How to Train Your Cat to Ignore Loud Noises

Once you’ve identified the noises that scare your cat, choose one to work on first. You’ll want to start by decreasing that sound to find out what volume your cat is comfortable with. With radio, tv and recorded sounds, you can manually turn the sound down, and sometimes you can also do so with doorbells and phones. For those sounds that can’t be turned down, try muffling them with blankets or towels directly on their speakers, or under the door in your cat’s quiet room.

For some things, like a vacuum, fireworks or sirens, you can increase the distance between your cat and the sound. If vacuuming, start by putting several closed doors between your cat and the vacuum to muffle the sound, or even an entire floor. For sirens and fireworks, start by closing the windows and shades, and put your cat in a room furthest from the sound.

Once you’ve found the lowest volume that your cat can hear of the sound and stay calm, use this as your starting point. If the mere sight of a vacuum starts your cat’s anxiousness, start by running the vacuum out of sight. As you progress, you’ll be turning the sound up, or decreasing your cat’s distance from it during several sessions, but if they show any signs of distress, you should take a step back, or return to this base setting.

Play the sound at the tolerable volume, and whenever your cat doesn’t react to it, give them a particularly yummy treat, a fun play session, or even a nice pet or massage. Be sure to only reward them for calm behavior after the sound has been played.

Gradually, keep increasing the volume or distance to the sound, and watch your cat for any signs of distress. Again, when they remain calm, reward them with a treat or play session each time. If they become anxious, lower the sound or decrease their distance, and try again. This process will vary considerably from cat to cat, with some needing several weeks to get over their fear. Be sure to stay patient with your kitty, be acutely aware of their behaviors and stress level, and always take a step back when they are reacting negatively.

Once your cat can remain calm, and can eat and play during a higher volume of the scary sound, you can move on to other noises that cause your kitty anxiety. Start at the beginning and use the same technique for each one. Eventually, you can add in other factors, like multiple sounds at once, or different situations such as strangers in the house along with the sound. With each new fear, be sure to reward your cat for remaining calm after the sound is heard. Eventually, your cat won’t react to those sounds, and will even begin to ignore them completely.

In some cases, a fearful or anxious cat can develop chronic anxiety, and can remain on edge even when the sound isn’t being heard. They may anticipate the scary noise and are always ready to fight or flee. Cat pheromones are chemicals produced by felines that allow them to mark their territory, bond with others, and remind themselves that an object or place is safe. Synthetic pheromones placed around the home can reduce your cat’s overall anxiety and can generally decrease negative reactions to fearful stimuli, such as loud noises.

Place a room diffuser of cat pheromones in your cat’s quiet room, or near other safe areas to give them a sense of security long before you start playing noises to desensitize your cat. Wipes and sprays can also work on cat areas, blankets, beds, and carriers to maximize their comfort levels. Continue to use cat pheromone products while desensitizing and counter-conditioning your cat to give them an extra sense of comfort and safety.