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It’s the middle of hurricane season, and we just had a line of severe thunderstorms and tornados go through last Monday. Yesterday I saw a picture of someone looking for a lost cat in the ashes of their house on Maui. An emergency can happen any time, so we all need to think about disaster preparedness for our cats. What is the plan in case of a fire, flood, earthquake, or any other worst-case scenario? I hope you and your pets never have to face anything like that, but sometimes it happens. All we can do is be prepared.
Be Ready Before Something Happens
If there’s an emergency, you may need to move your cat to a safe room or even evacuate your home. At the very least, you’ll need to know where your pets are. So, step #1: make sure you have a carrier for every animal [2, 3, 8, 9]. A cat (or dog) carrier needs to be big enough for them to comfortably stand, lie down, and turn around in [1, 9]. You’ll also want to get your cat comfortable with being in the carrier [9, 10]. Similar to crate training dogs, you want your cat to feel like the carrier is a safe den and not just the place you shove them when scary things happen.
There’s not a one-size-fits-all method here, but things you can try include: putting a cozy blanket in the carrier, giving treats or feeding your cat inside, incorporating the carrier in playtime, and draping a towel over the carrier to make it cozier. Make sure you leave the carriers somewhere your cats can hang out in them regularly [9]. Label every carrier with your pet’s name, your name, and your contact information [3, 6, 5].
Even if your cat is used to their carrier, they might still be scared during a real emergency, so expect to have to catch your cat. That being said, it helps to pre-emptively “block the unders,” in the words of cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy. This means under the bed, under the dresser, under the sofa–all those hidey-holes cats can get into that we can’t get them out of easily, if at all. Find a way to block those off so that if you need to quickly grab your cat and go, you don’t have to try to crawl under the furniture looking for a terrified house panther. [9]
Despite our best efforts, our pets still get lost sometimes, especially during the chaos of a disaster. So, it’s important that your pet has identification, too. The best way to make sure that a lost cat is returned to you is to have them microchipped [6, 9]. Get your cats microchipped as soon as possible–most vets will do it during their spay/neuter surgery–and keep your contact information up-to-date with the microchip service [1-3, 6, 8-10]. If your cat will wear a collar, make sure they’re wearing correct tags including your contact info and any serious medical needs [1-3, 6]. Only use breakaway collars with cats.
Make sure you have a pet rescue alert sticker posted on a front window or somewhere near the door of your home [3, 4, 9]. These tell first responders that there animals in the house, what kind, and how many, so that they know to look for them [3, 4, 9]. You can order a sticker for free from the ASPCA. If you evacuate and have time on the way out, write EVACUATED over the sticker in permanent marker so no one wastes valuable time looking for animals that have been safely removed already [3, 4].
Pack Your Cat’s Disaster Preparedness Kit
Having an emergency kit packed and ready to grab and go will save you a great deal of time and stress if disaster strikes. You’ve probably heard recommendations for packing an emergency bag for yourself, but you should have one for your cats, too [1-10]. If you have a car or other reliable transport, pack a tough, waterproof box (like a storage bin with handles) that you can load up and take with you. If not, use something like a duffel bag or backpack that you can carry. Have one of those on hand even if you plan to drive, just in case that ceases to be possible.
Here’s a list of, ideally, everything to put in your pet emergency kit:
- Important documents: identification papers like adoption records and microchip number; medical records; contact information for you, other potential caretakers, and your veterinarian; recent photo(s), preferably with both you and your pet
- Food and bottled water for at least three days
- Food and water bowls (collapsible ones save space), manual can opener if needed
- 2 weeks-1 month supply of any medications
- 1 month of parasite preventative
- Cat litter and disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans and shallow cardboard boxes work)
- Trash bags
- Disinfectant, dish soap, paper towels
- Pet first aid kit
- Familiar blanket or bed
- Familiar toy(s)
- Grooming supplies, if your cat needs them
- Harness and leash, if you walk your cat
Remember to periodically replace items in your emergency kit that expire, like food and medications. Below are downloads for pet emergency kit checklists from the Red Cross, American Veterinary Medical Association, and ASPCA, if you’re a checklist person like me. The ASPCA one is specifically for cats.
Know Where You Can Go with Pets
Having a well-considered plan is key to disaster preparedness, especially with cats. Figure out now what room in your home you will hole up in if you are sheltering in place [2, 6]. Make sure you could close off all the exits and keep your cat in that space with you if necessary [2]. In case you need to send pets away for a while, find out which family, friends, and neighbors are able and willing to care for them [2, 3, 6, 10]. Also look for veterinary clinics, boarding facilities, and animal shelters that will house pets during emergencies [1-3, 6]. You can try asking your veterinarian for suggestions [3].
If you have to evacuate, always take your pets with you [2, 3]. If it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for them [3]. That being said, a lot of places won’t allow you to stay with your pets, including a lot of Red Cross rescue shelters [3, 6, 8]. Keep a list of nearby hotels, motels, and shelters that allow cats [1-3, 6, 10]. If you think an evacuation might be coming, go ahead and make a reservation [1].
Resources for cat-friendly hotels:
- http://www.pet-friendly-hotels.net/ (USA)
- https://www.petswelcome.com/ (USA)
- https://www.tripswithpets.com/ (USA & Canada)
Be Aware of Unusual Hazards
During and after a disaster, the environment is likely to be very different than your cat is used to. Familiar smells and landmarks may be gone [2, 6]. There can be all kinds of debris about as well as spilled chemicals and contaminated water [2, 6]. Wildlife can show up in strange places [6]. If your cat normally goes outside, don’t let them out there until you are sure it’s safe [2, 6]. Make sure you check your own space for unexpected hazards, too [2, 6]. Your cat may behave differently from all the stress [2, 6]. They may become more withdrawn or aggressive [2, 6]. Just be gracious with them. Cats love routine, so it helps a lot to get them back to their daily rhythms as soon as possible [9].
Sources
- Adams, B. W. (n.d.). Pet disaster preparedness. The Humane Society of the United States. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/pet-disaster-preparedness
- American Humane. (n.d.). Pet disaster preparedness. https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/pet-disaster-preparedness/
- American Red Cross. (n.d.). Pet disaster preparedness. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness.html
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (n.d.). Disaster preparedness. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness
- American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Pets and disasters. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/emergency-care/pets-and-disasters
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 14). Pet safety in emergencies. https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/keeping-pets-and-people-healthy/emergencies.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, January 31). Pet disaster preparedness kit. https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/keeping-pets-and-people-healthy/emergencies/pet-disaster-prep-kit.html
- Department of Homeland Security. (2023, June 16). Prepare your pets for disasters. Ready. https://www.ready.gov/pets
- Galaxy, J. (2022, May 28). The cat emergency prep checklist. Jackson Galaxy. https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blogs/news/the-cat-emergency-prep-checklist
- International Fund for Animal Welfare. (n.d.). Pet emergency kit plan: Be #disasterready. https://www.ifaw.org/campaigns/pet-emergency-preparedness-kit-plan
Published August 13th, 2023
