4th of July is Not So Much Fun for Them
If your neighbors are like mine, our peace and quiet are being interrupted by the bombs bursting in air already, and will continue after the 4th day of July.
The American Humane Association reports that July 5 is the busiest day at animal shelters, caring for all the pets who simply ran in fright during fireworks the night before, but in 2016 the ASPCA did some research on that statement and found it’s not necessarily true. Sifting through data from pet owner surveys that included questions on lost pets, “What we did not find in the surveys was that the 4th of July is a significant driver for losing a pet. While 12% of dogs and 11% of cats were lost in a severe weather event around that time period, we did not have folks reporting their pet was lost because of 4th of July celebrations. Now, that is not to say that pets do not panic and run off during fireworks–just that it is not a major reason folks identified.”
And that’s not to say that fireworks won’t frighten them enough to make them run blindly when they are frightened. Being near fireworks can be uncomfortable for us humans, but even at a distance they take their toll on our pets’ highly sensitive ears and can leave them highly stressed, confused and irritable, and even a pet who has shown no interest in the outdoors might just take off into the night to try to get as far away from that horrible noise as possible. The holiday has many other real dangers aside from fireworks, though, like foods and decorations and open doors from people spending more time outside. Don’t forget about your pets when preparing for any home event, or when July storms arrive.
This is an article I share each year, so rather than republishing the whole thing I leave it in one place and link to it. Read all about the dangers of fireworks, food and outdoor events for our pets, and a Lost Pet mobile app in “Independence Day for Our Animal Companions, Not So Fun”.
Download a guidesheet
Download a guidesheet with tips to help your pets during this summer holiday season.
PDF to print and save to your computer.
JPG for mobile devices.
. . . . . . .
Reference sites:
Big Bang Theory, ASPCA article on lost pets from July 4 festivities.
Keep Your Cat Safe During the 4th of July Holiday from PetMD.
Fourth of July Safety Tips from the ASPCA is a comprehensive list of all the material dangers your pet can encounter on a picnic or cookout or even in the house.
4th of July Cat Safety Tips by Pam Johnson Bennett, CABC, on Cat Behavior Associates, LLC is very cat -specific, giving tips on how to keep kitty safe, indoors, and even confined if necessary.
7 Simple Tips to Keep Your Cat Safe on Independence Day
8 Must-Know Tips for a Safe July 4 with Your Dog
. . . . . . .
Other Related Articles
Your Indoor-only Cat Got Out the Door! Feline-specific information and tips on recovering your cat, focused on indoor-only cats but the information works for outdoor cats as well.
Cats may intentionally escape through a loose our faulty screen trying to get away from the noise of fireworks as well: Windows, Screens and Cats
And don’t forget about giving your pets, yourself and other animals Water for Pets, Wildlife—and People—in Summer’s Heat.
Read more articles in the category Health and Welfare
Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals
~~~
Feline Artwork from Portraits of Animals!
This painting is one I’ve wanted to do for years—since the very moment it depicts, in fact, on July 30, 2006, in fact, when Stanley and I enjoyed a Sunday morning on the deck. This was Stanley’s last summer with us, he’d been with me for 21 years and at my best guess was 25 years old, and he and I spent every possible moment together, especially out on the deck. Read more, and purchase.
Copyright
All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
Subscribe to my e-newsletter
Subscribe to The Creative Cat Preview E-newsletter.
© 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski
Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy
Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
I generally don’t mind the loud noises. I sleep out on our patio and the landscapers roar right by, plus there’s nonstop construction going on right outside and I sleep right through it all.
You’re one brave kitty!
Yes, my cat Henry gets scared of fireworks but fortunately loves me too much to run away!
I make sure the screens are in good shape so no one can jump through one. Often, they run to the basement.
Hopefully here, it will be a quiet fourth. My cats all know to run under the hourse or in the house when they are scared. But good advice. Have a good weekend.
A neighbor very close has some huge fireworks, and they are even too close for me–we can see them right outside the window. After he starts with those, they jump at everything. So do I. We hope yours will be quieter!