Snap, crackle, pop. While July Fourth was a cause for celebration for humans, many noise-sensitive animals turned into panting, trembling puddles at the sound of bombs bursting in midair.

Here are some tips to help if your scaredy cat — or dog — spontaneously combust:

Louie Favorite / lfavorite@ajc.com (ENLARGE)

Keep your pets indoors when loud noises are popping outside.

RELATED: Ask the Expert: Get more advice on holistic pet care More pet news

—Cut the baby-talk. If you coo and cuddle and constantly reassure a frightened animal, you will only reinforce the idea that there is something to be worried about. Instead, be cheerfully matter-of-fact. Muffle the noise outside by putting the TV up loud or play some soothing music (classical or folk, not heavy metal!).

—Self-help tapes For next year's festivities, consider investing in desensitization CDs (calmaudio.com), which you play at increasingly higher volumes.

—Stay indoors. Since frightened animals are more likely to bolt, don't let them outdoors once the festivities have begun. And try to block outside sights, sounds and smells by closing your windows and lowering blinds and curtains.

—Be a gatekeeper As a year-round precaution against "escapologists," install door springs on all exterior doors and gates so they self-close. And make sure your dog or cat is wearing ID tags and is microchipped.

—Den what? Many animals feel safer in close, confined spaces. Cover your bird's cage or your dog's crate with a blanket, and include a chew toy to let them gnaw away their anxiety. Cats whose only association with the carrier is an imminent vet visit will likely resist; resolve to create a positive association.

—Establish crate expectations. Feeding your dog or cat all his meals in the crate or carrier will soon condition him to correlate it to All Good Things.

—Puppy Prothat release calming pheromones similar to those secreted by nursing mothers, including Feliway for cats (available from entirelypets.com; search for "pheromone" for dog products).