Have a plan to prevent your feline from escaping the house
If you are careful about opening and closing the door of your home, be aware that others who visit may not be, so take precautions to protect your feline.
If your feline gets out, it will already be fearful, and felines under stress are not always predictable. When you call or follow after them, they may not respond to your voice or their name. Plan ahead to avoid a disaster.
The simplest precaution is to secure the feline in a room with the door closed. You can do this when you have invited guests or repairmen into the home.
Repairmen may have to go in and out frequently to get tools and supplies. Depending on the work being done, it usually means the doors are wide open to bring in larger items. As the items enter, out goes your pet.
Inside felines rarely have collars and tags with identification. Many owners that do place these collars on their animals use the breakaway type so their feline will not strangle himself if they are caught by the collar. But once the animal has escaped from the collar, what good is it?
Harnesses with identification tags are a more sturdy plan. Consider traveling by both car and plane with a harness with an identifying tag and leash.
A feline cannot escape from a true T-harness. Even though your feline is in a carrier when in the car or at the airport terminal, plan for the unexpected.
If you are involved in a car accident, the animal may get loose and escape if a window is broken. You have a handy, safe way of controlling your felines when they are wearing their collar and leash.
Since 9/11, security measures have intensified at all security check points. Security may ask you to take your feline out of its carrier to search it. If your cat is on a leash and harness, you can prevent the animal from running free through the airport.
If you are concerned that a harness is not a permanent solution to finding your pet if it gets lost, tattooing may be an option. A number can be injected with indelible ink just under the animal's skin. This number is then given to a registry that keeps a database of tattoo numbers and the owner's information.
Some vets provide microchipping. The coded chip is placed under the animal's skin. Not all animal hospitals provide the service, or have the scanner to read the chip, so, practically speaking, the chip may not always be useful in finding a pet.
Buddy, however, does make sure that every feline adopted is microchipped prior to adoption, if age appropriate. The chip is built into the adoption fee. Kittens too young to microchip can return for the service at no additional charge when they are 6-8 months old.
Finally, spay or neuter your feline. Your feline is less likely to want to explore the big outdoors if it is altered. Once their hormonal urge is eliminated, felines are less likely to want to leave their safe, happy environment, where the food bowl is never-ending.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with all funds directly assisting its animals. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit thebuddyfoundation.org.