National Today Tuesday August 8 International Cat Day

International Cat Day


A day to celebrate one of man’s most common and ancient pets.





August 8 is International Cat Day — a day to celebrate one of man’s most common and ancient pets. They have even been worshiped as gods (we see you, Egypt.) Well, it is not surprising, Cats are one of the coolest beings on the planet: they are independent, inquisitive, adventurous, have an amazing physiognomy, and the power to heal by themselves — at least most of the time.
When is International Cat Day 2023?

Our enigmatic furry felines are celebrated on International Cat Day 2021 on August 8.

History of International Cat Day

Cats are carnivorous small furry mammals — for the most part — with four legs, a tail, and claws, that humans have domesticated as pets since ancient times, even though they have descended from the African Wildcat and they used to catch vermin.

The first historical human record about cats could be found in Ancient Egyptian Civilization’s culture. We all seem to relate cats with Egyptians, because of their adoration and consideration of cats as gods. Mafdet was the first known cat deity and was regarded as the protector against snakes, scorpions, and evil during the First Dynasty, so for them, cats were not just deities, but also protectors.

Later, after the Egyptian Dynasty collapsed, Cats became popular everywhere! Greeks and Romans used them as pest control, and in the East, cats were originally owned by rich and wealthy people. But during the Middle Ages, in Europe, Cats became associated with superstition and suspected of carrying the disease during the Black Death of 1348, that is the reason why too many cats got killed in that era, and it wasn’t until the 1600s that cats’ reputation started to recover.

In America, cats were part of the cargo on the colonization ships to minimize vermin and disease, so those cats went ashore and flourished. Nowadays, cats seem to be one of the pop icons in modern society – we have about half of a billion among us. And, since 2002, thanks to the “International Fund for Animal Welfare” cats have their own holiday!

Effective since August 3, 2020, the leading cat welfare charity, International Cat Care, became the custodians of International Cat Day. Since 1958, they’ve challenged cruelty, ignorance, and misunderstanding to affect positive change in the lives of cats. With an estimated global population of 600 million cats, half of which are thought to be unowned, their work has never been more important. To learn more about the charity, visit their website.


International Cat Day - Survey Results


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International Cat Day Traditions

Cats get the royal treatment on International Cat Day. Not that this isn’t already the case on most days, but they are especially pampered and showered with love today.

Cats are the finickiest members of the family, so the day is spent catering to their every need; buying them their favorite treats and expensive catnip, letting them shred to their heart’s content, allowing them to wail, and even tuning in to their favorite TV show (there are videos on the internet of cats obediently watching “Tom and Jerry.”)

Not every cat is lucky enough to have a good home where it enjoys a lavish lifestyle. Stray cats are subjected to cruelty and injuries due to car accidents and other harmful situations, so donations are generously made to animal shelters and welfare organizations. Cats are also adopted and taken to their new homes, especially by children who are getting their first pet.

International Cat Day By The Numbers

18% – the percentage of households in the U.K. ruled by a cat.
9,500 – the number of years ago when the oldest-known pet cat existed.
70% – the percentage of their lives cats spend sleeping.
20 – the number of years an orange cat named ‘Stubbs’ served as the mayor of a small town in Alaska.
48.5 – the record number of inches for the longest cat ever.
19.05 – the record number of inches of the tallest cat ever.
£7 million – the net worth of the richest cat in the world.
1963 – the year when a cat was successfully sent to space.
30 mph – the maximum speed of a house cat.


International Cat Day Activities


   Time to share with those that are in need

   There are many homeless cats around the world, so what better day to show them respect and love than by giving them food and supplies!

   Spend some time with your fluffy babies

   If you have a cat, International Cat Day is the perfect day to have a great time and show love to your baby.

   Treat them with "catness"

   Even if you don't like cats, remember to treat them with respect and kindness, take the occasion to spread awareness about respect to cats on your social media.

5 FACTS ABOUT CATS THAT MIGHT BLOW YOUR MIND

   The loudest Purr!

   Merlin, a Black and White Cat from the U.K., has the record for the loudest purr and his purr is 67.8db.

   Faster than you think

   Your little kitty can hit the speeds of around 30mph!

   The richest kitty in town!

   According to "Guinness World Records", when Blackie's millionaire owner passed away, he got a 7-million-pound fortune.

   Not so sweet

   Cats can not detect sweetness, which explains why they are not drawn to it at all.

   Meow to you!

   According to science, cats only use their meows to talk to humans and not to each other - except to their mothers when they are kittens.

Why We Love International Cat Day


   We love all living beings

   Holidays like this show off that as humans, we do love all living beings and there are more of us who respect and love kitties than those who don't.

   A lovely reminder

   It’s easy to get the idea that we are the most important beings on the planet, but as a lovely reminder: we are not alone so we need to respect the other beings' rights and do our part — starting with our pets.

   Fuzzy stress relievers

   It is scientifically proven that Cats help to improve mental health as stress relievers just by being themselves! Petting a fuzzy feline can cause our bodies to produce stress-reducing hormones.

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National Today Tuesday August 8 International Cat Day