🐾 AllCatSays
🔎My Cat
Checklist

What goes in a cat emergency kit — and what's my evacuation plan?

Ready.gov's rule is absolute: never leave pets behind in an evacuation. Build the kit now — several days of food and water, meds, records, a carrier per cat, litter and sanitation supplies, and a photo of you WITH your cat.Fact

'If you leave your pets behind, they may end up lost, injured or worse' (DHS). Many public shelters exclude animals — the plan matters as much as the kit.

Applies to: Every cat household — wildfire, flood, hurricane, or a building emergency at 2am.

Checklist

The kit (grab-and-go tote)Fact
  • Several days of food in an airtight waterproof container + water and a bowl
  • Extra prescription meds in waterproof containers; basic first-aid supplies
  • Vet records and registration — paper AND electronic copies
  • Sturdy carrier per cat; backup collar, leash, ID tags
  • Litter, a small box, newspapers, plastic bags, bleach
  • A photo of you WITH your cat (ownership proof if separated) + familiar bedding/toy
The planFact
  • Pre-identify pet-friendly shelters and hotels — many public shelters do NOT take animals
  • Buddy system: a neighbor or relative who can grab your cat if you're not home
  • An out-of-area contact everyone in the family knows
  • Microchip registered with CURRENT contact info — check it today, not during the storm
Cat-specific realitiesProfessional guidance
  • Cats hide under stress — practice carrier loading BEFORE you need it (carrier as furniture)
  • Keep the carrier where you can reach it in 60 seconds, not in the attic
  • In multi-cat homes: one carrier per cat; two panicked cats in one box is a fight

Normal vs keep-watching

Normal: A packed tote you refresh twice a year (rotate food, check med dates) and never think about otherwise.

Keep watching: Expiry dates each spring/fall; whether your microchip registry still has your current phone.

When to contact a vet. If disaster strikes and your cat is injured, lost, or exposed to smoke/floodwater, contact a veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as you're safe — and never re-enter danger for a hiding cat; leave a route open and call from safety.

What changes this answer

  • Region (wildfire vs hurricane season timing)
  • Multi-cat (carriers and food scale up)
  • Medicated cat (bigger med buffer)

Common mistakes

  • No carrier practice — the cat vanishes at the worst moment
  • Records only on paper (or only on a phone)
  • Kit food expired years ago
  • Assuming shelters take cats

Sources

Real questions cat owners ask

  • How much water should I store per cat?
  • What if my cat hides during an evacuation?
  • Should I put my address on the carrier?
Your Passport profile's med list doubles as the kit's medication checklist — keep both current. Set up your Cat Passport.

Related decisions