Survival food storage for pets is an absolute necessity when preparing for a crisis or natural disaster. In my household, Rocco, our Australian Shepherd, is considered just as much a part of the family as anyone else. When we sat down to create our emergency preparedness plan, we knew that his health and safety was a huge priority. At the time, we were already buying an extra bag of food. However, we quickly realized, that wasn't enough to give peace of mind. At Ready Store, we have created a list of ideas for all of you pet lovers. Thankfully, they require their nutrition from the same food groups as we do. This makes it easier for preppers to build their needs into a short or long term food storage plan. Take a look at your options below:

Survival Food for Cats

Cats require less food than dogs. If needed, they can hunt for birds and other rodents.  For cats that have been declawed and are indoors full time, try this healthy survival food recipe that'll last you for a week:

4 – 5 cans of tuna

¾ cup cooked rice

3/8 lb. chopped chicken liver; or other meat

Tuna is fairly cheap and easy to come by at any local grocery store. We recommend purchasing in bulk and rotating your tuna with other short-term food storage. When preparing your survival food storage plan for any pets, always have rice in stock.  Luckily, you can buy rice in bulk for a great cost. If properly stored, this recipe may last up to three months.

Survival Food for Dogs

6 Cups of water

1 lb. ground chicken, turkey or  other meat

2 cups of brown rice 16 oz. broccoli, cauliflower, and/or carrots (you can use freeze-dried veggies too!)

To prepare, it’s pretty simple. Bring the water to a boil and place the meat and rice in the pot. Once cooked, let it simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the vegetables and cook for an additional 5 minutes. If stored properly, this may last up to three months. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use freeze-dried ingredients from your food storage! Just calculate how much they’ll need per month.

Long Term Survival Food for Your Dogs

If you’d like to take the stress out of preparing survival dog food in advance, there is another great option in place. Ready Store now offers PetPrep buckets for dogs. Stored tightly in a 17-gallon bucket, PetPrep guarantees a 15-year shelf-life. Your dog will love the fresh taste and nutrients today, or years from now. This has been a popular option with emergency preparedness folks since it is easy to store with the rest of their long-term food storage.

What ideas do you have for survival food for your pets?