Pet Emergency Kit Checklist for Dogs and Cats
If you have to leave home in a hurry, your pets are coming with you, and they need their own kit. Ready.gov puts it simply: if local officials ask you to evacuate, your pet should evacuate too. This checklist covers what to pack for dogs and cats and how to plan when you have more than one animal.
The pet go-bag checklist
- Food: at least several days' worth in an airtight, waterproof container, plus a scoop or measuring cup.
- Water: several days' worth, in addition to the water you store for people, and a bowl.
- Medicines: an extra supply of any medication, with dose instructions.
- Medical records: vaccination records and any key health notes, in a waterproof bag.
- First aid kit suited to your pet; ask your vet what to include.
- Collar with ID tag, harness and leash, plus a backup set. Keep microchip registration details current.
- Crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet, labeled with your pet's name.
- Sanitation: litter and litter box, newspaper, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach.
- Grooming items such as pet shampoo, in case your pet needs cleaning up.
- A recent photo of you with your pet, to help prove ownership and identify a lost pet.
- Familiar items: a toy, treats or bedding to reduce stress.
How much food and water to pack
Use what your pet eats and drinks on a normal day, then multiply by the number of days you are planning for:
Amount to pack = daily amount × days
Keep each pet's food in its own unit. If the dog eats 3 cups a day and the cat eats 70 grams a day, write them separately; cups and grams can't be added together. Water is easier to total if you write every pet's daily amount in the same unit (for example, US gallons). Your veterinarian is the right person to confirm daily amounts, especially for pets that are young, old, pregnant, ill or on a special diet.
| Pet | Food per day | Food for 5 days | Water per day | Water for 5 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog, 60 lb | 3 cups | 15 cups | 0.25 gal | 1.25 gal |
| Cat, 10 lb | 70 g | 350 g | 0.05 gal | 0.25 gal |
Then compare what you need with what is already packed. If you need 15 cups of dog food and have 8 cups in the bag, the gap is 7 cups. Do this for every pet and every item.
Plan where your pets will go
Ready.gov notes that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside, so decide ahead of time where your pets could stay. Options to consider:
- Friends or relatives outside your area who would take you and your pets.
- Pet-friendly hotels along likely evacuation routes. Keep a short list.
- Boarding facilities or veterinary offices that can take animals in an emergency.
- A buddy system: neighbors, friends or relatives who agree in advance to care for or evacuate your pets if you can't.
Write these down and keep a copy in the go-bag.
Multiple pets: keep it organized
- One line per pet on your list, with species, daily food amount and unit, daily water and medications.
- One carrier per pet where possible. Cats in particular are safer separated in a stressful move.
- Label everything with the pet's name: food bags, medication and carriers.
- Weigh the bag. Pet food and water add up quickly. Note the weight of each packed item so you know whether one person can carry the bag.
Practice and upkeep
- Get pets used to their carriers: leave the carrier out and open, add a familiar blanket and feed treats near it. Note where your pets hide.
- Rotate pet food and water in the kit along with your household supplies, about every six months for water you filled yourself.
- Check medication dates and replace as needed.
- Update the photo, ID tag and microchip details after a move or new phone number.
Privacy tip
Your kit needs a contact number and a photo, but avoid packing account passwords, card numbers or other sensitive identifiers in a bag that could be lost.
Want this as a ready-made template?
Everything above works with pen and paper. If you would rather have the math done for you, these are our related templates. They are paid digital downloads on Etsy; check each listing for current price, file format and details.
Pet Emergency Go-Bag Planner
Plan food, water and packing for several pets. Each pet keeps its own food unit, needs scale by days, and a checklist tracks what is packed. XLSX for Excel or Google Sheets import.
View on Etsy : Pet Emergency Go-Bag Planner
72-Hour Emergency Kit & Water Storage Planner
Compare what your kit plan needs with what is packed, see gaps, and keep a 50-container water log with 3-day, 14-day and custom water goals. XLSX for Excel or Google Sheets import.
View on Etsy : 72-Hour Emergency Kit & Water Storage PlannerSources
This guide is general information, not professional advice. Rules and recommendations change; confirm with the official sources above.