Independence Day is my least favorite holiday of the year because so many animals are traumatized by its loud pyrotechnics and fireworks displays. While it may be fun for some humans, it scares and disorients pets in a matter of seconds, causing them to meltdown in complete terror, with many trying to flee from the safety of their homes only to go missing. 

Why? Animals become anxious and scared when they hear loud noises and see bright flashing lights. Their instincts tell them to run as fast and far away as possible to escape the source of their fear and anxiety.

Throughout the Independence Day weekend, your pets will hear noises you might not be aware of because of their sensitive ears and nervous systems.

Once an animal becomes frantic, it’s difficult for them to calm down. Therefore, it’s better to prevent your pets from becoming distressed in the first place. Once in the “red zone,” your pet can no longer hear you or respond.

Instead, an animal’s panic drives them to find a safe place away from the perceived danger. This is why animals tend to hide under furniture, go into a closet, or try to escape their backyards and homes by whatever means possible. Some dogs will resort to chewing through crates and jumping out second-story windows to find safety.

When you see fireworks from a dog’s perspective, it’s clear how quickly a dog can become spooked and run from fireworks and firecrackers with potentially life-threatening consequences.

Recognizing the physical signs of stress is the first step to alleviating your pet’s distress. 

• Excessive Panting and drooling
• Ears Pinned Back
• Tail Between Legs
• Excessive Vocalizations like whining, barking, and crying
• Licking lips
• Yawning
• Restless Pacing and Can’t Settle Down
• Refuses Food and Treats
• Excessive Scratching, Paw Licking, and Over-Grooming
• Hides under furniture or in a closet

It’s helpful to communicate with your animal family before and during the holiday to help them cope and deal with the loud noises and fireworks.

Kobe Bear

Kobe Bear hated fireworks and loud noises. 

My second Keeshond, Kobe Bear, now In Spirit, became extremely anxious during the 4th July celebrations. Of course, it didn’t help that fireworks be seen and heard from every room in my house for approximately 45 long minutes, two nights in a row.

The first year I had Kobe Bear, I had no idea how upset he would get from fireworks since my previous dog had no problems with loud noises or pyrotechnics. Kobe Bear, on the other hand, melted down with intense fear and became inconsolable.

Despite being able to communicate telepathically to Kobe that he was safe, his fear overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn’t hear me. As a result, I came to dread the 4th of July fireworks displays over the years because it was awful watching my dog suffer.

One year, Kobe was so freaked out, he tried to jump out of a 2nd story window when the fireworks display began as he attempted to escape the scary noises and lights that he didn’t understand. Despite closing the windows and blinds, keeping him in a back bedroom, feeding him delicious treats, and playing music, Kobe could still feel the disturbing vibrations the fireworks created.

Unfortunately, Kobe Bear’s terror didn’t stop when the firework displays ended because people in my neighborhood continued to set off firecrackers throughout the holiday. It was hard watching Kobe tremble and bark incessantly every time he heard a loud bang. Despite my best attempts to calm and communicate with him, Kobe suffered terribly.

In hindsight, I should have talked with my veterinarian about giving Kobe medication to alleviate his suffering.

9 Tips to keep your pets calm and safe:

Tip #1: Your pet’s ID is their ticket home. If you do nothing else, put a collar with current ID tags securely on your pet at the start of the holiday weekend. ID Tags are the quickest and easiest way for your pet to be returned to you if they go missing. Make sure your information on the ID Tags is current, and remember to include your mobile number.

If you have a horse, you may want to place a safety or breakaway halter on them with your current contact information. This way, your horse is wearing her ticket home just in case she spooks and runs away.

Use ID tags in addition to microchipping your pet. It’s important to microchip your pet, especially if they end up in an Animal Shelter. If your pet isn’t microchipped already, talk to your veterinarian about getting your pet microchipped before the holiday begins. It’s also an excellent time to double-check that your microchip information is up-to-date.

Tip #2: Never use fireworks around your dog or other pets. The noise will spook them with an excellent chance they may run away and go missing. In addition, fireworks can quickly burn the fur on an animal, so it’s best to keep them away from this type of hazard.

Tip #3: Exercise reduces your pet’s stress. On high-stress days, like the 4th of July, it’s an excellent idea to give your animals their exercise early in the day, so that they can be tired when their world starts to explode. A tired animal tends to cope and deal with loud noises better than a pet with too much energy. 

Also, take your dog out for a long walk and potty right before the start of the fireworks displays, which may help them sleep. Taking your pets out during the fireworks display or later, when random firecrackers are set off, will significantly increase the chances of your pet going missing. 

Tip #4: Leave your pets safely secured inside your home. Put your pets in a quiet “safe room” or crate where they can’t accidentally escape. Having a “safe room” will also reduce their stress.

Cats are amazing escape artists. Put cats, including outdoor cats, in their “safe room” with their litter box and freshwater. Make sure they are wearing a collar and ID. You may want to consider using a GPS collar if you’re concerned about your pet escaping.

Tip #5: Stay home with your animal friends. It’s key you remain home to be a calming influence for your pets, especially if they feel like their world is crashing down around them. Many animals tell me they cope better when their person is with them. Otherwise, they say, it’s overwhelming to deal with loud, thunderous noises that might swallow them up or, even worse, hurt them, without their person to protect them.

Your pets will be happier and safer if they stay home. You may think it’s fun to bring your dog to fairs, holiday celebrations, and fireworks shows, but I promise you, it’s no fun for your dog. In fact, it can be a scary experience. If it’s hot, your risk burning your dog’s paws or experiencing heatstroke.

Tip #6: Decrease visual stimulation. Bright, flashing lights can upset animals, sometimes to the point where they will jump out of a 2nd story window like in Kobe Bear’s case.  Keep blinds and curtains shut and close the windows. If need be, put your dog in a crate with a towel placed over it. 

Last year, someone let off a large firecracker near my home. The big flash of light before the loud boom freaked my dog Bodhi out. Up until he saw the light, he was doing okay dealing with the noise. Then he melted down. It took a while before he was able to relax.

Tip #7: Use anxiety vests, also known as Thunder Shirts, and calming music to help decrease your dog or cat’s anxiety without using drugs. Anxiety vests work by applying gentle, constant pressure to a dog’s or cat’s torso, which provides comfort. 

Playing calming music can help desensitize and relax your pet. I recommend the music from Lisa Spector from Dog Gone Calm.  Below is a concert she offered in 2020 to help pets stay calm during the 4th of July.

Tip #8: Distract and redirect your pet’s focus by using chew toys, playing games, and offering them delicious treats as a reward for ignoring the booming explosions, if you can. However, don’t be surprised if your food motived hound refuses treats when fireworks are happening. Many times, when pets are stressed or scared, they refuse food or treats.

Chewing reduces a dog’s stress.  Give your dog something fun and safe to chew on, like a frozen Kong filled with deliciousness like chicken or peanut butter to keep them occupied.

Playing with cats reduces their stress, so grab your cat’s favorite toy and have fun playing with them.

Tip #9: Talk to your Veterinarian before the start of the holiday week. If you’ve tried the above suggestions and your pet still suffers anxiety during fireworks, it may be time to discuss medication options to ease their fears and tension. The 4th of July and New Year’s Holidays are the two times of year that I strongly suggest medicating your pet if they tend to meltdown. It could save their lives.

Your Vet should be one of your best resources to help your pet through this potentially nightmarish holiday. Never give your pet any form of medication without consulting your veterinarian first, given the potentially severe side effects. While the use of drugs should be your last resort, it’s a good option if your pet is like Kobe Bear.

If you choose to medicate your pet, make sure you do give it to your pet sooner than later.  Every 4th of July holiday,  I receive numerous calls from clients whose pets are frantic from the noise and lights. Some clients call whose pets have gone missing.

Many pets end up in the Veterinarian ER during the Independence Day holiday.

During the 4th of July holiday, large influxes of pets go to the Vet ER for ingesting inappropriate picnic and BBQ foods such as hot dogs and fatty meats. Fatty BBQ meat can cause pancreatitis. Even ingesting a corn cob can make your dog very sick. So it’s better to avoid these types of foods to prevent gastric upset and a possible trip to the ER.

If you are having a party, your animal family should keep away from the noise and potential danger of eating the wrong foods. Pets also visit the ER because they burn their paws on hot pavement or become dehydrate and overheated from the mid-Summer heat.

Finally, you may want to set up a long-distance Reiki session to support your pets with calm, grounding, and nurturing energy. I’m available throughout the week if you need to communicate with your pets about what’s going on around them or offer them Reiki.

The Animal Muse Family wishes you and your animal family have a safe and fun 4th of July Holiday!

The post 9 Tips to Keep Pets Safe and Calm during 4th of July Week appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

The day before he disappeared, Elvis communicated telepathically that he “would be leaving me soon.” I was startled and concerned. Leaving me? What was Elvis talking about? Unfortunately, he didn’t elaborate.

Elvis

I wasn’t sensing that Elvis was ready to transition, although he hadn’t been feeling well recently, due to a spate of vomiting up hairballs. In an ongoing effort to keep the formation of hairballs to a minimum, I brush his beautiful, medium dense coat daily. In all other aspects of his health, he seemed fine. I told Elvis he was going to be fine, kissed his adorable face, and went on with my day, pushing his cryptic message out of my mind.

The next morning, Elvis and his kitty sister, Mona Marie, ate their breakfast and then headed off for their morning nap. I went on with my day, which included going out for a couple of hours, returning a little after noon. When I walked in the front door, I didn’t see either cat, which was not unusual, since Mona and Elvis love to catnap.

In the late afternoon, my dog, Bodhi Bear and I went out for an event. Upon our return, Mona was sitting on her cat tree demanding supper. Elvis was a no show, which at the time, didn’t strike me as odd, because he sometimes waits until I’m ready for bed to ask for his dinner.

As I cleaned up after my dinner, I realized I hadn’t seen Elvis since breakfast. I immediately called out to him verbally and telepathically. In that moment, I felt intuitively that Elvis was not in the house or even outside of the house.

Telepathically, Elvis wasn’t responding. This was highly unusual because Elvis and I share a strong, loving bond with excellent telepathic communication. Plus, he’s a typical Siamese with a distinctive, loud meow. For Elvis to be non-communicative as well as MIA for his supper, something had to be terribly wrong.

I remembered Elvis’ cryptic message, which started to weigh heavily on my heart and mind. I had a sick feeling in my gut that I might not ever see my boy again. It was a scary thought that I couldn’t fathom at the time. I began looking for him.

When I tuned into my intuitive self, I felt strongly that Elvis was alive and possibly trapped somewhere nearby; perhaps in a garage, a couple of houses away.  It was the only logical explanation for him not returning home. Yet, without finding Elvis, I had no positive way to know his location.

Elvis and Mona Mare

At this point, it was about 4 am. It was too early to call for help so I decided to send Reiki in hopes it would help Elvis find his way home, dispelling any obstacles in his path. I continued sending Reiki throughout the ordeal, knowing Reiki could help Elvis in ways I never could.

At first light, I got the word out about Elvis’ disappearance. I texted family, friends and neighbors to let them know that Elvis was missing. Within a few short hours, my neighbors knew Elvis was missing.

I knew there are a number of things I needed to do quickly when an animal goes missing. Besides calling my family, friends and neighbors, I made posters that were immediately hung in the neighborhood, local veterinarian offices and pet hospitals. My neighbors looked in their homes, garages, backyards and around the general neighborhood numerous times. Still, there was no sign of my little Siamese.

A missing animal report was filed at the local animal shelter. Friends continued to monitor the shelter while he was missing. Thank goodness, he had a microchip, in case someone brought him to the animal shelter or animal hospital. His microchip gave me some peace of mind.

A neighbor posted Elvis’ disappearance on www.nextdoor.com. I posted Elvis’ disappearance on Fido Alert and www.TabbyTracker.com. My Facebook friends shared Elvis’ information and sent prayers. I believe in the power of prayers and have no doubt, that their prayers would help Elvis no matter where he was.

I never posted on Craig’s list feeling strongly that Elvis was not far away or was with another family. Elvis is a loving and affectionate cat with me, a true “Mama’s boy.” Yet, he is a shy cat around people. My gut told me that Elvis was not with another family, which brought me back to the idea that he was trapped somewhere close by.

Me and Elvis

I reached out to two other Animal Communicators, including my Animal Communication mentor. Like me, they received similar information from Elvis, confirming that he was hunkered down somewhere close by and would be home, if he was able to extricate himself. He didn’t reveal his location to them, either.

Throughout the ordeal, Mona Marie spent a lot of time sitting on the master bedroom windowsill, staring at the house two doors away. I asked Mona if she knew where Elvis was. She said he was close by and that asked him to come home. Mona was incredibly supportive and loving, which I appreciated and needed.

After being gone for six long and horrific days, my Animal Communicator mentor felt Elvis might have transitioned, but didn’t know for sure, which I understood. The reason why it’s hard for Animal

Communicators to know if an animal is alive or dead is that animals (and humans, too) are Spirit that then animates a physical body. Communicating telepathically with an animal can feel virtually the same whether the animal is alive or not. Therefore, it’s impossible to know if an animal has died; the only sure way to know is to find the animal. Most Animal Communicators, like myself, don’t take on missing animal cases because of this aspect of telepathic communication.

While Elvis was missing, my emotions went up and down like the worst roller coaster ride

imaginable. Was he alive? Was he dead? Where is his body? Some moments, I was able to remain grounded, knowing that frantic energy can negatively impact a missing animal. Other times, I cried like a baby at the thought that I’d never see my boy again.

With each passing day, it seemed inconceivable that a fifteen year old cat could survive without

food and water for so long. The weather was hot and dry with several days reaching 100+ degree temperatures. My neighbors and I continued to search the neighborhood for Elvis. My friends, including my wonderful Facebook friends, whose ongoing support boosted my morale with their kind words and prayers.

By day eleven, I couldn’t look any more. I had to let go of knowing if Elvis was going to come home. I felt completely out of balance not knowing if he was alive or dead. One part of me needed to know what had happened and the other part wanted to trust in my intuition that he was trapped close by. I found the more desperate I felt, the more anxious I became. I had to let go of the outcome. My mind needed to take a break, to allow my heart and intuition to take over, once again.

I came to acceptance that Elvis is his own being with a mind of his own. If he needed to leave the house or his body, there was nothing I could do. Elvis’ chose to go on a “walkabout.” If he was trapped, I prayed he’d be released. If he had transitioned, I hoped he left quickly and painlessly.

Although I let go of the outcome, I couldn’t let go of the possibility that Elvis might still come home. I continued to send Reiki and stay open for a miracle.

On Monday, twelve unimaginable days after Elvis went missing, I greeted the day as best as I

could. I leashed up Bodhi for our morning walk and exited out my front door, telling myself I

had to move forward with life without Elvis.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little Siamese kitty body running towards my neighbor’s backyard. OMG! Is that Elvis? 

It was Elvis! At that moment, I became a believer in miracles!

“There Is No Place Like Home”

Once in the house, Elvis immediately climbed his cat tree and demanded food. Poor baby was

starving. Elvis then proceeded to wolf down three huge bowls of food and drank lots of water.

He then looked at up at me with his beautiful blue eyes and said, “There is no place like home!”

Where were you, Elvis? I asked. He said, “I was trapped behind boxes in the garage a couple

houses away. Once I got out from under the boxes, I had to wait for the garage door to open. Once it opened, I high-tailed it home and waited for you.”

Besides losing a couple of pounds, I noticed his claws had been worn down on all his paws,

indicating that he had tried very hard to get free. Otherwise, Elvis was in good spirits and grateful to be home. Me, too!

Mona on the other hand, was not pleased when she first saw Elvis. She hissed loudly at him

and said he smelled funny. She also reprimanded him for leaving the house and for being gone so long. It took her a few days to fully accept him again. This surprised me since they’ve known

each other since they were two months old.

I tried not to be upset with myself for Elvis’ disappearance which, in hindsight, was something I

had no control over. Elvis was determined to leave. There was nothing I could have done to

stop my Siamese friend from going on his “walkabout.” It seems like something was calling him to leave the house.

Me, Elvis and Bodhi

It was heartbreaking thinking that Elvis wanted to leave me and his body without being by his side. At one point, when I felt he may have transitioned, I felt devastated by his decision, it didn’t make sense to me. If it was his time to transition, I didn’t want him to be alone, I wanted to support him. But it wasn’t my choice to make. It was Elvis’.

I have a new appreciation for missing animals. In my experience, missing animals are rarely about the animal, but about how we respond when our beloved friends can’t be found. It’s easy to forget that animals have their own personal choices, spiritual paths and agendas that many times have nothing to do with the people they love.

I learned a lot about my amazing community both locally and virtually. My wonderful family,

friends, neighbors and Facebook friends supported me throughout the long ordeal and kept me

afloat when I felt like I was drowning in sadness.

One thing I know for sure is that we will never know what truly happened to Elvis on his walkabout.

For all I know, Elvis may have transitioned and was “called back” to his body to live out his life with me by some magical force in the Universe.

No matter what happened, I’m ecstatic that a miracle occurred and Elvis is home safe and sound.

The post Miracle Siamese Cat Returns After Disappearing for 12 Days appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.