by Karen Sherlock

Created on: October 21, 2009   Last Updated: October 22, 2009

Okay, so bonfire night is almost upon us but let us bear in mind that these are not the only noises that affect or upset animals. I have six cats and one dog and so am pretty well-versed in what causes a commotion in this household. I have one cat that absolutely detests sirens, of any sort or description, when he hears one his ears prick up and he looks most perturbed by the whole thing and requires a soothing voice and a smooth to settle him back down again, and I haven't met an animal yet who isn't upset by the sound of the hoover humming away, they all want to make a quick exit when those activities are afoot. There is a flurry of fur and then nothing. They all seem to manage to find a hiding space, somewhere!

As for bonfire night and fireworks it is often believed by many people that you should react by telling your animal everything is alright and it will stop soon and they should not worry and give them lots of attention. This in fact is not the right way to approach this problem. What you should do is carry on as normal as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening as otherwise the animal will feed off of the fact that you are showing concern, and think that there is something they should be getting themselves distressed and sometimes in a terrible state about. I find the best thing to do with the cats is to make sure they have a very quiet spot that they can retreat to when all the activity of bonfire night kicks-off. So whether it be inside the wardrobe, under the bed or behind the settee sometimes it is just best to let them find "their spot" and retreat to it for however many days the crash, bangs and wallops carry on for. Or you can make them up some sort of den to make them feel safer. You can try to muffle some of the noise by closing your windows, doors and closing your curtains so that they cannot see them. It's also a good idea not to plan to go out yourself on these days if you can help it as a familiar face will make them feel calmer and more at ease. Also, above everything else, under no circumstances let your pet out during this time. Make sure they are safe and indoors. Obviously bonfire night is not the only time for fireworks these days. Some people have displays on their birthdays or at New Year although they are probably not as prevalent at this time as they are in November. Of course there are relaxants on the market that you can buy to ease your pets stress, some vet recommended ones such as Seren-Um which is given in tablet or liquid form or a natural remedy like Valerian which is a natural relaxant or the DAP range of products. These may be worth considering for your pet if they get very agitated and upset by all the noise and of course they are not limited for use only at these times.

There are some animals who are completely unphased by any sort of noise, but I cannot say I have come across one yet and if you are the owner of one of these pets then you should consider yourself very lucky. If you are one of the majority that have a pet that does not like lots of loud noises, storms and fireworks then be sure you get them settled in comfortably for the upcoming events and have a very happy and calm night with your furry friends.

Learn more about this author, Karen Sherlock.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.