Fireworks & Bonfire Night: Keeping Cats Safe With Your Cat Flap
Quick Answer: The Fireworks Night Routine
- Feed early — give the evening meal before dusk so your cat is home and settled.
- Set the flap to in-only by late afternoon: your cat can come home, but can't go back out.
- Close windows and curtains, put the TV or radio on at normal volume.
- Offer a hiding place — a covered bed, a box or space under a bed. Let your cat choose; don't pull them out.
- Stay calm and normal. Comfort if they come to you, but don't force it.
- Check your cat's microchip details are up to date. Microchipping is a legal requirement for pet cats in England.
Which Cat Flap Setting to Use
| Flap setting | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| In-only | Cats can enter but not leave | From late afternoon on fireworks nights — the safest option |
| Fully locked | Nobody in or out | Only once you've confirmed every cat is home |
| Curfew mode | Locks to in-only at set times automatically | Throughout late October to early November and New Year |
| Open | Normal access | Daytime, when fireworks are rare |
Avoid fully locking the flap before every cat is inside — a frightened cat that can't get home may hide outdoors for hours.
Setting a Curfew on Popular Flaps
• SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect / Pet Door Connect: set curfew times in the Sure Petcare app, so the flap switches to in-only every evening. See our SureFlap brand page.
• SureFlap Microchip Pet Door: has a built-in curfew timer set on the flap itself.
• SureFlap DualScan: you can set cats to indoor-only individually, which helps if one cat is nervous and another is not. See the DualScan review.
• Manual and basic microchip flaps: use the lock dial to set in-only — set a phone reminder for 4pm.
Always check your model's manual for the exact steps — our cat flap manuals page links to the main ones.
Make a Calm Den
• Pick a quiet inside room away from the street side of the house.
• Add a covered bed or cardboard box with a blanket that smells of home (cat beds).
• Put water and a litter tray nearby so your cat doesn't need to cross the house.
• Some owners find a plug-in pheromone diffuser helps; start it a few days before, as it takes time to work.
• A puzzle feeder or wand-toy session before dusk can help use up nervous energy (cat toys).
If your cat is very distressed by fireworks every year, speak to your vet well before the season starts.
Fireworks Season Dates to Plan For
In the UK, fireworks are most common around Halloween, Bonfire Night (5 November) and the weekends either side, Diwali, and New Year's Eve. Many local displays run on the nearest Saturday, so set a curfew for the whole period rather than a single night.
If Your Cat Doesn't Come Home
• Leave the flap on in-only so they can still get back in.
• Walk the immediate area quietly after the noise stops, calling and shaking treats.
• Check sheds, garages and under cars nearby.
• Tell neighbours and post in local community groups with a photo.
• Contact your microchip database so they're aware your cat is missing.
Most frightened cats hide close to home and return once it goes quiet.
Need a Flap With a Curfew Fitted Before the Season?
If your current flap has no in-only or curfew setting, upgrading to a microchip flap with a timer makes fireworks season much easier. We fit cat flaps in uPVC doors (from £60) and glass (from £280, with a new toughened panel). Get a free quote or try the Will It Fit? checker.
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