Best Way to Ensure Your Cats' Safety in an Emergency
Hello everyone! I would just like to share a few things I have learned on getting your cats out of the house or apartment during an evacuation.
I've noticed a lot of people mentioning getting there cats in carriers, which can be great if you have enough hands and calm cats to handle it!
My suggestion would be to train your furry friends on a harness and lead. YES IT CAN BE TRICKY, because not every cat takes to it immediately, but it is worth training them on. Before I go on, let me give you some insight on my situation:
I have been blessed with two beautiful fur-babies I found at the local humane society, Marshmellow and Casper. Marshmellow is a 2 year-old, prissy, Siamese/RagDoll so she is easy to carry but can have an attitude that is hard to deal with. Casper is a big, muscular, strong willed, 10 year-olf cat, he can be hard to hold but listens well and is not afraid of anything. I live in a one bedroom apartment in a very large apartment complex (so just about anything you can think of happening, has happened!).
Here is what to do in an emergency:
DO NOT PANIC!!!! - Your cats are SMART they will sense something is wrong and react to it. STAY CALM.
Prep: Incase of an emergency, make sure all legal and important documents are stored in a back pack that is easy to sling over BOTH shoulders (no one shoulder packs! you do not want this sliding off, and you need both hands free!).
Scenario: There's a fire somewhere in your apartment building/ neighbors house and land is on fire
- Call your kitties in to eat (cheerfully and normally) and place a very small amount of food in bowls (enough to keep them all there for about 30 seconds-1 minute, no more or less
- As they make there way to their bowls, quietly slip on your backpack of important documents and necessities
- Attach leads to harness first
- Calmly place a harness on each cat
- Happily let them now that they are going for a walk
- Make sure all leads are around your wrist and wrapped once around your hand to ensure security
- Begin to exit, still happy and calm, but act excited to get out the door
- If a cat reacts negatively to the harness and rolls on her side (like many do) pick her up! Do not drag or leave your companion.