Your pets need go bags, too — here’s what should be in your cat’s go bag during fire season

By Midge Raymond

A week ago today, those of us in the southern part of Ashland waited anxiously as fire crews and emergency responders tackled what’s now known as the “I5 Fire.” Just before 2 p.m., a grass fire broke out and quickly spread to about five acres, closing the interstate and prompting Level 3 (Go Now!) evacuation orders in two zones just south of the city of Ashland. 

Within the hour, the fire’s forward progress was stopped, and by 4 p.m. the evacuation notices were downgraded to Level 2; the blaze reached 13 acres by the time it was contained. This late-season fire was a good reminder that we all have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. 

Like most of residents of Ashland, my husband’s and my go bags were ready — as was our cats’ go bag. And due to this close call at what we all hope is the end of fire season, I thought I’d devote today’s column to how to put together an efficient go bag for your feline family members. In fact, we keep ours ready to go year-round (cats are so bad at packing, this just makes sense).

So what’s in our go bag? First of all, the “bag” is actually a litter box that holds everything inside it, which is very efficient — it’s ready to be picked up and put in the car, and then it can be used as it’s meant to. This high-sided litter box has two handles for easy carrying, and while it’s a bit cumbersome, it’s not too heavy. It being large is a good thing, since we have two cats. Not every family needs as large a litter box, but what we like about it is that we will never forget the litter box in the case of a harried evacuation. And don’t forget to include a bag of litter as well as a scoop and little bags for cleaning the box.

The next most important thing you’ll want to bring is any medications your cat is taking. In a different city or a chaotic situation, it can be hard to replace your kitty’s meds. Usually you can’t store these in the go bag, since you’re likely using them — and some meds need refrigeration — so I’d recommend putting a note somewhere prominent in or on the go bag to remind yourself to grab the meds if you have to leave quickly. Make sure you have a little cooler ready to go if medications need to be kept cool. 

Your cats will agree with the next most important item: food! Be sure you have a supply of whatever your cat likes; our go bag has our cats’ favorite kibble as well as wet food. (Treats are not a bad idea either.) And don’t forget to include bottled water (just in case you don’t have access to water), a water bowl (we have a small collapsible one), a dish or two and a spoon for the wet food. We wrap our kitty dishes in paper towels, which will keep them from cracking and will also give us a small supply of paper towels for any needed cleanup. 

At the bottom of the litter box/go bag we have several old towels, which can be used for messes, for cats to lounge on or to cover their carriers if they get stressed. 

And speaking of carriers, even before the go bag, the most important thing to have ready is your cat carriers — one per cat. Unlike dogs, it is the very rare feline who enjoys traveling in a car, especially if it’s a stressful situation. Be sure you have good, sturdy carriers for each cat ready to go. The handy cardboard boxes you got at the adoption event where you adopted your kitty will not do (believe me, cats can break out of those, and they do it very well). Also, if you brought home kittens in February, these cats will be getting close to their adult size and need the right-sized carrier. (I find the carriers in the cat section of a store to be almost ridiculously undersized; our cat carriers are from the dog section.) A cat should be able to stand up and turn around comfortably in his or her carrier; if not, you’ll need a larger one. 

So, if you don’t already have a go bag for your cats, now’s the time! As we do, you can just leave it ready to go year-round — though you might make a calendar note to freshen up the kibble and wet food periodically. The canned food keeps for a long time, fortunately, but we still change it out every couple of months. 

One thing we don’t have in our go bag is toys; our cats do not play when stressed (i.e., when in the car for any reason whatsoever). But mellower cats may be comforted by a familiar toy. And if you do have an anxious feline, you could ask your vet about a prescription for anxiety that could be given just in case of an evacuation (not that anyone wants to medicate a cat during an evacuation). We have gabapentin on hand for our yowler, and it has helped keep him quiet in the car. 

Have I forgotten anything? Do you have any suggestions based on your own cats’ fire evacuation plans? Write me at [email protected].

Ashland resident Midge Raymond is co-founder of Ashland Creek Press and author of the novels “Floreana” and “My Last Continent” and co-author of “Devils Island.” Email suggestions and questions for Catty Corner to her at [email protected].