The news lately has been really getting me thinking. In my community, we had a pretty terrible summer with all the flooding and then hurricane season on top of that. And now there’s always the threat of high winds taking out power lines or worse for extended periods of time.

What do we do with our pets when a disaster happens, especially our cats? Cats have some extra challenges that other animals don’t when emergencies crop up. Dogs can last for days without food and water and owners are able to [easily] attach a leash and walk them out of many disaster areas. If you need to evacuate with your bird or guinea pig, their cage is likely small enough to fit in the car along with a few days worth of supplies. However, none of this applies as easily to most cats.

When I started gaining an understanding of what emergency kits for cats are available on various sites, I was disgusted. The majority look like direct repurposes of human or dog versions. For example, many include a slip lead – these are the cheap leashes that go through a ring at one end to Form a collar and leash in one piece. Laughable, right? While these may work for dogs in a pinch, leash-trained cats would have an entirely different reaction. She would either entangle and likely choke herself in her frenzy to escape or, in fact, escape–neither option being ideal. At another site, a consumer reviewing the kit he bought mentioned that it contained dog food rather than cat food–clearly not what he needed it for.

Putting together your own cat emergency kit is rather simple and you likely have most of the items needed already. Find what’s missing from the list below and store everything in an easily accessible bag to prepare you for anything. Here’s what I recommend including:

• If you don’t often use your cat carrier, put it inside your bag of supplies.
• You’ll need some old towels or “pee pads” to line the bottom of the carrier.
• A small, disposable aluminum roasting pan would work perfectly as a litter pan.
• A small bag of cat litter can help you save time when scooping the pan.
• A few, small garbage bags.
• Latex gloves are perfect for protecting your hands from harmful chemicals and other materials.
• Hand sanitizing wipes are great for cleaning up small messes, like sticky bowls or spills.
• Don’t forget to bring along food and water bowls for your pet, or use disposable storage containers with lids if you prefer. However, if your cat is used to dry food, make sure to include a zip-lock bag of that as well.
• A cat needs approximately 32 ounces of water per day, so an 8-ounce bottle will last them for three days.
• Any medications your cat takes, for a week.
• An envelope (ideally waterproof) that contains the following:
• If you’re ever separated from your cat, make sure you have a picture of them, their license number, and microchip number with the company’s contact information so that you can be reunited as soon as possible.
• Any and all health information regarding vaccinations for your pet.
• Ensure you have your regular veterinarian’s phone number and a local 24-hour vet hospital on hand before traveling.
• Choose two pet-friendly places you can evacuate to–one close by and one further away.

Thanks for tunning in today, we hope you enjoyed the tips!