hiding in my closet

[Mary Beahm]

Well, after finding that my closet was a safe place after fireworks and New Years noises, I find Trudie in the closet a lot.  I have tried putting something in front of the door but after a while she manages to break past it.  I don't like closing the door because it needs airing.  She has the whole house available to her.  Has anyone else had similar issues?

Trudie and Mary

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

We moved to the lake three years ago. The fireworks go on and on here. Seriously, we had them from 6/28 through the entire month of July. Our Fudge had never been afraid of fireworks until we moved here and now is a total mess when the fireworks start going off. She started going down to the basement and hiding down there. At first, I would go get her and bring her back upstairs with us, but I found she wanted to go back down there. I bought a large, collapsible crate...made it extra cozy for her and put it down there and she often goes down there at night now. She also goes down there when we leave the house. She is almost ten, so this is all new behavior. If Trudie finds comfort in that closet, I think I would just let her go in there. It must give them comfort to be in these spaces and Fudge is not hurting anything or doing anything beyond getting in that crate and sleeping. I know she hears everything we are doing because she will still come up for a treat, etc. when she hears me giving one to Vern :) Maybe put a bed in there or something and just let it be her special space.