How to prepare pets and yourself for evacuation or sheltering in place in the event of a disaster.

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The West is on fire. Large swathes of Iowa have been destroyed by a massive windstorm called a derecho. And as I write, two hurricanes are heading for Louisiana. No matter where you live, you’re probably at risk of one natural disaster or another, including floods, tornadoes and earthquakes (although maybe we shouldn’t give 2020 any more ideas). Here’s how to be prepared.

Pack a “go bag” for each family member, including pets. A pet’s bag should include an unopened bag of food (enough for at least three days); copies of prescriptions and vaccination records; a toy, blanket or bed that smells like home; and a photo that could be used for a “lost” poster in case you become separated. Rotate food out of the go bag regularly, replacing it with a fresh bag. If you have to pack in a hurry, don’t forget medication, parasite preventive and grooming tools. Have an ice chest with a cold pack available for food or medications that need to remain chilled.

Remember the five P’s, advises Lorilynn (no last name given), who faced the 2017 Thomas Fire in Ojai, California. Those would be Pets, Prescriptions, Passports, Papers and Pictures.

Carla Wilson-Leff, who lives on two acres in Elko, Nevada, with three dogs and a rabbit, is always ready to go during fire season.

“My van holds 95% of the things I need for my dogs, including a case of water,” she says. “If we needed to evacuate, I add dog food, medications, toiletries and clothes. I keep a cat carrier next to my rabbit’s stall. I could have us out of here in 15 minutes.”

Terilynn Mitchell lives in Forestville, California, with six cats. When her home was recently threatened by fire, she was ready to evacuate with her cats to her brother’s home.

“At the first sign of danger, I loaded a litter box, potty pads, litter, scoop, and wet and dry food,” she said. “My carriers are always set up with towels and potty pads. I planned ahead of time who would go in which carrier.”

She placed important paperwork, electronics, medical equipment, medications and feline paraphernalia in the car first, then placed the cats in carriers and loaded them. “It might have been better to load the cats first before they got anxious, but it was 90 degrees and I feared them overheating,” she says.

Prepare pets for travel. If they aren’t already accustomed to carriers, start teaching them now that the carrier is a great place to be. Leave carriers or crates out in areas where family members spend time. Place treats inside them regularly for pets to find. Put a favorite blankie or toy inside to make the carrier a cozy hideaway. Spraying or wiping the interior with synthetic feline or canine pheromones (not while the pet is in the carrier) that send calming chemical messages can also give it an air of security. You can find more about carrier training at fearfreehappyhomes.com/teach-your-cat-to-go-into-a-carrier-without-a-struggle.

Take a first aid class. Those skills prepare you for the unexpected.

“In a disaster, pets could step on broken glass or flying debris could cause injuries,” says Arden Moore, a master certified pet first/CPR instructor with Pet First Aid 4U. Her advice?

“After taking a first aid class, have some fun practicing wrapping the leg, splinting the leg, getting the dog or cat in or out of a carrier safely so they have that predictability factor,” she says. The same goes for practicing evacuations.

“Do practice drills. Make it a game. You don’t want them freaking out when the real deal hits,” Moore says.

Finally, if you’re in a safe place and have room to spare, offer to take in animals or humans who need shelter from the storm. You can also find more about disaster prep at uexpress.com/pet-connection/2016/6/20/ready-for-disaster.

Q&A

Put poisons

in their place

Q: I’m getting my first cat. Are there any household poisons or other dangers I should be concerned about?

A: Cats are not as likely as dogs to scarf up any old thing they run across, but they are still at risk of accidentally ingesting toxic substances such as ammonia, bleach, cleaning agents, disinfectants, drain cleaner, gasoline, oven cleaner, paint, and rodent poisons -- all of which can kill your cat.

Maybe you mop the floor with pine-scented cleaner and your cat walks across it while it’s still damp. He then licks his paws to clean them off, and the next thing you know, he has been poisoned from ingesting the cleaner. That can happen with many substances if your cat walks through them. Antifreeze drips on the garage floor are a big concern, for instance.

Any time you use cleansers on floors, counters or other surfaces, put your cat in another room until the surface is dry or you have thoroughly wiped up the residue. Clean up antifreeze spills immediately, and never assume that poisons are out of your cat’s reach. Put anything toxic, especially if it could leak, inside a locked cabinet away from your cat’s normal living area. That includes weed killers, pesticides, turpentine and dried-up paint rollers. If you have a rodent problem, use traps that kill instantly instead of rodenticides or sticky traps that cause cruel, painful deaths.

Other household dangers include washing machines or dryers with doors left open. We know of a very sad case recently where a kitten was drowned in the washing machine because no one realized he was inside it. A cat may also find the warm interior of a dryer an inviting place to take a nap, but it could be fatal if someone turns it on without checking first. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pet feeding

needs vary

-- Wondering how much to feed your pet? The right portion size is individual to each dog or cat. Age, metabolism and activity level are factors that play a role in how much a pet needs -- or wants -- to eat. Feeding guidelines on the bag or can of food are just that: guidelines. Your dog or cat may need more or less than the recommended amount. Let your pet’s condition guide you. If she’s putting on weight, cut back a little. If she’s looking skinny, add more. Your veterinarian can help you determine an appropriate weight.

-- Foxtails are grasslike weeds that look harmless, but have barbs that can latch onto your pet’s skin -- becoming embedded between toes, inside the ears or nose, or on other parts of the body. They can work their way through the skin or be inhaled, causing serious injuries that are difficult and expensive to treat, or sometimes fatal. Foxtails that migrate inside the body can travel to the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys or other organs. Check pets for foxtails after they’ve been outdoors or if you notice them licking or biting at an area, especially if it looks swollen. Use tweezers to remove visible foxtails. If your pet is sneezing uncontrollably, squinting or shaking his head frequently, a visit to the veterinarian is in order.

-- Dog showing has its own language. Here are some terms you might have wondered about. Bite: the way the upper and lower jaws meet. Conformation: a dog’s form and structure. Dewlap: excess loose, hanging skin at the throat. Flews: skin that hangs down at the corners of the mouth. Plume: a long fringe of hair on the tail. Self-colored: when a dog is a solid color with no white. Type: the combination of features that make a breed unique. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Scratch the surface of four uncommon cat breeds

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

A few years ago, I was in Laguna Beach, California, when I saw a spotted cat being walked on a leash. The cat was a Savannah, and his person (we all know cats have staff, not owners, right?) walked him frequently in the park. He was distinctive enough that my own veterinarian recognized him when I posted a photo; the cat was one of his patients.

Most cats don’t get walked in public, so the only time we see unusual cat breeds is in the media, at cat shows or occasionally at the veterinary clinic. All cats are fascinating and beautiful in their own way, but it’s fun to see some of the different varieties developed to have a particular look or that were the result of a spontaneous natural mutation and then developed as a breed. Here are four you may never have encountered in real life.

-- The Savannah is one of several spotted breeds designed to have the look of a wild cat and that was developed by crossing a small African wildcat, the serval, with domestic cats, including Siamese. Savannahs are active, intelligent, confident and curious: the epitome of a feline. People who live with them must be prepared to match their intelligence against that of their cats -- and it’s not always the human who will win. Savannahs like a lot of interaction, and they will play jokes on you. They’re also among the cats who enjoy playing in water, walking on a leash and learning tricks -- the better to train you themselves.

-- You’re probably familiar with the sphynx -- the best-known of the hairless cats thanks to Ted Nude-gent, who starred as Mr. Bigglesworth in the Austin Powers movies -- but have you met the Peterbald? With a coat that ranges in texture from complete hairlessness to peach fuzz to plush velvet to bristlelike, they’re everything you always wanted in a cat, with no shedding and no need for frequent bathing, says Brigitte Cowell Moyne of San Francisco, who lives with both a Savannah (Baz) and a Peterbald (Teo). In the show ring, Teo is a supreme grand champion, but at home he’s the champion of Moyne’s young daughter Lola’s heart. Peterbalds, which descend from hairless cats found in Russia and crossed with Oriental shorthairs, are active but not excessively so. Moyne says Teo is amazingly gentle with Lola and with her son, Felix. Playful and affectionate, this is a cat who demands plenty of interaction and won’t settle for anything less.

-- Speaking of Oriental shorthairs, they are another seldom-seen breed. Talkative and intelligent, the slinky cats with the large, batlike ears enjoy carrying on conversations with their people, sitting on laps and shoulders, and sleeping under the covers. Developed through crosses between Siamese and other breeds, Oriental shorthairs have a reputation for being manually dexterous -- good at opening doors and cabinets -- learning tricks and playing fetch. Their short, low-shedding coat comes in so many different colors and patterns that they are nicknamed “ornamentals,” but don’t expect them to sit around posing. With their curiosity and intelligence, they are sure to be getting into one thing or another throughout the day. Orientals also come in a longhaired variety.

-- Some cats are distinguished by their unusual coat types, and Cornish rexes fall into that category. They have a short, soft, wavy coat that’s the result of a natural mutation. They acquired the name “rex” from their resemblance to a rex rabbit, and they are Cornish rexes because the first one appeared in Cornwall in the 1950s. Other characteristics are an egg-shaped head, large ears and unusually long hind legs. Cornish rexes are well-known for their attention-getting antics and playful, outgoing nature.

Q&A

How often

should dogs eat?

Q: How often should I feed my puppy? And when she grows up, is it better to feed her once or twice a day?

A: When puppies stop nursing and start eating on their own, the breeder usually gives them four small meals a day. Their little tummies can only take in so much food at a time, after all. By the time they go to their new homes, when they are 8 to 12 weeks old, they are usually eating three meals a day to fuel growth. Take the amount the puppy should receive for the day and divide it by three to determine how much to give at each meal. Eventually, your puppy’s gargantuan appetite will start to decrease. You may notice that she picks at one of her meals or starts to leave food behind. That’s a good time to cut back to two meals daily and adjust amounts.

Feeding measured amounts at set times instead of leaving food out helps establish pee and poop schedules in puppyhood and ensures that dogs don’t overeat. One thing I like to recommend is measuring the appropriate amount of food and placing it in a dispensing toy so dogs have to “hunt” for their meals. This engages their brain and encourages physical activity. If you want to feed only once a day, this is a good way to do it.

A related question is when to stop feeding puppy food and start feeding adult food. The answer depends on the breed. Large- and giant-breed dogs should grow slowly. They’re best eating a puppy food developed to promote slow growth. Smaller dogs who enjoy eating and have a tendency to become roly-poly may do better switching to adult food at an early age, often before they are 6 months old. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

What to know

about pet pain

-- If your pet of any species isn’t interested in eating, doesn’t enjoy being touched or petted anymore, and no longer spends time with the family, they might be in pain. September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, shared with Pain Awareness Month for humans. Pets can experience pain from arthritis, cancer, dental disease, infection or illness, injury, and as a result of surgery. Acute pain -- such as from a broken leg -- is obvious, but chronic pain may be subtle, sneaking up over a period of weeks or months. If you think your pet is in pain, talk to your veterinarian about ways to manage or treat it. They include medication, massage, rehab, acupuncture and laser therapy.

-- The English language has many words and phrases related to dogs. One you may remember your mother saying is that you’re “in the doghouse” -- presumably for not finishing chores or homework. A phrase we don’t hear so often is “my dogs are barking” -- meaning that the speaker’s feet hurt. The use of “dogs” to refer to feet is explained in the Oxford English Dictionary as originating with Cockney rhyming slang, in which “dog’s meat” equaled “feet.” And in ancient Rome, the hottest days of summer -- which seem to be occurring right now -- were known as “dog days” because of the belief that the ascendancy at that time of year of Canis Major, the “greater dog” constellation, added to the heat.

-- A common behavior problem in birds is feather-picking. If your bird is pulling out feathers, it’s a sign something is wrong. He may have a health problem, be uncomfortable from low humidity in your home, bored from lack of interaction or toys, experiencing a phobia or seeking your attention. Talk to your veterinarian about ways to solve the problem. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Which dogs or cats are associated with your state, and why? Here’s a rundown of official state pets

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Late-night host Stephen Colbert’s work-at-home sidekick is his Boykin spaniel, Benny. Colbert is a South Carolina native, so the curly-coated South Carolina state dog is a perfect choice as his companion for Jeep rides and at-home filming of “The Late Show.”

The Boykin was developed in South Carolina, so it’s no surprise the breed would be named the state dog. What other dogs and cats are state animals? Let’s take a look at how and why they were chosen.

First thing to know: Not every state has a state dog, and fewer have state cats. If you live in Alabama, Minnesota or one of the other states lacking a state pet, it’s time for schoolkids to mobilize and ask legislators to name one. That’s often how state animals are chosen. Other times, they have a specific association with the state.

In New Jersey, for instance, the state dog is a working animal -- the seeing eye dog -- because The Seeing Eye guide dog school is located in Morristown. In Alaska, of course, the Alaskan malamute holds state dog honors. Maryland has the Chesapeake Bay retriever, and New Hampshire the Chinook, both breeds that were developed in those states. Maryland, by the way, has the distinction of being the first state to designate an official pet, in 1964.

Other dogs developed in or associated with particular states are Louisiana’s Catahoula leopard dog and North Carolina’s Plott hound. The blue Lacy is “a true Texas breed,” according to a state senate resolution in 2001. Born and bred in the city of his name, the Boston terrier is the state dog of Massachusetts. The American water spaniel, nicknamed “the little brown dog,” represents Wisconsin, where the breed was developed. Like the Boykin, the AWS has a curly coat and enjoys time spent on the water.

The bluetick coonhound wasn’t developed in Tennessee, but Smokey, a bluetick, is the mascot of the University of Tennessee. The breed was designated as the state dog last year. In Virginia, known for its foxhunting tradition, the American foxhound was named state dog in 1966. Pennsylvania chose the Great Dane because early settlers kept them as hunting and working dogs.

A number of states have embraced “rescue dogs” or “shelter dogs” as their state representatives. They include California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia and Illinois. New York has taken a different tack, honoring “working dogs.” That designation includes military and police dogs, service dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, disease detection dogs -- any dog trained to provide a service.

What about cats? Naturally, the Maine coon is the state cat of Maine. The large, furry cats are also known for the genetic trait of polydactyly, or extra toes.

Maryland chose the calico as its representative because the cat’s colors of orange, black and white match those of the state bird -- the oriole -- and the state insect -- the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. Calico isn’t a breed, by the way, but a color pattern that occurs in many different cat breeds.

Massachusetts chose a cat of another color as its state feline: the tabby. Chosen by Massachusetts schoolchildren in 1998, tabbies are good feline representatives because all domestic cats carry the tabby gene, even if it’s not expressed in their coat.

The same states that recognize shelter dogs as their state animal also recognize shelter cats.

Some states are still working on their state dog and cat designations. Oregon might adopt the Newfoundland as its state dog. After all, explorer Meriwether Lewis brought his Newfoundland, Seaman, to the state on his journey to document the Louisiana Purchase. And Kansas has considered going Hollywood, proposing the cairn terrier in honor of Toto, Dorothy’s dog in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Q&A

Nasal disease

has many causes

Q: My dog is snorting and sneezing a lot. What could be wrong with him?

A: Problems affecting the canine nose can range from minor to serious. Figuring out what’s causing the problem can take a little detective work.

Rhinitis is an infection of the nasal cavity and can affect dogs of any age. Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses. Many dogs have a combination of the two and show signs such as sneezing, bloody or mucuslike discharge, or coughing from postnasal drip.

Aspergillus is a type of fungus that can invade the nasal cavity. We see it most typically in young or middle-aged dogs with long or medium-length muzzles. Common signs of this fungal infection are a heavy, mucuslike discharge, discoloration of the nostrils, apparent facial pain and occasionally nasal bleeding.

Dogs that have snuffled up a foreign object into the nose -- a bean, a foxtail or even a blade of grass -- usually sneeze violently, paw at the nose in a fruitless attempt to remove the item and may have a thick or bloody nasal discharge. Sometimes a veterinarian can remove foreign bodies with tweezers while the dog is sedated or anesthetized, but surgery may be necessary for an object lodged deeply in the nose. Don’t try to remove objects yourself; you may make the problem worse.

Older dogs may develop tumors in the nasal cavity. The tumors may cause sneezing or sniffling, a runny nose or bleeding from one nostril. Some tumors can block airflow, making it difficult for the dog to breathe.

Like any health problem, nasal disease is easiest to treat before it becomes advanced. Nosebleeds, discharge and excessive sneezing aren’t normal. Signs of facial pain include pawing at the face or loss of appetite. Take your dog to the veterinarian at the first sign of irritation of that sensitive snout. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Teaching touch

has benefits

-- Teaching your dog or cat to touch and follow your hand or a target such as a stick has many uses, according to the authors of the book “From Fearful To Fear Free,” Lisa Radosta, Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker. A dog who jumps on people in greeting can learn instead to touch his nose to a visitor’s hand. It’s also a simple way to move your pet off a piece of furniture or onto a scale at the veterinary clinic, or to direct his focus away from food or objects he’s not allowed to have. Following and touching a target can help reduce a pet’s fear of a stethoscope, nail clippers and similar objects.

-- Words about dogs have changed many times over the years. For instance, the words “pup” or “puppy” originally referred to a type of dog no longer in existence, but by the 16th century, they were used to refer to any young dog. Domestic canines used to be called “hunds,” a word that eventually turned into “hound.” The word “dog” entered the language in 1050, and “hound” became reserved only for hunting dogs. We see that history in the word today, in its use as a verb meaning to pursue relentlessly or to persecute or pester.

-- Feline fatale? The first cat to appear in movies is thought to have been a gray cat named Pepper, who appeared in several silent films. More recent famous film felines include the ginger cat who played Buttercup in “Catching Fire,” the second in the “Hunger Games” trilogy; Keanu, the adorable kitten in Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key’s 2016 screwball comedy of the same name; the seven cats in “Kedi,” a 2017 Turkish documentary of Istanbul’s street cats; Goose, the alien-in-cat-form from 2019’s “Captain Marvel”; and of course Mr. Bigglesworth from the Austin Powers series, played by Sphynx cat Ted Nude-gent. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.