Preparing to Evacuate with Your Cat on Disaster Prevention Day: The Basics of Evacuating Together and a Checklist of Essentials

September 1 is "Disaster Prevention Day." At this time of year, which comes around once a year, we would like to think about disaster preparedness for cats. Cats are precious family members too. Just like people, they need to be prepared for disasters.

Cats that go missing in disasters

In the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011, many cats were startled and ran out of their homes, going missing. It is said that many cats were also left behind in the affected areas because tsunami warnings were issued and there was no time to prepare for evacuation.

Japan has many natural disasters, and since then major earthquakes have occurred frequently, such as the Kumamoto Earthquake in April 2016 and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024. The reality is that every time a disaster strikes, there are cats that suffer the same fate.

Even if they are lucky enough to be rescued and taken in by a public health center or animal welfare center, many cats cannot return home because they have nothing to identify them.

Disaster prevention at home and checking evacuation sites

Disasters like these can happen anytime, anywhere. It is reassuring to prepare on a regular basis, assuming they could happen close to home.

First, let's review disaster prevention inside the home. To keep damage to a minimum if an earthquake strikes, you should make your home more earthquake-resistant on a regular basis, for example by attaching anti-tip devices to furniture. Then, place your cat's bed in a safe spot with no risk of falling objects. Also, if there is a particular place your cat runs to when there is a small earthquake, arrange the area around it so that no danger can reach it. Even if you end up sheltering at home, having earthquake-proofing measures in place will be reassuring when the time comes.

Next, check the location of evacuation shelters near your home, the evacuation route, and the shelter rules. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, evacuating together with your pet, known as "companion evacuation," has been recommended, but it is best to check your local government's website to be sure. Companion evacuation generally requires cats to be kept in a cage or carrier bag, and they are managed in a space separate from people. Owners must prepare their own pet supplies.

Minimum preparations for staying at an evacuation shelter

So, if you have to go to an evacuation shelter in a disaster, what should you bring? At shelters, human lives take priority, and pet supplies often do not arrive, or arrive late if they do. Assume they will not arrive for about a week, and prepare as many essentials as possible. Below are the items we strongly recommend bringing when you evacuate.

1. Food

If possible, you will need at least 3 days' worth, or at least 7 days' worth of therapeutic diet food. For wet food, choose retort pouches, which produce less waste. Check the expiration dates of emergency food regularly. Recently, a method called "rolling stock," in which you stockpile while using your regular food, has also been attracting attention.

2. Water

Soft water is essential rather than hard mineral water, as hard water can cause urinary stones in cats. You will need at least about 5 days to a week's worth.

3. Bowls

If possible, prepare two: one for food and one for water. Lightweight, unbreakable materials are best.

4. Carrier

So that they can stay at the evacuation site without stress, you will want one for each cat.

5. Portable litter box, cat litter & scoop

If you add a little of the litter they have been using, it will smell of their own waste, so they will relieve themselves smoothly even in a new litter box.

6. Collar and ID tag

Not necessary if your cat always wears them, but it is reassuring to have spares.

7. Medication and health record book

If your cat has a chronic illness, ask the vet to prescribe extra and keep medication on hand. Even for healthy cats, it is best to compile their vaccination history, constitution, chronic illnesses and so on in a health record book.

※It is also convenient to have a cage, towels, blankets, pet sheets, plastic bags, a harness with a leash, and so on. We also recommend preparing photos of your cat that clearly show its features in case it escapes.

If you keep all of these together in a bag so you can grab them as soon as a disaster strikes, you will be able to act calmly.

[Keep for Reference] Summary of the Emergency Kit List

	Item	Guideline
☐	Food (retort pouches recommended)	3+ days' worth, 7+ days' worth for therapeutic diets
☐	Water (soft water)	5 days to 1 week's worth
☐	Bowls	Two: one for food, one for water
☐	Carrier	One per cat
☐	Portable litter box, cat litter, scoop	Mix in a little of their usual litter
☐	Collar, ID tag	Everyday + spare
☐	Medication, health record book	Extra for cats with chronic illnesses
☐	Photos of your cat	Ones that clearly show its features

Take a screenshot and compare it with your own preparations at home.

What we can do to protect our cats' lives

Some cats panic during evacuation. So that you can evacuate quickly, have them practice getting into a carrier bag or cage on a regular basis, and get them used to wearing a harness, collar and ID tag.

It is said that cats adopted from rescue organizations often do not have microchips. Collars catch people's eyes when a cat escapes, so they are helpful when gathering sightings of a lost cat. Furthermore, if an ID tag with the cat's name and phone number is attached to the collar, the cat can be reliably identified wherever it is taken in.

Also, even if you are already fully prepared, we recommend regular inspections and reviews.

Onddoka items that help with disaster preparedness

A lightweight fabric collar that is gentle on cats' bodies. It uses a Duraflex buckle for cat collars that releases when strong force is applied, preventing the risk of accidents such as strangulation if the collar gets caught in a narrow space after an escape.

→ Click here for Onddoka collars

For your cat, a precious member of the family, you can create a one-of-a-kind name charm (ID tag). It can be attached to any type of collar. We hold limited-quantity order events every month. Please check our announcements or Instagram for the latest schedule.

Your cat's name and phone number are engraved on a small, lightweight brass plate sized for a cat's body. Each letter is firmly hand-stamped, so the lettering will not become illegible even if it gets dirty during a disaster. Please consider one in preparation for the unexpected.

→ Click here for [Limited Quantity | Order Event] Order Name Charm (for collars)