A Calm New Year's Eve With and For Your Cat

New Year's Eve With a Cat

and how to prevent one or two disasters. Phew – so Christmas is saved! But what about New Year's Eve? Here we have to say – we're glad that fireworks are banned again this year. Yes, we love the tradition of fireworks too – but our pets don't. Not at all. Quite the opposite. Whatever the species – there's practically no animal that doesn't suffer from the bangs, the bright flashes, the enormous noise, and the moments of shock. For example, we now know that wild birds experience real mortal fear and sometimes lose their way while fleeing fireworks in a panic. Or, days before December 31st, you can already read in lost-pet forums that dogs and cats have run away because firecrackers went off early and completely unexpectedly. Or we come home from the New Year's Eve party ourselves to find a thoroughly frightened, and in the worst case traumatised, animal that won't venture out from under the bed. All of this is hard to avoid in a "normal year" (meaning with fireworks and a lot of noise). But we believe we owe it to our pets to handle this as carefully and thoughtfully as possible. Our responsibility as pet owners starts right here – even if that means, for us personally, not hosting the big New Year's Eve party at home.

So what can we do?

The LucyBalu checklist for cat owners suggests, among other things:

• Never set off firecrackers at home – not even if the cat isn't in sight!
  
• Keep cats that go outdoors inside for several days before New Year's Eve
  
• Whenever possible: don't leave your cat alone
  
• Create a calm atmosphere at home, even if you have guests
  
• If you can't be there: prepare a safe room of their own – more on this below
  
• For cats with acute anxiety: ask an experienced vet about herbal calming remedies – do this early!
  
• Spend plenty of time with your cat on New Year's Eve – if she's been played with, she may sleep through some of the excitement
  
• Give your cat time after New Year's Eve too – she's been through something quite traumatic, so wait 2–3 days before letting outdoor cats out again
  

It would be best if we stayed home and spent New Year's Eve quietly, cuddling with our house tigers. Unfortunately, that's not always possible, and sometimes there's just a party that has to happen. We understand that. To help our cats suffer as little as possible from the noise and excitement of New Year's Eve, it can help to set up a separate room just for the cat. A warm, cosy hideaway that feels familiar to her is essential. The room should also have food, water and the litter tray. Sometimes it also makes sense to leave a cupboard door open. Many cats like to seek shelter there, partly because they know the smell so well. Just make sure the door can't accidentally swing shut and trap the cat inside – that would cause even more panic!

Just relax – because animals immediately sense when we're on edge

And very important: don't be cross if your cat wets the flat out of panic. That happens too, and it's understandable. If we remember that cats hear three times as well as humans – meaning sounds are effectively three times as loud to them – it's easy to imagine just how extreme some of the banging can feel for our beloved pets. If we keep these things in mind and try to attentively meet our cats' needs, New Year's Eve can become bearable. Cats will probably never actually enjoy it – but as long as they're safe, and everyday calm returns afterwards, the turn of the year can pass with little drama. So we see – much as we love the holidays – they can be quite stressful for our cats at times. All the more reason to curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and give our pet extra cuddles!