Of course, those that remain under the tender care of loving owners – although they will still experience a nightmare – will be in a better situation than homeless animals. So let’s think about free-living cats hiding in garbage shelters or basements of apartment blocks. Or about country dogs wandering on the roads, or dogs and cats curled up in a shelter box out of fear. They often whine and howl out of stress and try to scratch or bite the bars of the cage or jump over the fence at all costs to escape from an unidentified danger. This is a level of stress that is hard to imagine.
These pets usually have nowhere to hide. And the terrible stress caused by exploding fireworks can cause them not only long-term trauma, but also serious health damage and even death. The specialist wrote about how dogs perceive New Year’s Eve and directly pointed out that New Year’s Eve for dogs is like a war. A war in which something is constantly breaking out. The explosions are sudden and it is not known where they come from, and the terrified dog does not know how to escape from them.
New Year’s Eve and fireworks. For people it’s fun, for animals it’s torture
It has long been known that dogs have unrivaled hearing. They hear four times better than humans, so you can imagine what noise the sound of an exploding firecracker causes to them. If it explodes next to a pet, it may cause a rupture of the eardrum and, consequently, serious hearing damage or even complete loss. In dogs with heart disease, it may even mean a heart attack and death. Not to mention the fact that a panicked animal may simply behave self-destructively, e.g. run away in an unknown direction and get hit by a car.
It is also important that dogs – as Siemion emphasizes – can accurately verify the location of sounds, which is impossible in the case of fireworks. Therefore, the animal cannot get used to these sounds and feels stuck and trapped. He doesn’t understand what’s going on around him.
So what do dog owners face on New Year’s Eve? With fearful baying, whining, squealing, howling. The dogs are trying to get out of the apartment at all costs when they hear explosions, so they scratch the door. But not only that, they can also engage in a number of behaviors that may result in harm to them.
Not to mention the unpleasant tradition of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol on New Year’s Eve, which makes us noisy and often aggressive. A dog that is exposed to such company will not sleep in peace. Additionally, he will be stressed by the state of intoxication of the people around him, not understanding their behavior and screams.
Cats shake with fear on New Year’s Eve
December 31 is also a trauma for cats. It is worth emphasizing that these born hunters are also creatures with extraordinary hearing. They are also excellent at localizing sounds, and the upper limit of hearing in adults is approximately 50,000 Herz. Little cats can hear sounds with frequencies up to 100,000 Hz. For comparison, humans can only hear sounds up to 20,000 Hz. So the increasing sounds of firecrackers on New Year’s Eve will remind cats of a bombing, just like it does for dogs. It’s nothing compared to how we feel about it.
Cats are afraid of fireworks because they can’t stand the noise. They are also afraid of sudden movements and behavior, so drunk guests surrounding your cat will only increase his stress. How does a cat react to stress? In case of a threat such as fireworks explosions, screams, etc., the animal will simply hide. It will survive New Year’s Eve with much less harm if we provide it with safe hiding places in advance. A panicked animal may try to squeeze into places that are either dangerous or from which it will not be able to get out.
Therefore, what we can do for our furry pet on New Year’s Eve is to limit the space a bit. It is best to provide your cat with a bed, hiding place, etc. in only one, maximum two rooms. Please remember to give him access to food and water.
There are a few more tips on how to calm your cat down. If we leave the house, we should close the windows tightly – so that the kitty is not exposed to the riot of colors and sounds coming from exploding firecrackers. Moreover, when leaving, we can leave the light on – this will also slightly muffle the fireworks flares. Remember, however, that the sounds of explosions and flashes disturb the animal’s natural rhythm – the explosion usually occurs after a moment of silence (so the animal permanently experiences shock), and the light suddenly illuminates the night sky. When leaving the apartment, we can leave the TV or radio on. Thanks to this, the sound of explosions may be slightly “blurred”. Of course, these methods will not be 100% effective because the explosions are very loud. However, it may help our beloved pet to some extent.
Anyone who is a conscious cat owner knows that an animal that is emotionally close to its owner will be calm, especially in his presence. Therefore, when staying with your cat on New Year’s Eve, let’s behave normally. Let’s not stress about the fact that the cat will be stressed – these pets, although they do not understand our language, read our emotions perfectly. So – as a result – they will be restless. So let’s show him attention (if he demands it) and tenderness if necessary. However, if the animal does not want interaction, do not pressure it yourself. A calm, quiet voice, tender words, gentle movements, stroking – this will certainly encourage our pet.
New Year’s Eve and fireworks. “It’s hard for the dog to pee in the morning”
In extreme situations, both in the case of cats and dogs, we can give the animal sedatives. Note: However, this can only be done after consulting a veterinarian! This is the solution of 34-year-old Martyna from Warsaw, the owner of two adopted mutts.
– We give them sedatives, but at midnight. Those that are stronger or lighter – some with CBD, for example – do not help. During the day, we only give herbal ones, because it will probably be better than none at all – he says in an interview with Kobiet.gazeta.pl. It also points to another serious problem.
The biggest problem is not even New Year’s Eve itself, but the fact that it is difficult for the dog to pee in the morning. Because something is constantly shooting somewhere and they immediately want to run home! So there is no way to go for a walk practically all day long
– says.
The day before and after is also often a problem, although maybe not as much as the whole day. But as soon as they hear the shot, it’s a home run. They shake all the time in the house and try to hide in different places. In the bathtub, behind the toilet, but they still sit there and shake, or follow you step by step. They don’t want to eat anything. Even treats don’t help
– emphasizes our interlocutor.
Sources: Woman.gazeta.pl/Natemat.pl/Zooart.com.pl
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
