Suggestions in case of disasters

With all the natural disasters happening around the globe, it suddenly occurred to me that I have no idea what to do in case I am forced to leave my cats behind in an extreme emergency! Do any of you have suggestions?
Maybe this should be posted in the SOS forum?

OMG I have no idea what to do other than make sure all important papers for them are in a fireproof box. I never thought of that. I don't think I could leave him, I would put him in his carrier and take him with me.

This may sound crazy, but I read somewhere that you should have an "emergency bag" for your pets. The bag should contain a first aid kit for pets, food, water, veterinary contact information, owner information, copies of medical records, medication for your pet, a blanket, flashlight, and anything else you think your pet needs. I'm thinking about doing that, since we'll be moving to Florida next year. Who knows how bad the hurricane season might be.

Here in NY, you can get stickers from the ASPCA that say "In case of emergency" and you fill in how many animals live in your home, what kind (cats or dogs or other), and the name and phone number of your vet. You put that on your door, and this way if there is some sort of disaster while you are not at home, and you are prevented from returning, someone can remove and care for your pets. These became increasingly popular after 9/11, when a lot of people who lived in lower Manhattan couldn't get back into their apartments and the Humane Society and ASPCA had to go in and rescue people's animals, but they had no way of knowing which apartments had pets in them and which didn't, so they had to check them all (and if the pet was hiding, they might not know).

We have one on our door.

Originally Posted by mamacat

Here in NY, you can get stickers from the ASPCA that say "In case of emergency" and you fill in how many animals live in your home, what kind (cats or dogs or other), and the name and phone number of your vet. You put that on your door, and this way if there is some sort of disaster while you are not at home, and you are prevented from returning, someone can remove and care for your pets. These became increasingly popular after 9/11, when a lot of people who lived in lower Manhattan couldn't get back into their apartments and the Humane Society and ASPCA had to go in and rescue people's animals, but they had no way of knowing which apartments had pets in them and which didn't, so they had to check them all (and if the pet was hiding, they might not know).

We have one on our door.

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We always had such stickers in PA, and I've been trying for years to find them in Germany. This year, PETA was selling them, and I immediately bought a dozen of them, although PETA isn't an organization I support. I've read some articles published after 9/11 saying that you should keep a carrier with bottled water, food, a warm towel and inoculation records readily accessible in your home, in case you have to evacuate with your pet(s) within minutes.

I'd always try and take my cats with me. Bring good quality pictures of your cats with you so if they escape you can pass out copies of the pictures. In addition to what was said, bring some litter in a bag and either a disposable littter box or an aluminum baking pan as an emergency litter box.

A sheet to cover the carrier will help keep them calm.
A manual can opener can be a help.

Check these links for more info:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/pdf/pet_preparedness.pdf
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/rea...info_pets.html

I remember watching a report on an animal rescue group that goes into flooded areas to rescue abandoned pets. I know we all say we'll take the cats with us, but unfortunately that's not always possible. If someone comes to rescue you from a flooded area, they will not permit animals becuase they take up to much room, and aren't allowed in human shelters.

The group said the best thing you can do in a flood is to move litterbox, food, and water to the highest point in your home. Leave an open bag of food, and fill as many dishes as you can with fresh water (if possible). Get a collar with ID tag on the cat(s). Also, leave a carrier (if you have one) and make sure to put your name on it. This group accepts requests from people, and with permission will break into your home to rescue your pets. The worst thing you can do is open windows and allow the pets to escape, because they may drown, get hurt, or never be found. Once they rescue animals, there's a temporary shelter set up and you can come claim yoru pet. ID and a picture of the pet is the best way to guarentee ownership.

I wouldn't know what to do in the case of a fire or earthquake. Again, I live in Ohio... sure, we're overdue for a huge earthquake (like the one that happened in the Pacific), but the possibility of it happening during my lifetime is slim. I just make sure that I have enough carriers for all the cats, so if I need to I can confine them and make sure they're safe. And, there's always the car. (My neighbor set her oven on fire this past summer, and put her dog in the car that was parked on the street, so he wouldn't run away or get hurt accidentally by the firemen.)

Personally, I don't like to think about these things, but I guess I should plan something.

I would probably die trying to save my cats. I could never leave them.

Originally Posted by Sicycat

I would probably die trying to save my cats. I could never leave them.

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Me too.

I purchased a large dog crate a few years ago just IN CASE. During the Florida hurricanes, we stayed in a bar with several other people. I can't imagine leaving my cats in a carrier for such a long time and I can't imagine having them loose. I feel that the crate is a necessity.

You never know what can happen.

Our city has seen 2 '100-year' floods and several chemical spill evacuations in the last several years. None have directly affected us, but it's good to be prepared just in case.

The HSUS has a good Disaster Preparedness for Pets page (click here).

Originally Posted by Sicycat

I would probably die trying to save my cats. I could never leave them.

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I agree with you 100%....john and I have already discussed stuff like this.....it may be morbid...but who knows now a days....we have an extra bag of litter in the back of his explorer......we have a bag of food, a litter box...and gallons of water....i had this relly bad dream once and made john go along with my insanity....lol.......also i have all there papers in a lock box...so yeah....
iuf my cats are gonna be stranded well then so am I...maybe a bit extream but its how I feel......
Sorry this post is soo morbid...i have been reading about the Tsunami all morning, and my heart is really aching for them...and the possibilities of what if's have been bouncing around my head all day....sorry

Keeping suplies in the trunk of your car is the best bet. Also make sure ALL your kitties are micro-chipped for identification. Disposable litter boxes are available at Target and some grocery stores. A case of canned can't hurt as well as a bag of dry food. Bottles water ca be a life saver for the injured or the cats. Make sure you pack emergency rations for yourself. Maybe some granola bars or a case of those pop top soups.

Blankets/sleeping bags are very necessary for either winter or summer. A change of clothes or even several in case you need to help someone else. First aide kits are also a must, make sure they have 4" square gause pads, polysporin, tape, sissors, and anything you think would be helpful. This is also a good place to store your vet records, micro-chip numbers etc.

I keep stuff strapped down on the back of my van in a plastic storage tub. The water is kept seperate just in case it leaks. Hubby has copies in his runk of his car.Crates are easy to access at home, and the kitties often sleep inside them.

I live on top of a hill so am never concerned about flooding. We keep extra food, litter boxes, litter and carriers in our detached garage (it's about 50 feet from the main house) in case something happens with the house.

We've actually had 2 emergencies at our house. A fire and a tornado.

The tornado was upon us so quick with absolutely no warnings that it was all we could do to get out the door and into our storm cellar out back. I was blown to the ground so had I been trying to carry out a cat carrier, it probably would have been swept up with the wind and carried miles away (as everything else on our patio did that night - we never found our grill but did find someone's bass boat in our trees out back). With luck on our side, the house held up and everyone was OK.

The fire started in the electrical wiring. As husband grabbed the fire extinquishers to put it out, I called 911 to get the fire department over here ASAP and started removing the dogs and cats from the house. With the house on fire, and 3 dogs and about 13 cats to remove, I did what most people would do - started grabbing any animal I could find and throwing them outside. No time for carriers - I figured they had a better chance running loose outside than burning up inside.

Here is the first big lesson for preparedness: in the case of an emergency, stay as calm as possible. The minute my cats sensed my stress level, they all went into deep hiding. Try getting cats out from under a king size bed when you are freaking out. I was literally throwing mattresses off the beds to gain access to them, only to have them run under the next bed. I got out 3 dogs and 1 of 13 cats that day. Husband had the fire out before the fire department arrived so all ended well.

Second lesson: keep more than 1 fire extinquisher and put them in easy places of access, even if that is on top of your kitchen counters (which is where our big one sits). The last thing you want to do in a fire is to have to run around the house trying to find out where you put your extinquishers. It took 3 large and 1 small extinquisher to put out our fire that day, and it was confined to a space about 1 foot wide and 15 feet long.

Wow how scarey! I am hoping that this kitten season we can build an outdoor cat run. This will allow our cats to leave the house in case of emergency. I want to build something huge as our back yard is 1/4 acre and we really don't spend much time in it. I want screen on the inside and chicken wire on the outside to keep everyone safe and keep any racoons or opposms from chewing through.

Originally Posted by stephenq

I'd always try and take my cats with me. Bring good quality pictures of your cats with you so if they escape you can pass out copies of the pictures. In addition to what was said, bring some litter in a bag and either a disposable littter box or an aluminum baking pan as an emergency litter box.

A sheet to cover the carrier will help keep them calm.
A manual can opener can be a help.

Check these links for more info:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/pdf/pet_preparedness.pdf
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/rea...info_pets.html

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Yep - good advice. Plus - cat harnesses and leashes.