Emergency Evacuation Kit for Cats

Most of us suffer from "it won't happen to me" syndrome. You hear it on every TV news report. "I never imagined this would happen here" or "He was such a nice cat who kept to himself." Okay, well maybe not that last one, but you get the point. After seeing wildfires jumping freeways in LA, tornadoes ripping their way across Tennessee, and hurricanes blasting Florida beaches, we're here to tell you that you're better off being prepared.

Below is the Kitty Help Desk evacuation kit - everything I think you'll need in the event you need to bug out quickly with your feline friends. We recommend that you get a plastic storage bin and have this kit ready to go at a moment's notice. You'll be glad that you did.

• Food & Water - It may go without saying, but you need to make sure you pack at least two weeks' worth of food and water along with some stainless-steel bowls. Make sure the food doesn't expire by rotating the portions you keep in your kit every few months.

• Medications - Whatever medications you normally administer to your cats, you need to make sure you pack a two-week supply in your kit. Check it frequently to make sure it doesn't expire before you use it.

• Litter & Litter Box - While there are some small, collapsible travel litter boxes out there, I recommend bringing along a duplicate of your cat's favorite box along with the usual litter. Change will not be welcomed in the midst of the chaos of an evacuation, so anything that reminds a cat of home will be helpful in maintaining their sanity and your own. Also, don't forget a litter scoop, paper towels, and some small trash bags.

• Carriers - You need one carrier per cat. Soft sided carriers work well and collapse so you can store them easily. Even cardboard carriers will do in a pinch.

• Harness & Leash - This is optional, but it can be a godsend if you need to let a crying cat out of their carrier for a bit just to visit the litter box or blow off steam. Do harness training now and reap the rewards later.

• Familiar Smells - Cats love their home territory and they generally dislike leaving it. Bring a little bit of home with you by including a blanket that has familiar scents. This probably wouldn't get packed in advance but would be something you'd grab at the last minute.

• Nail Clippers - No matter what's going on out in the world, those cat nails will continue to grow. Make sure you're prepared to keep them trimmed.

• Brush - All daily brushing rituals should continue. They will help to calm your cats and they'll remove excess hair that could result in hairballs.

• Scratching Surface - Cats have to scratch in order to shed their nail sheaths. Make it easier on them (and the furniture wherever you're staying) by providing a solution. Corrugated cardboard scratchers work very well and are lightweight and portable.

• Vaccination Records - In the event you need to see a new veterinarian or have to seek refuge in an emergency shelter, you may need to provide vaccination records. Make sure you have paperwork showing your pets' most recent vaccinations.

• Printed Pictures - Sometimes a new situation will frighten a cat and the worst will happen - he or she will escape. Be prepared with a couple of printed pictures of your feline friends that you can show around in the event they get lost.

• ID - Make sure every cat has a collar with a current phone number. I recommend Safe Cat collars with embroidered names and numbers. You may also want to make sure your cats are microchipped and that your own ID info is up to date.

• Emergency Contacts - In this day of smart phones, most of us can hardly remember our own phone numbers, let alone someone else's. Be sure to print out phone numbers for your veterinarian and any other folks you might need when your phone battery dies.

These are just some ideas to get you started. You know your feline friends better than anyone. Think about what might comfort them if you had to leave your home unexpectedly. Make plans now so that when an emergency happens you don't have to cover all your bases at once. There's often a very short lead time for evacuation orders. Be ready!

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

Some Cats Have Trouble Knowing How Much is Too Much

A cat who doesn't have the benefits of a mother early on in life can often develop a few behavioral issues. Teaching a motherless cat not to play too rough can be a long process. Mother cats and feline siblings basically tell kittens when they go too far. Mothers usually bop them, and siblings often return the attack. This is fine if you're a cat, but when you're a gigantic, all-powerful human, any kind of forceful physical response can induce fear. Cats should never be struck in any way. Even playful strikes will either convey aggression or an invitation to play rough.

Never push them away. This is a sign to the kitten that you're inviting rough play. Instead, just walk away. Leaving him alone in the room is the best option, though I realize this presents a problem if you're in bed. Still, these are things than can be reinforced throughout the day. You have to look for the warning signs of aggressive play and redirect it at all times. Every slip up when you or a family member think the kitten’s attacks are cute, is a step backwards in their training. When you see them "stalking" your feet or sneaking up on you, simply redirect the behavior with a toy they like.

In addition, I encourage you not to ever use your hands or feet as a toy for any cat. Always direct them toward a toy that they can eagerly sink their teeth and claws into without hurting anyone.

One other thing that might help is the development of a bedtime routine. If you want to go to bed at 11PM, have a vigorous play session with your cat around 10PM each night. Really get them going and let them exercise their hunting instincts. When they’re done playing, feed them their evening meal or a snack. Then it's time for bed and the cat should groom and then go to sleep. They may get up again during the night, but the more you repeat this schedule, the better they’ll be at following it.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

How to Help a Cat with Shelter Fatigue

Most shelters are awful places for cats to be. They get locked in a tiny box with lots of scary sounds and bad smells that keep them from ever feeling safe. But what if a cat becomes accustomed to life in the shelter?

The first thing to do is relax. If you're stressed by the situation, your cat will certainly pick up on your feelings and react accordingly. At this point, it's best to treat them as if they were a feral cat. Let them set the pace for your interaction and they’ll come out of their shell gradually over time. 

There are a couple of things you can do to help them along. In a shelter environment, most cats put up a number of defenses to protect themselves. One of these is the need to retreat and hide in a safe place with close walls. Give them their own little spot where you never interact with him. It can be a small cat cube or just a box with some holes cut in it. You might just crack a closet door so he can go in and out. But whatever you do, when he's there, you should never try to touch him or move him. He needs his safe hidey hole in order to gain the confidence to come out. Just knowing that he can retreat there can make a big difference for him.

Be careful to only use closed hands when offering contact to a shy cat. To a human, a fist means the threat of violence, but to a cat, it looks more like a paw. An open hand looks more like an attacking claw and is much more threatening to a cat. Add to that the fact that cats are often handled a lot at shelters, and you end up with a cat who may actually have developed a fear of grabby human hands.

One exercise that I've found to be very effective is to sit on the floor of the room where the cat is and read quietly to them. Let them get used to your voice and your presence while you're focused on reading. Don't look at them or reach out to them, even if they initiate contact. This is how cats in the wild indicate their trustworthiness. It may take many sessions, but the cat should eventually reach out to you. 

It will usually be two steps forward and one step back for cats like this until they finally overcome their psychological hurdles. In order for you to be successful, you need to detach yourself from any particular outcome. If you're disappointed at their reaction, they will sense that. Try and be positive and take it as it comes. 

I encourage you to try and be nonchalant about the situation when the cat’s hiding. Just go about your business and try your best to be optimistic, especially when you're around them. Believe me when I say that they’ll pick up on that. These things often require a lot of time--sometimes a year or more for significant progress. Relax and enjoy the time spent with your feline friend. With a lot of patience and a relaxed attitude, you can work wonders with them.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

How to Help a Cat who's Frightened by Everyday Sounds

We sometimes forget that our homes are unfamiliar places to a newly adopted cat. There are new sights, sounds, and smells that may overwhelm some kitties. Cats simply aren't prepared for a lot of the human things they experience in a new home. The more tentative a cat is to begin with, the more sensitive they are to unexpected sounds, sights, and smells. Sounds such as the ones HVAC systems make are sporadic and unpredictable, making them even more difficult to adapt to, but most cats will eventually come to accept them.

In most cases, it just takes time for a cat to become accustomed to the strange sounds. As they hear them more and more frequently, they slowly come to realize that nothing bad happens to them after they hear it. This is a process known as desensitization. There are a couple of things you can do to help speed along this process.

First, you need to remain calm when the cat reacts to the sound. Nothing will reassure them more than your own casual acceptance of this noise. Don't even react to their reaction. Don't chase after them or even frown. If you choose to do anything, an offhanded statement of "It's okay - you're safe" will be enough. Then go back to whatever you were doing and allow the cat the time they need to feel safe again. They have the hard work of realizing there's nothing to be afraid of. You need to allow them the time and space to do it. Just make sure you aren't adding to their stress. Give them an enclosed space in a place where they feel safe. That can be a place they retreat to and where you never encroach upon them - not even to pull them out to go to the vet. They need to feel that they have a place where nothing can touch them, not even you. Then let them come out on theirown.

If they hear a terrifying noise and they choose not to run away, or even not to run so far, reward them. One or two treats will help them to feel better about their courageous decision to face their fear. 

Given enough time, the cat will probably learn to be less afraid of the sound, to the point where they no longer even notice it.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!

What to do if Your Cat's Afraid of the Vet

It's not uncommon for cats to dislike a trip to the veterinarian's office. In fact, it's so common that some cat caregivers give up on checkups altogether. All cats should see a veterinarian at least once a year. Senior kitties need biannual checkups. But what if your feline friend is so terrified by the vet that they go into fight or flight mode?

It's important for all of us with feline friends to understand just how terrifying a general veterinarian's office can be for them. With their heightened senses of hearing and smell, they can perceive all manner of things - even other animals' illnesses and, sadly, even their deaths. Add to that a bunch of strange humans, barking dogs, blaring TVs in waiting rooms, etc. and it can be a genuine nightmare for a cat.

You’ve probably tried to approach this from the perspective of trying to associate good things with the vet trip. That's always the best place to start, but as you know, it doesn't always work. The vet's office is just too scary for a handful of treats to overcome. The same goes for various nerve-calming solutions. They're like an umbrella in a hurricane.

While they do work, I generally advise against the use of sedatives unless it's a last resort. You just never know how a cat's body will react to a particular sedative if they've never had it administered before. If the cat has a heart murmur or similar condition, sedatives can create more problems than they solve.

My best advice is not the easiest, but I feel it's the best choice if you can manage it. I suggest you find a mobile veterinarian who makes house calls. Cats derive more comfort from their home territory than they do from treats, other friendly cats, or even us humans. Treating a cat on their home turf could be just the thing they need. It also ensures that you have the full attention of the vet for the duration of your appointment.

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Author: Tom Kirby, UW-AAB - cat behaviorist

I’m certified in applied animal behavior and have years of experience solving the specific problems faced by cat caregivers like you every day.

I’m here to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.

CLICK HERE to get help with your cat today!