put on some music to help drown out the noise. Check out our step-by-step guide for more detailed tips on how to get your pet firework ready.

Using a pheromone calming product can help pets feel reassured during stressful situations. They are ideal for pet owners wanting to calm cats and dogs scared of fireworks.              

For cat calming, use Beaphar CatComfort®     

• Beaphar CatComfort® contains a synthetic replica of the Feline Facial Pheromone.
• These products come in the form of a cat calming spray, a calming plug-in for cats, and a calming cat spot-on. 

For dog calming, use Beaphar CaniComfort®

• Beaphar CaniComfort® contains a synthetic replica of the Dog Appeasing Pheromone.
• These products consist of a dog calming spray, dog calming collars, dog calming spot-on, and a pheromone diffuser.

Pheromones are naturally produced chemical substances that are instantly recognisable between animals of the same species. Certain pheromones trigger specific instinctive responses.

The products within the Beaphar Pheromone Calming Range contain synthetic copies of specific cat or dog pheromones. These pheromones are clinically proven to promote feelings of reassurance and help reduce problem behaviour. This makes a pheromone calming product, such as Beaphar CatComfort® or Beaphar CaniComfort® ,ideal for reassuring cats and dogs during fireworks.

You can find out more about the Feline Facial Pheromone and the Dog Appeasing Pheromone, and how they work in our blogs.

The Beaphar Comfort Dog and Cat Calming Diffusers are an easy-to-use calming plug-in that releases pheromones into your home for up to 30 days. It may take up to one week before you notice a change in your cat or dog, so be sure to plug your dog or cat calming diffuser in at least a week before you expect a firework display.

Remember, cat pheromones only affect cats and dog pheromones only affect dogs, so be sure you’ve selected the right product. If you own both and cat and a dog, you will need both a Beaphar CatComfort® Excellence Cat Calming Plug-In Diffuser and a Beaphar CaniComfort® Dog Calming Diffuser.

For optimum results, the calming diffuser should be used continuously, so be sure to stock up on the correct Beaphar Comfort 30 Day Refill as well. This means you can provide your cat or dog with long-term reassurance throughout firework season and the rest of the year.