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How can I help my cat stay calm and reduce fireworks anxiety?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 11 months and 18 days old | 11 lbs

Hello, I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner but is there anything I can give my cat to keep him calm or is there something I can do to keep him calm before fireworks start tomorrow? Feliway didn’t help his anxiety for traveling. He’s never experienced fireworks before so I don’t know how he’ll react but is there anything I can do to help everything go smoothly tomorrow?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on July 3rd, 2018

There are a number of options to calm pets for fireworks. I am attaching a handout below that discusses some of the options. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952947 I always recommend keeping pets indoors, closing curtains and keeping windows closed. Make sure they have a "safe" and quiet place to hide. I have had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water or given orally in about half of animals with firework phobias. There are a number of companies that make calming treats such as Composure ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews ). You could also consider calming music specifically for cats ( http://throughadogsear.com/tace/through-a-cats-ear-1-music-for-calming/ ). I have not tried the cat version, but the dog version works great for fireworks. If Kovu does not do well with fireworks, you can also discuss anti-anxiety medication with your veterinarian for next year. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    Hi there. You can try giving him an over-the-counter calming supplement such as Zylkene or Composure an hour or two before the fireworks start, to help prevent him from becoming anxious. I would also recommend keeping your TV and/or a radio on, as well as a white noise machine or a fan if you have one - this will help block out the sounds of the fireworks which should help him stay calm.

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