5 ways to help keep your pets calm during Bonfire Night.

As a family, we have pets. Three to be exact. Two cats {one is a kitten} and a free-roam house rabbit. And I know what you must be thinking, cats and a rabbit? Blending the prey/predator relationship so nonchalantly like that? Well, let me tell you, it works! However, coming up to bonfire season, which includes fireworks and all of that malarky, can be a scary time for our pets. And if you are a pet owner, then you get it. So, I figured I would put together a list of helpful ways to help calm your pet {or pets} during bonfire night.

Keeping your pets calm during Bonfire Night

As a cat owner, I know when the girls are feeling anxious or spooked by something. They will have that deer in headlights look on their face. They will run away and hide in a place they consider safe. And they’ve even been known to not eat if they are feeling scared by something. Firework and Bonfire season really is a time that pet owners fear because seeing members of your family scared like that, is never nice.

So here are a few ideas on how to keep your pets calm over Bonfire night.

Tips on how to keep your dogs calm over Bonfire Night

We aren’t dog owners, but these are a few ideas that I found online that I hope you find helpful:

• Walk your dogs during the day. As much as they can handle. Making sure they run off all of their energy and encouraging them to be sleepy and tired out by evening time.
• Close your windows, blinds and curtains. Try to block as the worst part of those fireworks. The big bangs!
• Build them a den. Somewhere that they can go, away from the windows and any noise that might filter through. Perhaps create this a few days in advance, so that your dog can get used to it before bonfire night.
• Stay close to them if they want you. They love you and find you a  real comfort to them when they’re anxious.

Tips on how to keep your cats calm

As I mentioned earlier in the post, we have two cats and one of them is still a kitten. So she has never experienced bonfire night before, whereas Sega, is 6 years old and is seasoned to these times of the year.

• If they are outdoor cats {like our Sega} bring them inside. They love nestling into the bottom of bonfires because they are like hideaways for them. And your imagination can fill in the rest. I have heard endless stories of this happening to a family cat. So keep your cats inside.
• Allow them to hide if they feel the need to. They’ll find a space in the home that makes them feel safe and secure. So don’t chase them to fuss, let them do and go where they need to go. Maybe even bring them some food, their favourite toy and a little reassurance goes a long way.
• Like dogs, close the blinds, windows and curtains. Try to block out any flashes and dull any loud bangs that may filter through.

Tips on how to keep smaller pets calm during Bonfire Night

Alongside the girls, Sega and Mabel, we have our free-roam house rabbit, Hopper. And with rabbits, loud noises and out of the blue loud bangs are and can be really bad for a rabbit. I have heard stories that rabbits have died purely by someone having a loud sneeze nearby. So adding in rockets and sky explosions into the mix and with a rabbit? We have ourselves a problem.

Now, rabbits aren’t the only small pets that we can have. We need to factor in hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets and more.

• If your pets are housed outdoors, try to bring them inside.
• If you cannot bring them inside but have a shed or a garage? Consider putting them up in there for the night.
• If your pet is indoors, be sure to move their homes away from any windows.
• Cover up their hutches and homes. To help dull out any flashes or muffle loud noises.

Alongside the above, I do have a few helpful ideas to help you perhaps get ahead of the Bonfire Night festivities. Consider playing firework noises at home. On a slightly louder volume than normal. As a way to get your pets used to these sorts of noises. You could also purchase a pheromone plugin that is known to help keep your pets calm as well.

Whatever your evening’s plans, I hope you & your pets have a stress-free Bonfire Night!