Covering Everything You Need To Know About Cats And The Worldwide Holiday That Celebrates Them
Cats and cat lovers rejoice! International Cat Day is finally here! That’s right, a whole day dedicated to cats, kittens, and the people that love them. International Cat Day is on August 8th (which is only 6 days away at the time of writing this article). This article will cover everything you need to know about International Cat Day including when it was created, why it was created, who created it, and how you can celebrate.
What Is International Cat Day?
International Cat Day occurs every year on August 8th. This is a worldwide holiday and is not to be confused with National Cat Day which also occurs annually on October 29th. The aim of International Cat Day is to honor and celebrate one of mankind’s oldest and most beloved pets; cats. In today’s busy and fast-paced world, it’s easy to take things for granted. International Cat Day serves as a reminder that the bond between human and cat is sacred and should be cherished everyday.
Who Started This Holiday?
This feline themed holiday was originally founded in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). IFAW is one of the world’s largest animal conservation and welfare charities in the world. They actively help a wide variety of animals across the world by rescuing animals, preserving habitats, safeguarding animal populations, and advocating for animal rights.
Why Have A Holiday About Cats?
IFAW created this holiday to help raise awareness about cats and the important roles they have played throughout human history. Cats were first domesticated roughly 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent (modern day West Asia). They were very skilled at killing mice and vermin that plagued granaries and food reserves. Over time, their role in human society became less practical and more aesthetic.
In ancient Egypt, cats were regarded as magical creatures capable of bringing good luck to those that housed them. Today, cats are one of the most popular pets in the world. According to AZAnimals, the number of owned cats in the world is estimated to be 220 million as of 2021. This makes them the 2nd most popular pet in the world next to dogs. Essentially, cats are beautiful creatures that make truly loving and affectionate companion animals. We believe that’s something worth celebrating everyday.
How You Can Celebrate
The most obvious way to celebrate this feline themed holiday is to spend some extra time with your cat. Show them how much you appreciate them with some new treats, a new toy, or just some belly rubs. Besides spoiling your cat, another great way to get involved with International Cat Day is to volunteer at a local cat shelter near you. Most animal shelters are always in need of some extra help and you get to work directly with some of the cutest animals in the world.
Another way you can get involved with this amazing holiday is by adopting a shelter cat. We understand that not everyone has the means or circumstances to do this. However, you can also advocate to others to adopt a shelter instead. If you know someone that is thinking about buying a cat or kitten, remind them that there are literally hundreds of thousands of cats in shelters right now that desperately need a good home.
Spread The Word!
Aside from cat adoption or spoiling your cat, we encourage you to spread the word about this incredible holiday. Post about International Cat Day on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. People can’t celebrate International Cat Day if they don’t know about it! Be sure to share a link to this article on social media as well.
Hire A Pet Sitter Today!
Do you like to spoil your pets, but don’t always have the time to do so? No worries because Cool Cats Cat Sitting has you covered! Our dedicated pet sitters love to spoil pets just as much as you do and are here for you 7 days a week. We offer a wide variety of services including in-home pet sitting, pet taxi service, medication administration, and more!
Click here to see what services we offer. If you’re interested in professional pet sitting services, click here to become a client or give us a call at 919-372-5985. Happy International Cat Day to you and your furry friends!
