How to keep your dog or cat calm during fireworks
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Bonfire Night falls on 5 November, and in many parts of the UK the fireworks start days before and carry on for a week or more afterwards. For lots of dogs and cats, sudden bangs, whistles and flashes are genuinely frightening. The good news is that a little preparation can make the evenings much easier for everyone. Here are the practical steps we recommend.
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1. Set up a safe den before the fireworks start
Pets who are scared usually want to hide, so give them somewhere good to go. Choose a quiet room, ideally away from outside walls and windows, and set up a den a few days ahead so it already feels familiar on the night.
- Dogs: a crate with the door left open, covered on three sides with a blanket or a blackout crate cover, or a bed tucked into a corner or under a table. A plug-in such as the ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser, started a few days ahead, can help support a calmer home environment.
- Cats: a covered cave bed, a cardboard box on its side, or a space under the bed or on top of a wardrobe. Cats often prefer to be up high or tucked away. A FELIWAY Classic Diffuser plugged in nearby offers cat-specific pheromone support.
- Rabbits and guinea pigs: extra hay and hideaways such as a willow hideaway tunnel inside the hutch, and if they live outside, consider bringing the hutch into a shed, garage or indoors for the evening, and cover part of it to muffle noise.
Add familiar bedding that smells of home, and let your pet choose whether to use the den. Never shut a frightened pet in somewhere they cannot get out of.
2. Walk dogs before dark
Take your dog for a good walk in daylight, well before the fireworks are likely to begin. Keep them on a lead even if they normally have excellent recall, because a single loud bang can make any dog bolt. A tired, well-exercised dog is also more likely to settle in the evening.
3. Keep cats and other pets indoors
Bring cats in before dusk and keep a litter tray available. Close the cat flap and make sure windows and doors are shut. Check gardens and gates if your dog needs to go out to the toilet later, and go out with them on a lead.
4. Close the curtains and play background sound
Closing curtains and blinds blocks out the flashes and dulls the noise a little. Put on the radio, the TV or some calm music at a normal volume to help mask the sudden bangs. Start it before the fireworks begin, so it simply becomes part of a normal evening.
5. Give them something to do
A silicone lick mat spread with a little of their usual food, or a treat puzzle, gives pets a calm, absorbing activity to focus on. Licking and sniffing are naturally settling behaviours for many dogs. Try these out on ordinary days first, so they are already a familiar treat.
For dogs who like a snug feel, a ThunderShirt calming wrap provides gentle, reassuring pressure, and a correctly fitted Happy Hoodie snood can help muffle some sound. Introduce both on quiet days first, so they feel familiar before Bonfire Night.
On a budget? Our padded calming ear muffs are designed to help reduce how loud bangs feel, and a noise-muffling crate cover can turn a wire crate into a darker, quieter den. Keep a panel open for airflow.
6. Stay calm yourself
Pets pick up on how we behave. Carry on as normally as you can. It is fine to comfort a pet who comes to you for reassurance, but try not to fuss in an anxious way, and never tell them off for being scared. If they want to hide, let them, and do not try to pull them out of their den.
7. Check ID and microchip details
Frightened pets can escape, even from homes that are usually secure. In the UK, dogs must be microchipped and wear a collar and tag with the owner's name and address when in public, and in England cats must now be microchipped too. Before Bonfire Night, check that your contact details on the microchip database are up to date, and that your dog's tag is readable.
8. Plan ahead for New Year and future years
If your pet struggles with fireworks every year, it is worth starting sound desensitisation training well before next season. Speak to your vet or an accredited behaviourist about a plan that suits your pet.
When to see your vet
If your pet shakes, pants heavily, refuses food, tries to escape or hurts themselves when fireworks go off, please speak to your vet, ideally a few weeks before fireworks season. They can check for any underlying health problems and talk you through the options, including referral to a qualified behaviourist where needed.
Our Fireworks & Calming edit
We have gathered calming wraps, snoods, plug-in diffusers, sprays, calming collars and a vet-formulated supplement from trusted brands including ADAPTIL, FELIWAY, Pet Remedy, ThunderShirt, Happy Hoodie and YuMOVE. These products are designed to help pets feel more secure; they are not a treatment for anxiety, and they work best alongside the steps above. For pheromone products and supplements, follow pack guidance and check with your vet, especially if your pet is on medication or has a health condition.