Hurry Up... And Wait

Being prepared for an emergency, having enough insulin, testing supplies, and low-carb kitty food plus the necessities needed for other pets (and the humans of course!) can seem daunting. I have seen sales that are hugely promoted with online retailers only to get to the shipping page and find out it is going to be awhile – sometimes a long one. Priorities have changed, and that two-day shipping arrangement on nearly anything has changed accordingly. As someone who is guilty of putting things off and ordering or running out to buy cat food on the day I will run out, I am having to plan a bit more. Meat shortages are expected to continue, and I do not know how this will affect pet food. However, I am learning to have two weeks’ worth of necessities at any given time simply because the self-isolation time is generally two weeks after a known exposure, and if I see something that has been out of stock recently, I grab one or two and move on. The stock outs happened early on as people bought up everything. (I am still not clear on the reason for the run on toilet paper, but it has been entertaining to watch at times.)

Now, we are dealing with a longer-term change. Many companies across the entire world have put social distancing protocols in place which means less people in a given area to complete a given task. This is before considering anyone missing work due to COVID symptoms – that is generally two weeks off for that worker and often everyone that person had close contact with them. This inevitably slows manufacturing which slows down every supply chain step going forward. It took four months to receive an order from China (I ordered just before the new of the health crisis there was reported), and I still have an order coming from India that has not moved since March. Retailers are using quantity limits to try to keep items available for purchase after the first 15 minutes of the business day. There are lines for the grocery store at 7 and 8 am. It is like a mini Black Friday every single day. Instead of waiting for the $300 flat screen, we are eager for that toilet paper and bread. Online retailers are often prioritizing healthcare orders and life necessity orders, which may mean other items will be pushed back in the queue in favor of the medical necessities. With more social distancing, even essential services may take longer. If the power goes out, they may only send one service person and the fix may take longer. This applies to heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and appliance repair. Even dental and doctor appointments are being scheduled further out partly to make up for being closed or partially closed and to limit the number of people in the office at a time. Vets are doing the same thing, at least in my area.

So what does this have to do with Kitty? Well, it is important to have things on hand in case the electricity is out for more than a few hours, the A/C goes out, or a pipe starts leaking. It will likely take longer to get the problem fixed. Shipping is taking longer as things are going to move slower when less people are available for any given task. What should we absolutely have for Kitty? A good quality cooler and ready-to-use ice packs (usually in the first-aid section) to store their insulin and their food if it needs refrigerated. (*Tip: The more you fill it, the longer it stays cold.) We need a clean water source. If a pipe breaks you may have to turn off the water to the entire house, so we either make sure our neighbors like us a lot, or have plenty of bottled water on-hand - up to two weeks’ worth including Kitty’s water needs. As well, fill your own prescription medications as early as you can to make sure you keep yourself in the best possible health. Kitty needs us, after all. Your veterinarian may have more recommendations depending on the situation in your area and your individual kitty’s needs, other health conditions, etc.

Many things have slowed down recently. Preparing for possible isolation/quarantine or illness is extremely important. While it is very hard to put ourselves first these days, we have to take care of ourselves to better take care of others. If we have our supplies ready, a good restock plan, and stay healthy ourselves, the slow-down is just a very minor inconvenience. Those of us who are last-minute runners are going to have to consider an actual plan (I am so guilty, but I am working on it!). This too shall pass. So hurry up, get your orders in, and wait a little longer to get it! You got this.

I wish all of you and your fur babies the best of health during this really freaky time.

As always, the Feline Diabetes Support Group on FB is a wonderful resource with great admins and community members who are caring and very, very helpful.