Cats can like dogs be very afraid of  loud noises such as fireworks, builders and loud vehicles. If the adult cat has shown signs of being scared during certain noise challenges then it is important to do something about it to relieve anxiety. Noise anxiety typically does not go away on its own, but on the contrary, it can easily get worse and lead to an anxiety developing to other loud sounds, for example thunder. Fortunately, there are many things, we as owners can do to prevent and alleviate noise anxiety.

As an owner we may have difficulty seeing that the cat is afraid. This is because the cat is not a social animal, so it takes very good care of itself. In order not to attract enemies, it can hide if it is afraid and feels vulnerable. Its preferred strategy when frightened is to hurry to get away and hide. It's a good strategy in nature, but it also means that cats that are living as pets within our homes are often overlooked when they are scared.

Dogs who are anxious about noise will often seek out their owners and start shaking, howling or barking. It is therefore easier for the owner to spot.

In cats, anxiety often manifests itself as behaviour that stops happening:

- The cat may not approach to eat and drink, or may not want food and water at all.

- The cat may come out of its hiding place to use the litter boxes and may choose to urinate and defecate elsewhere in the house, where it feels more secure to do so.

- The cat is typically less interested in play or other activities than it usually is.

The physical signs that the cat is scared are also less obvious to many owners:

- The ears are laid down.

- Pupils become large (dilated).

- The muscles become tense.

- The tail is pressed against the body or between the legs.

- The posture becomes low.

- The cat runs away from what it perceives as being dangerous.

- The cat struggles to get free if you hold it.

- The cat crawls along the floor or against the walls.

- The cat freezes during movement.

- The cat leaves damp paw prints on the floor.

- The cat hides when there is an opportunity.

Examples of what can scare the cat:

- The sound of fireworks.

- The flashes of light from the fireworks.

- The smell of gunpowder smoke.

- Builders that make noise inside or outside the home.

- Children who play loudly or with noisy toys.

- Guests and strangers in the home.

- Strange animals visiting the home.

- People who behave differently and unpredictably because they are happy and celebrating.

- People in fancy dress eg funny hats, glasses etc.

Seek help in good time:

You have the best chance of helping the cat, when you start the preparations in advance.

If the cat is going to a cattery away from the noise, you often also have to book a place many weeks in advance.

There is competition for places during the holidays.

Noise anxiety can be prevented:

It is a very good idea to seek advice on how to get the kitten through a noise challenge in the best possible way – and especially if it is generally nervous and e.g. uneasy with loud noises, guests, etc.

When it comes to noise anxiety, prevention is always better and easier than treatment.

Sound training means slowly and gradually getting the cat used to different sounds that can be scary for it and teaches it that even good things can happen when these sounds start. This can be a long process and the cat's progress can be slow during this desensitisation period. Therefore the sound training process should begin several months in advance of a anticipated challenge such as bonfire night. 

Sound training should take place in collaboration with a cat behaviorist. If you progress too fast or ignores the cat's signals, it may become more afraid of the sounds and this will not help. Then we get a systematic sensitisation, rather than the systematic desensitisation we want.

Some tips to prevent bonfire night anxiety in the cat:

- Keep the cat inside and provide a litter box.

- Also ensure that the cat is wearing a collar with a tag and its microchip details are correctly registered if it gets scared and runs away.

- Give the cat some good hiding places in different places in the home and never disturb it when it is there.

- Make sure it has easy access to food, water, litter box, etc. from the hiding places.

- Pull the curtains and leave the light on.

- Avoid other noisy things inside the House.

- Play some calm music, e.g. "Music for Cats", which can be found here: https://www.musicforcats.com/

- Keep yourself calm and act as if nothing unusual is happening at all.

- Exercise the cat well during the day.

- Feel free to give the cat a good meal before the firework noise begins, if it wants to eat.

- If possible, stay inside with the cat until the noise has gone.

- Avoid picking up the cat and hugging it to comfort it. Talk to it calmly and stroke it as usual if it seeks your company. 

Over the counter medicine:

The over the counter medicine are not miracle drugs that remove all the cat's anxiety in one fell swoop, but when combined with the other good advice, together it can make a big difference for the cat.

The Feliway Optimum plug-in diffuser can be set up in early October and until the firework noise has finished. Or 6 weeks before any other anticipated noise challenge.

Stress and anxiety-relieving nutritional supplements, can also be used prior to and during the noise challenge. For example Alxitane from Virbac and Aptus Relax from Orion)

Remember not to force these remedies into the cat as this can be stressful for the cat and then you counteract the good, stress-relieving effect, so it is important to remember that they must give the cat in the least stressful way. Many owners do not think they can get the cat to take what they perceive as "medicine" voluntarily - but in fact, the vast majority of cats like to eat the supplements all by themselves, as long as they have not associated them with any discomfort.