Emergency kit checklist for cat owners

Cats need water, their usual food and a carrier. Having those ready saves a frantic search later.

Who this plan is for

One adult, with a cat. SupKit's planning assumptions for this household:

Who	Energy a day	Drinking water a day
Adult	9,414 kJ (2,250 Cal)	3 L
Pets	Their own food	0.3 L

Water and food for 1 adult and a cat

	3 days	7 days
Drinking water	9.8 L	22.8 L
Food energy	28,242 kJ (6,750 Cal)	65,898 kJ (15,750 Cal)

What a cat owner should add

Pet food Essential
Enough of your pets' usual food for your chosen number of days.
Water for pets Essential
An estimate based on each pet's species and size.
Pet medication and records
Any medication your pets need, plus vet and vaccination details.
Pet carrier and lead
What you'd need to take your pets with you.

Also on New Zealand's official kit list

NZ recommends keeping emergency items at home, in a grab bag, in your car and at work.²

Everything else every home needs

Food: food for everyone, manual tin opener
Water: drinking water
Hygiene: hand sanitiser, wet wipes, toilet roll and bathroom products, personal hygiene supplies
Power & warmth: torch, spare batteries, charged power bank, battery or wind-up radio, blankets or sleeping bags, camping stove, warm clothing
Health & safety: first aid kit
Plans & essentials: emergency contacts, meeting point, utility shut-offs, some cash, important documents, insurance details

See the full household checklist for what each one involves.

A sample shopping list for 3 days

One way to reach 28,242 kJ (6,750 Cal) with long-life food. SupKit estimate Swap in what your household likes.

Item	How many
Tinned chilli	4
Tinned soup	4
Baked beans	4
Microwave rice pouch 250g	2
Tinned tuna	3
Crackers	1
Peanut butter	1
Dried fruit and nuts	1
Cereal bars	1
Tinned fruit	2

Allergies, dietary needs and children

Plan around everyone at home: allergies, intolerances and diets come first, and familiar food matters most for children. Recipes vary between brands, so always read the label of the product you buy.

Food	Typical allergens	Typically suitable for
Tinned chilli	varies by recipe	check the label
Tinned soup	varies by recipe	vegetarian
Baked beans	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan
Microwave rice pouch 250g	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan
Tinned tuna	fish	check the label
Crackers	cereals containing gluten	vegan
Peanut butter	peanuts	vegan, gluten free
Dried fruit and nuts	tree nuts	vegan, gluten free
Cereal bars	varies by recipe	vegetarian
Tinned fruit	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan, gluten free

Typical allergens and diets are SupKit's guide to the main ingredient, not a product's label.

Under the joint Australia New Zealand code, labels must declare wheat, fish, shellfish, egg, milk, lupin, peanut, soy, sesame, named tree nuts, gluten cereals and added sulphites.³
Allergens must be in bold in the ingredient list, plus a separate bold summary starting with 'Contains' near the ingredients.³
'May contain' statements are voluntary and not regulated by the Food Standards Code.³

Young children

Questions

How much water should a cat owner store?

9.8 L for 3 days or 22.8 L for a week, for 1 adult and a cat, at 3 litres per person per day plus pets.

What extra does a cat owner need?

Pet food: Enough of your pets' usual food for your chosen number of days. Water for pets: An estimate based on each pet's species and size. Pet medication and records: Any medication your pets need, plus vet and vaccination details. Pet carrier and lead: What you'd need to take your pets with you.

Sources

We summarise official guidance in our own words. Always follow advice from your local authorities.