Calming Your Cat During Fireworks & Thunderstorms

Fireworks and thunderstorms are a special kind of terror for cats: loud, sudden, and impossible to explain. The good news is that a little preparation goes a long way. Here's the plan we use to get cats through the bangs.

Before the noise starts

1. Build a bunker. Set up a cosy hideout in your quietest, most central room — a covered bed inside a wardrobe or under the bed works perfectly.
2. Seal out the sensory overload. Close windows and curtains to muffle sound and block flashes.
3. Add sound cover. Soft music, a fan, or the TV masks the bangs.
4. Plug in a diffuser early. Start a calming diffuser a few hours ahead so the room is already full of "safe" signals. A fast one like FeroHush works within the hour, so even last-minute prep helps.
5. Feed and play beforehand. A well-fed, played-out cat is a calmer cat.

Prep the bunker with a FeroHush diffuser →

During the fireworks

Act normal. Cats take cues from you, so calm, quiet body language reassures them. Don't force cuddles or drag your cat out of hiding — let them ride it out where they feel safest. Never punish hiding or accidents; fear isn't misbehaviour.

For severe panic

If your cat is truly petrified every year — trembling, hiding for days, refusing food — talk to your vet ahead of the season. They can layer medication on top of your environmental setup. For everything short of that, a quiet bunker plus a strong pheromone diffuser handles most cats beautifully.