With all of the flooding and tornados ravaging other parts of our country and with our own fire season about to commence, I thought it might be a good time to revisit the issue of a disaster preparedness kit for your pet.

First of all, every pet owner needs one of those window decals that alerts rescue workers to the animals inside your home. Try the local pet store, make your own with photo ids included, or go to the ASPCA website for a free one. If you must evacuate and you have time, take your pets with you; if you must leave animals behind, this sticker might save their lives. You may want to ask your local fire department if they respond to these notices, as I hear some will and some won’t.

Next, have a plan in mind now as to where you and your animals can go to be safe. Not all rescue shelters allow pets, so you may need to find an alternative haven for the four-legged family members.

Have a carrier handy for each animal and a container with food, dishes, water, health and veterinary information, and any pertinent medications. It would also be good to have a bottle of Rescue Remedy (from a health food store) in the kit; a couple of drops added to the water or rubbed into the ears have a calming effect. Litter pans and litter should also be included. Keep the supplies fresh by switching out every couple of months; program a reminder into whatever smart device you use.

Watch for a collapsible cage at rummage sales and thrift stores. Add that to your kit as two or three cats could share the space for a few days and comfort each other. You can make or purchase sleeping hammocks to hang from the wire walls, adding dimension to the space.

Soft-sided, collapsible pet carriers are also great for saving on storage space if you have multiple pets.

If you haven’t already, consider having your cat micro chipped especially if it is an indoor/outdoor pet. This is common practice for dogs these days, but cats are often overlooked in this regard. If nothing else, have a collar with contact information tags prepared and tag the carrier too. Include the pet’s name and description and name and number of your vet; consider adding a small photo of the pet to the tag as well.

When something unexpected happens, mayhem abounds and cats react quickly, dashing off to find a hiding place to hole up in. It’s a good idea to keep tabs on favorite sleeping places, as felines change spots often. This will be very important in the event that you need to find an animal in a hurry.

Stay calm and move slowly so as not to frighten the animal more than it already may be. In an emergency, the only thing you will want to grab is the carrier.

If indoors, first locate the cat and then close any openings to the room to cut off all means of escape before trying to pick the pet up. Have the carrier with you. A thick towel is good for wrapping a squirming animal in and makes a quick efficient bed in the transport. It is also absorbent and easily washed if the cat eliminates during confinement.

If your cat is outside, call it in offering a special treat. If you are unable to locate the animal before you must evacuate, leave food and water out in the event that it returns to find you gone.

We all procrastinate with disaster preparedness, a form of denial that it will happen to us. Wouldn’t it be better to put a simple kit together than to potentially have to leave a family member behind?

The Red Cross has further advice on this subject. Go to the Red Cross website for more in depth information.