Be Disaster Prepared with the Sleepypod® Go Bag | Lola The Rescued Cat
Monday, September 24, 2018

Be Disaster Prepared with the Sleepypod® Go Bag

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. For years I thought I didn’t need to worry about being prepared because I have never lived in an area that required evacuation or that was hard hit by a disaster. Then in 2012, Hurricane Sandy decided to hit my area, and she hit us hard. When I saw the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel flooded, I began to worry.


(If the video doesn't play, you can watch it on Youtube.)

And when the local news showed a neighborhood just three miles from me totally flooded, I began to panic because I had nothing prepared. I ran around the apartment grabbing things and throwing them in a bag in case we had to leave.

Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness
Photo by WABC-TV
That made me realize that in order to keep my cats (and myself!) safe, I need to be ready.
Thanks to the folks at Sleepypod I have the perfect Go Bag to pack my emergency kit in.


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness




Packing Your Cat’s Emergency Kit

Do you know what you should pack in your cat’s emergency kit? I have some tips and ideas for you.


Food and Water

I think how much food you should pack depends on where you live and the types and risks of natural disasters that hit your area. You should pack at least a few days worth of food and bottled water. The ASPCA recommends having enough food for at least three days, which would be sufficient for me. (Paws crossed!) Of course, don’t forget treats.

Since you may not have access to running water for washing, make sure you pack disposable plates and/or bowls, as well as spoons. I included a couple of collapsible bowls for water as well. Don’t forget paper towels and garbage bags! (Plastic bags from the grocery store can be just perfect for this, and I fold them into little triangles so they’re compact and neatly packed.)


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness

Cat Litter

Pet stores and even supermarkets carry disposable litter trays pre-filled with litter. (I keep one in the closet just in case.) Disposable aluminum cooking pans also work well. And of course, don’t forget items for clean up such as garbage bags and a broom and dustpan set. And a scoop, of course!


Safety Items

Carriers are first on the list of safety items; make sure you have a sturdy carrier with plenty of room for each pet. I’m so glad Lexy has her Sleepypod because she can lie comfortably and safely in it, complete with the smells of home. I have a sturdy, hard carrier for Lola because she does better in that. Since she frequently urinates in the carrier, I keep a pad in the bottom of it, and an extra in the emergency bag. 

Other items to have on hand include a first aid kit (you can read our post on a DIY kit here), collar with ID, harness and leash, and a flashlight.


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness


Medications

Make sure you have enough of your cat’s medications for at least a few days. Pack them in a waterproof container or in double Ziploc bags.

Documents

It’s a good idea to pack copies of your cat’s medical records (if you need to evacuate to a shelter, some may require proof of vaccinations). Other important information to bring is microchip documents (this provides proof of ownership), and your vet’s information. It’s also a good idea to include photos of your cat, including one of you together. This can also help to prove ownership, and can help in finding her in the event you get separated. I also included a list of pet-friendly hotels, so I have the info readily available if I need to make reservations.

Familiar Items

Familiar items can help reduce your cat's stress level. Pack a favorite blankie, toys, treats, and anything else you think will help our cat feel calmer and more comfortable.


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness


Sleepypod® Go Bag

We cat owners cannot just put our cats in a carrier and leave – we need to be organized and ready to go. The Sleepypod Go Bag is the perfect way to pack and prepare for emergencies.


Go Bag Features

First, I want to tell you that the Go Bag is very sturdy and very well made (just like the rest of Sleepypod’s products.) I packed it full (as you will see below), and I’m not worried that the straps or zippers will break.

The Go Bag has a padded main compartment with top zip and double zipper pulls, as well as an adjustable shoulder strap, tapered profile for comfortable cross-body carrying, and two gusseted side pockets for beverage bottles or a phone. There is a single zip front pocket where you can keep important items for easy and quick access, and a utility ring to clip on a flashlight or a leash.

Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness

Main Compartment

  • 2 small pockets for smaller items
  • 1 large padded pocket for essential documents, computer or tablet
  • Clip for hanging items like keys
  • Included organizers
  • 2 padded, mini cubes in Glacier Silver color with double zipper pulls for organizing travel essentials
  • 1 insulated food bag in Glacier Silver color
  • Easy clean exterior is made of luggage-grade, ballistic nylon

Specifications

  • Go Bag main compartment - dimensions: 16 inches (tall) x 14 inches (wide) x 5 inches (deep)
  • Go Bag main compartment with side pockets extended - dimensions: 16 inches (tall) x 16 inches (wide) x 5 inches (deep)
  • Go Bag weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Mini Cube - dimensions: 4.5 inches (tall) x 6.5 inches (wide) x 4.5 inches (deep)
  • Mini Cube weight: .25 pounds
  • Insulated Food Bag - dimensions when fully open: 13 inches (tall) x 7 inches (wide) x 4.5 inches (deep)
  • Insulated Food Bag - dimensions when rolled close: 7 inches (tall) x 7 inches (wide) x 4.5 inches (deep)
  • Insulated Food Bag - weight: .45 pounds

The Go Bag is available in four beautiful colors. Ours matches Lexy’s Sleepyod bed just purrfectly! 


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness


I was able to fit a lot of things in my Go Bag!
  • Eight cans of food
  • A Ziploc bag of dry food
  • Three bottles of water
  • A bag of treats
  • Medications/Supplements
  • Flashlight
  • Hand sanitizer (clipped on the side)
  • Paper plates and plastic spoons
  • Small garbage bags
  • Important documents and photos
  • collapsible water dishes
  • Toys
  • An extra pee pad for Lola's carrier 
  • Paper towels
  • My Kindle

Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness

If I should need to pack more canned food I can remove the toys from one of the Mini Cubes and put them in a plastic bag. Then I will have more room for eight more cans of food. 



Other Uses

  • This is the perfect bag for pet owners to use while traveling with their pets, or just going on an outing to the pet store or the park. Everything your pet would need is right at your fingertips, in an easy to carry bag.
  • If you board your pets, packing for them is easy with the Go Bag. It keeps all of their items together in one neatly packed bag.
  • I’m keeping this fully packed for the cat sitter when I go away. It will be nice to have peace of mind knowing that Lola and Lexy will have everything they may need in the event they have to leave the house. 
  • When I was at BlogPaws in April and CWA in June, I saw a couple of friends using it at both conferences. Because it’s so lightweight and comfortable, it's the perfect size to carry a laptop/tablet, water, snacks, as well as some swag! The insulated bag will keep water cool and snacks can be easily stored in one of the mini cubes.
Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness

My Opinion of the Sleepypod® Go Bag

I LOVE the Go Bag! When I got a sneak peek from my blogging friends I was intrigued, and I was very happy when I got the opportunity to work with Sleepypod again to review it. I love that it includes a padded pocket for electronics, and an insulated bag as well. It’s high quality, sturdy, and stylish. I like the size of it as well. It’s roomy enough to fit a good number of items, but not so bulky that it would be difficult to carry. And I really like that I can clip my keys securely right inside the bag so I don’t have to worry about losing them. (In an emergency I’m sure I’d make myself very anxious looking for my keys!) 


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness
Pin Us!


A Giveaway! 

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Sleepypod, one of our lucky readers will win a Sleepypod® Go Bag in a color of their choice (Glacier Silver, Robin Egg Blue, Strawberry Red, or Jet Black.)  


Sleepypod Go Bag|Disaster Preparedness


Just enter via the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is open to US residents 18+ years of age except where prohibited by law. The winner will be selected randomly by Rafflecopter and contacted via email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize, and a new winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter. Please note that to qualify for the prize a comment must be left on this post. The giveaway will run from September 24  through Midnight October 8. Good luck to all who enter! 




Good luck, everyone! To stay up to date with Sleepypod, make sure to follow them on social media. 


Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  YouTube


What would you pack in your Go Bag to be disaster prepared? 

Dawn
About Sleepypod® 
Look behind the beautiful designs and you’ll find multiple functions, durable materials, and safety beyond compare. Sleepypod pet products have earned numerous awards and accolades for safety and design innovation. Every Sleepypod carrier and car safety harness has been independently tested and certified with a top safety rating from the Center for Pet Safety. Pets travel safer with Sleepypod. Sleepypod.com

Would you like to comment?

  1. I'd like Robin Egg Blue to match my Sleepypod carrier.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I could totally use this for my therapy cat visits! I love that I have a tote bag with our organization's name on it, but everything gets lost in it. My human would probably want the black or red because those are her favorite colors.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That really is a grand idea, thanks for the cool giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is pawesome!! Black is pawesome too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is wonderful - and we could really use one! I'd love the red one, but any color would be just fine.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Drops of sweat were breaking out on my forehead, as I read your post and thinking about trying to get three cats out of danger! This is a terrific giveaway...thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That looks so cool. We would totally want it in silver. That would look pawsum with our favorite color purrple. We're glad you're purrpared fur anythin'. Big hugs

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Raena

    ReplyDelete
  8. L & L.....we rememburr when de tunnel flooded; we haz palz out that way....N HOW KEWL IZ THIZ BAG !!!!!! we send best fishez two everee one on winnin thiz.....thiz reel lee iz one awesum give a way :) ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  9. The bag is really well organised and looks good. Good luck to those who enter.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Girls, you look so charming in the photos showing off the bag! Your mom did an excellent job packing emergency supplies. We wish everyone luck on winning!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those bags are incredibly impressive! Sleepypod makes such amazing products. We would probably go with the silver.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What an awesome bag, and a great idea. And good modeling by Mr. Will. Sleepypod really comes up with some wonderful ideas! We would probably go with jet black if we won.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That is a great giveaway, I especially like the blue. Excellent post and a good reminder to be prepared.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think I'd go with the red bag if I'm lucky enough to win. In addition to needing to be organized with my own furbabies for trips (and heaven forbid, emergencies), I am a volunteer rescue transport driver and would love something like this to keep things organized for that, too!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really like the blue one! I'd love to have a designated bag to put emergency kitty supplies if we ever have to evacuate.

    ReplyDelete
  16. We like the red one. This post is full of good ideas just in case...
    Although the bag looks like it would serve a bunch of different purposes.
    Thanks!
    xxoo
    Maggie, Mickey Mouser and Rufus the Red

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the bags! Sleepover makes such amazing bags. If we win we'd like a net black bag. Thanks for all the excellent information and the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Awesome giveaway!Thanks for the opportunity! I'd love to the Robin Egg Blue!

    ReplyDelete
  19. This bag sounds amazing. We do have an emergency kit ready to go. We don't have many weather emergencies in our area knock on wood. However, I always worry about being stuck somewhere and not being able to get home to rescue my pets.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This looks like such a great go-bag! How scary it must've been when Sandy hit. Pet parents need to be prepared and this bag would definitely help! I love the Robin Egg Blue color.

    ReplyDelete
  21. i prefer the red because it stands out, so i can just look at it, get it and go. i had to be prepared during Florence, just missed my area, but still had damage. i cant believe how many people left their pets to die.

    ReplyDelete
  22. We like the red as it would signify an emergency. All the human emergency things are in red o it just makes sense. LOVE sleepypod!

    ellen beck on form

    ReplyDelete
  23. It sounds like we might be in the same area. Sandy hit us really hard too. Luckily we didn't need to evacuate but we went without power for over a week. I've only had to evacuate quickly with the pets once, that was when we had a carbon monoxide scare. The firemen were impressed, I managed to get out quickly with all my pets including a fish lol. It was all because I had my emergency plan thought out ahead of time, including carriers ready for all the pets.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I think the Robin Egg Blue because it would be an easy color to spot quickly

    ReplyDelete
  25. That's a great idea!
    We especially like the red one...

    Noodle and crew

    ReplyDelete
  26. Really great idea and so important to have an on the go bag ready for emergencies. I am at this moment redoing mine to make sure I have all

    ReplyDelete
  27. Nobody should ever underestimate disaster preparedness no matter where they live. I learned that this summer. Just because you don't live in a hurricane or tornado area, doesn't mean things cannot happen. Such as forest fires.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The robin's egg blue one is gorgeous. I'm torn. Should I use it as their modeling go-bag!!?!? or pack for disasters?? decisions, decisions. maybe i could win one and buy one!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Those look like great bags, I would choose the robin egg's blue!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I have been eyeballing this Go Bag for months! Thanks for the thorough review. I'm not at all surprised that you loved another Sleepypod product! They're the best! Crossing our paws that the Rafflecopter gremlins choose us:)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I know this bag would be of huge use to any pet owner. All the paper work, tins, bowls and water could app be packed in.

    Good luck everyone!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sleepypod has some awesome products. Many of which I found out about through bloggers like yourself. I'm glad you now are ready and prepared just in case. I remember Hurricane Sandy too. I waited out the storm and was in Queens at the time. It's only by the miracle of GOD we survived and everything was dry and not flooded. I say it was a miracle because I lived right by the beach at the time. (5 minute walk) When the storm was due to land I drove to NJ to leave my cat Dusty with her "grandparents" to be safe. Everything worked out fine thank goodness but it's best to be prepared and stylish! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  33. We think the Go Bag is amazing! We love Sleepypod products and this is another to add to our collection. We have the red bag and donated our robin egg blue to a friend who had to evacuate from the coast. If we were to win, we'd like the silver because it would blend in with our purple Mobile Pet Bed.

    We really like your idea of having a bag packed when you have a pet sitter coming.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am WILD for this bag! It's so gorgeous but mostly I love the insulated bags inside, that is super useful. I need to update the dogs' emergency go bags, the current one is a zipper bag and not as secure as I'd like. I would love this one in basically any color! I think I'd choose the Blue, it matches Icy's eyes - but the Red is great 'cause red is a perfect emergency color, but then of course Black goes w/ everything - plus us NY-ers just Love wearing black LOL!! Any color would do, I just love this bag! I've had an emergency go bag since learning how incredibly important it is to have one. I update items w/ expiry dates now & again to ensure it's current and that we are READY for anything. Hurricane Sandy scared the pants off everyone here and raised a lot of awareness! Great post & fabulous contest. Sharing.
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

    ReplyDelete
  35. I just love that bag! While we have an extremely large red first aid bag here, that would be a perfect travel "go" bag for sure! I'd love red! Great review! And thank you for hosting this terrific giveaway, too!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I'd like the red to match Mr. N's sleepypod air!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Silver for sure! I really need to get one of these together - especially now that I have two cats to think about. We won our Sleepypod from another blog - and I remember jumping up and down on the bed when I got the notification. Yes. Sleepypod is THAT good.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Great giveaway opportunity! I’ve been admiring the go bag for awhile. It would be perfect for traveling with a service dog. I absolutely love the robin egg blue!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Such a great idea to get organized prior, we live in CA with wildfires and this bag would be perfect! Silver

    ReplyDelete
  40. I like the red and black to match my car

    ReplyDelete
  41. It's a great idea to be prepared even if you don't live in a disaster-prone area. You never know what might happen! I keep our SleepyPod easily accessible for my elderly cat in case we ever have to leave quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  42. It's a great idea to be prepared even if you don't live in a disaster-prone area. You never know what might happen! I keep our SleepyPod easily accessible for my elderly cat in case we ever have to leave quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love the blue color! My fur babies & I would love to win this SleepyPod Go Bag... can never be too prepared in case of an emergency!

    ReplyDelete
  44. My babies already have the robin egg blue Sleepypod, so the matching Go Bag would be amazing! Could pack up all of their favorite toys, blankets and food to take to the office with me every day. It would also be super useful in case of an emergency <3

    ReplyDelete
  45. I like the silver but there's no room for the litter box and litter.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I['d like the red to match his Sleepypod harness. jackie241 AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  47. Love any color but black matches my cats!

    ReplyDelete
  48. I love this teal color that you have. That is actually my fav color ever and it is gender neutral since we have both genders it would be perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Oh, A Blue one is purrfect for me, Pipo!
    Thanks for a chance to win!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. I would have given anything had I known about you girls back then. I've only been a member of your blog family less than a year now. I would love to have thrown my furs into the drawing,

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment! We love meowing with you!