Everyone celebrates this day a little differently- cooking food, firing up the grill, having company over- but even if you have zero activities planned, more likely than not, you’ll be able to hear fireworks from where you are- and so will your cat.  What can you do to help keep your kitty safe and happy on this holiday?

• We may call this holiday ‘Independence Day’, but this is one day you should definitely NOT let your cat be independent!  If your cat typically is allowed outdoors, today is a good day to stray from that habit and keep them inside.
• Now is a good time to double-check on if you have any hiding spots in your house that it would be difficult to extract your cat from, and block them off.  If they get scared, they may be driven to hide somewhere they normally wouldn’t- underneath the bed where you can’t reach them; the back of the closet behind a storage bin that they can squeeze behind; the cupboard that has a gap that gives them access to inside the wall.  Make sure they have plenty of appropriate hiding options available, like cardboard boxes, cat cave beds, or cat furniture that includes hidey holes.  In case of an emergency, you want to be able to easily find your cat and be able to easily get them out!  Bonus points if you turn their crate into a cozy place to hang out and hide- nothing makes getting your cat in their crate easier than if they already view it as a safe, comfy spot!
• If you are going over to someone else’s house for a long period of time, do your best to stick to your cat’s routine as much as possible- on a night where there are going to be some frightening noises, having everything else be the same can be comforting.  Try to feed them at their normal times, play with them as you normally would, and give them the same kind of attention you would any other day.
• If you’re having people over to YOUR place for a celebration, and your cat is skittish or wary of strangers, loud noises, or both, consider giving them a ‘quiet room’ where they have access to litter, water, food, toys, etc. and keep the door shut.  This also can prevent them from dashing outside as you’re opening your front door, or escaping through a patio or balcony if you’re hanging out outside and people are constantly going in and out.
• White noise is your friend!  It will help drown out sounds of fireworks, your party, or anything else that may be going on.  You can use an actual white noise machine if you have one, or play TV or radio at a low volume, turn on a fan or two, or play gentle music or even cat TV for them on an extra phone or tablet.
• Avoid giving them TOO much attention- if they are scared and hiding and you are fawning over them and over-comforting them, it can serve to increase their anxiety.  Make sure you know where they are, offer them the usual pets and playtime and food, but don’t ‘make a big deal’ out of their fear.  If you’re free to sit in the room they’re in and read or watch TV or do some other ‘normal’ activity, this can help their anxiety from escalating.  Mostly, just let them rest where they feel secure- let them hide.  If you discover that this event seems particularly traumatizing to them and they don’t bounce back quickly the next day, consider talking to your veterinarian about behavior medication for other such events in the future.