KILLEEN, TX — When it comes to severe weather, Andrea Forte, director of the Central Texas Disaster Action Response Team, knows how to keep her family safe.
"My girls know where to go, how to cover themselves. If there's a tornado coming they know what the sirens are," explained Forte.
She also thinks about the family cat, Nebo.
"Nebo doesn't like storms. He tends to pace the house and he'll run from window to window. And he gets, if you've ever seen a cat get ridged back where their fur stands up and everything, he does that when the storms happen if there's thunder and lightning," said Forte.
"There are ways around anxieties. There are pheromones like Adaptil. There is one for cats called Feliway. There's always the ThunderShirts and if we need to there are medications out there to kind of subside anxiety," shared Dr. Erin Dunkelberger, associate veterinarian of Belton Small Animal Clinic.
The two shared you should have a go bag for your pet.
In a severe weather situation, the Texas Department of State Health Services recommends you have the following pet supplies:
- Three-day supply of food water and bowls
- Medications and pet first-aid kit
- Vaccination records
- Crate or carrier
- Leash and toys
- Photo, in case pet gets lost
- Cat litter and box
"Have what medications they need. Along the lines of medications as well, if they're on a chronic long-term medication like seizure medication, allergy medication things like that that you have that with you. As a good rule of thumb you should have their veterinary records kind of in a folder ready to go if God forbid you need it," added Dunkelberger.
"He [Nebo] has his own go bag. So it has things like food and water. It has his shot records so if we have to go to a shelter or something like that," said Forte.
She called it a life saving measure.
"Put a bag together. You have your own bag for your children or your family members, but have it for your pet too," said Forte.
