Keeping Your Cat Safe When the Unexpected Happens: Introducing Purrmore's Disaster Preparedness Plan
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June is National Pet Preparedness Month, an opportunity to introduce our Disaster Preparedness Plan.
At Purrmore Cat Care, peace of mind isn't just a slogan — it's a promise we want to keep even when a nor'easter knocks out the power or a hurricane sends evacuation orders across the neighborhood. That's why we've put together a formal Disaster Preparedness Plan covering the hazards that could affect the Boston area. The plan spells out exactly what your sitter will do in each scenario, always guided by two non-negotiable principles — your cat's safety, and the pet sitter’s safety.
The plan goes into detail about supplies and equipment needed before a disaster strike, the different activities that are required in different emergency situations, communications before, during, and after an emergency, and resources that may be needed.
Purrmore is currently a one-person operation, which is wonderful for consistency and familiarity, but means that in a wide-area emergency we may not be able to reach every cat at once. That's exactly why your participation matters.
So what can you do to be part of the plan?
Keep your cat’s ID up to date. If your cat is microchipped, make sure the registration information is current. Your cat can wear a breakaway collar with tag or embroidered contact information. It is also helpful to have an up-to-date photo of your cat as part of your pet emergency preparedness kit and on the Purrmore client portal.
Teach your cat to love their carrier - this is generally a good life skill for every cat, making travel or trips to the vet easier and less stressful. However, in an emergency, the time saved by a cat that recognizes their carrier as a safe space they can walk into could save their lives!
Provide emergency information by completing and returning the Emergency Care Authorization Form, which gives your sitter the legal authority to evacuate, transport, board, or obtain veterinary care for your cat when you can't be reached in time. You should also review the new emergency preparedness fields in your portal profile and add emergency contact information. Keeping your client profile current — accurate phone numbers, vet information, microchip details, and the location of your cat's emergency kit, carrier, and supplies — turns a frantic emergency into a coordinated response.
Build a simple emergency kit, ready to go if needed. Include at least seven days of food and bottled water per cat, two weeks of any medications with dosing instructions, a properly sized carrier, extra litter and a spare pan, copies of vaccination and contact records in a waterproof bag, and a familiar blanket or toy to ease the stress of relocation. It’s helpful to have a collapsible cage that can house your cat along with a litter tray and food and water bowls in case emergency housing is needed.
Create your own emergency preparedness plan for your family and your pets. You can learn more at ready.gov.
When we say Peace of Mind for You and Your Cat, we mean it! For the day-to-day care of your cat, we prepare for every emergency, and then make sure it doesn’t happen. For disasters that are outside of our control, we rely on preparedness.
