Here's your feline to-do list for a safe new year

A feline to-do list is great with if you have just one feline, but with multiple felines it is a must.

Even though I am one of those people who go to the grocery store without a list, I have to admit, I am much more organized about my feline's well-being than my own. And so it should be, since we are the guardians of their daily care and continued good health.

This following list is a short summary of suggestions of what you need to do to be prepared, and is by no means complete.

Make a list of emergency numbers such as your veterinarian, the emergency 24/7 veterinary hospital, pet sitter, neighbor or a friend who is comfortable caring for your feline if you are called away. These should be displayed in a prominent place like a refrigerator door or countertop by a landline phone.

You will need to inform all family members and caregivers where these numbers are located.

Take the time to educate yourself on everyday toxins and poisons that can harm your feline. Education is prevention! You can ask your veterinarian for a list of toxins, including plants, drugs, pesticides, metals and any other item stocked in a household. You can also ask for a list from the Poison Control Center and compare the two. The number for the National Poison Control Center is (800) 222-1222.

The Animal Poison Control Center is run by the ASPCA, which is a 24/7, toll-free number, (888) 426-4435. You will be able to talk to a veterinary toxicologist that has access to an extensive database.

This call may save you precious minutes to get a remedy going. The $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card and will cover a follow-up consult after you see your veterinarian.

It is a good idea to have a poison control kit in the home. The kit is easy to compile and is nowhere near as exhaustive as an emergency evacuation kit. Some items might include: A large syringe or baby medical dispenser to administer liquid like peroxide or other medicines, saline solution for the eyes, mild grease-cutting detergent like Dawn, tweezers to remove blisters and foreign objects.

Your feline's favorite wet and dry food, along with baby food, should also be included in the kit. You might throw in a small can opener to anticipated the flip-top breaking on the can.

To ensure you are in ready mode to leave quickly, the pet carrier must be immediately accessible. You will not have time to go hunting around in a garage or closet. Your carrier should be stocked with bedding, blanket, harness with leash, tags and sweater, if applicable.

Keep a list of hours of operation of your animal hospital. You might be going straight to animal emergency depending on the time. In any event, have both veterinary numbers programmed in your phone on speed dial.

You should keep a list of your feline's medications and their location. They should be labeled and plastic bagged separately per individual animal.

On a stress-free day, plan a trip and a route to the emergency veterinarian. This is an ideal time to see if your GPS or MapQuest is accurate. You can calmly experiment with shortcuts.

You will need to make a notation of where all of your feline's medical records are so that you can take them with you. Perhaps in the emergency kit? You should also keep a list of any negative reactions to previously prescribed medications.

To help avoid emergencies, keep your medicine cabinet locked if it is accessible to your feline. Our friends are jumpers and have dexterous little paws that can find mischief.

Do plan ahead for annual wellness checks, vaccinations and dentals. Try to remember to mark on the calendar approximately when you need to take animals for these procedures.

Good planning may keep you out of the veterinary E.R. and all of these lists will be thankfully unneeded.

Featured felines:

• Bobbie is female golden tabby with medium fur. She is a rescue from a kill shelter downstate. She arrived with a short, deformed tail, the cause of which has not been determined.

After she arrived, we found that she suffered from a neurological problem that caused her to periodically scream as if she was being tortured. She is on medication that has it under good control.

She is rather picky on who she will be friendly toward, and doesn't seem to like other cats very much. But with the right person in the right environment, she could be a nice companion.

• Charlie Chaplin is a small white and black male with a distinct mustache. He was adopted from Buddy many years ago. He came back to live with to us when one of his humans passed away. His other human was going to move out of state and in with his children and grandkids, but the grandkids are allergic to cats.

Charlie Chaplin is quite a friendly guy who can easily be picked up and petted. If you happen to have treats with you and he knows it, he will be right there mooching. Despite his being somewhat older, he is still interested in playing and will follow a laser dot around.

• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is a nonprofit 501(c) 3, all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter. For information, call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.