One day last week a granddaughter, who lives close to me, called and said, “A realtor wants to show our house and Rosie’s inside. I’m thirty minutes away, could you…?” Of course, I walked around the corner to take their sweet part Jack Russell out for a bit. She isn’t vicious, but she barks at strangers and there’s the concern that she’ll escape.
I must say that the last time I had a dog, they wore collars. Today they wear harnesses of various types and I couldn’t figure out how to get Rosie’s harness on her. Finally I did, realizing later that I had it on upside down or backwards or something, as it came off during our walk. No biggie, Rosie wasn’t about to go anywhere. She stood patiently while I slipped it back on her.
But this incident got me to thinking about pet emergencies. We had one in our 
neighborhood last December when we had to evacuate our cats because of fire. What if a fire started inside your home or your home was somehow threatened by fire and you weren’t home? Do your neighbors know you well enough to know that you have one or more cats inside? It’s wise to post a sticker somewhere stating how many cats there are, in case there’s a need to evacuate them when you aren’t around. It’s also a good idea for a neighbor or family member to know your cats’ habits—Lily is most likely in the closet or under the covers on the bed when frightened, and Sophie’s safe hiding place is behind the computer desk in the back of the house.
Do you have a carrier for each of your cats in case they need to be evacuated? You might be prepared for an emergency with extra water, batteries, meds, etc. for yourself. What about for your pets? Here’s a site with some good ideas for creating an emergency pet evacuation pack.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Emergency-Pet-Evacuation-Pack/
Here are two sites showing how to make a pet sling in an emergency. I love these ideas—useful if you happen upon a stray cat that needs help, you want to take your cat for a walk, or you have to evacuate by foot—this is a safe and comfortable way to carry your cat or small dog. Try it out today and see if your cat likes it. https://animals.mom.me/how-to-make-a-carrying-sling-for-a-small-dog-or-a-cat-12214275.html http://www.mysocalledcraftylife.com/2015/09/23/diy-soft-and-cozy-pet-sling/
