How to Keep Your Cat Calm on Bonfire Night

For many UK cats, Bonfire Night is the most stressful evening of the year. Fireworks are loud, unpredictable and often go on for days, from late October through 5 November and again at New Year. Cats hear far higher frequencies than we do and are wired to hide from sudden danger, so a sky full of bangs can leave even a confident cat trembling under the bed. The good news is that a little planning goes a long way. Here is how to help your cat feel safe this fireworks season.

Signs your cat is frightened by fireworks

Cats tend to show fear quietly, so it is easy to miss. Look out for:

• Hiding under furniture, in wardrobes or behind the sofa
• Dilated pupils, flattened ears or a low, crouched body
• Refusing food or treats
• Over-grooming, or toileting outside the litter tray
• Trying to escape outdoors, or refusing to come back in
• Restlessness, pacing or unusual vocalising

If your cat shows severe fear every year, speak to your vet well before fireworks season. They can advise on behaviour support and whether any other help is appropriate for your cat.

Before Bonfire Night: prepare a safe den

The single most helpful thing you can do is give your cat a quiet, enclosed hiding place they already trust. Cats feel safest when their back and sides are covered and they can watch the room from a small opening.

• Choose a quiet room, ideally in the middle of the home, away from windows facing the street or garden.
• Add a covered bed. A felt cave bed or plush cave bed gives your cat a ready-made bolt hole. Raised-rim beds like the Calming Donut Bed also let cats curl up tightly with their head supported.
• Set it up early. Put the den in place at least a week before 5 November so it smells familiar. Pop a worn T-shirt or their usual blanket inside.
• Offer height. Many cats prefer to hide up high. A cat tree with an enclosed platform or a spot on top of a wardrobe can become a favourite refuge.
• Keep essentials close. Place water, food and a litter tray in or near the same room so your cat does not have to cross the house during the noise. An enclosed litter tray can feel more secure for nervous cats.

On the night: a step-by-step plan

1. Bring your cat in before dusk. Fireworks usually start once it gets dark, which is around 4:30pm in early November. Feed an early dinner to tempt outdoor cats home in daylight.
2. Lock the cat flap. A frightened cat may bolt and get lost or hurt. Keep doors and windows closed all evening.
3. Close curtains and blinds. This muffles the sound and hides the flashes.
4. Add background noise. Soft music, the radio or the TV at normal volume helps mask the bangs.
5. Let them hide. Do not pull your cat out from under the bed or try to hold them if they do not want to be held. Hiding is a healthy coping strategy.
6. Stay calm and act normally. Cats pick up on our mood. Speak softly, carry on as usual and offer gentle attention only if your cat comes to you.
7. Offer distraction if they are interested. Some cats can be tempted to play between bangs. A wand toy or a catnip toy can help redirect nervous energy.

Make the home feel cosy

Warmth is comforting. A self-warming thermal mat inside the den reflects your cat's own body heat back without any electrics, and a radiator hammock bed gives a toasty lookout spot in a quiet room. A fleece throw draped over part of a bed or carrier creates an instant covered hideaway.

Does your cat need to be microchipped?

Yes. In England it is a legal requirement for owned cats over 20 weeks to be microchipped. Fireworks season is a common time for cats to go missing, so check that your contact details are up to date on the microchip database before 5 November.

After the fireworks

Cats can stay unsettled for a day or two. Keep them indoors the next morning, as fireworks debris in gardens can be dangerous, and let them come out of hiding in their own time. Keep routines predictable: meals, play and quiet time at the usual hours. If your cat stops eating for more than a day, or shows ongoing stress, call your vet.

Thinking ahead: building confidence

Some owners use sound desensitisation, playing recordings of fireworks very quietly while their cat eats or plays, and slowly increasing the volume over several weeks. This works best when started months in advance and done gently, so it is a project for next year. In the meantime, a familiar den, a calm household and plenty of patience are the best tools you have.

Do not forget other pets

Dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs are also frightened by fireworks. Bring hutches into a shed or garage, or cover part of the run with a thick blanket, leaving room for airflow, and add extra hiding places like the Wicker Shelter or Cloud Tunnel Bed. For dogs, walk early, keep them on a lead and give them a covered den with a long-lasting lick mat.

Shop the Bonfire Night edit

We have gathered our cave beds, calming beds, hideaways and enrichment into one place: the Bonfire Night Calm Pets collection. Set up your cat's den this week and give them somewhere safe to wait out the bangs.