Saturday, August 8th, is International Cat Day. Whether it’s baking tuna kitty cookies or giving your cat a big bunch of cuddles, there are lots of ways to celebrate.

Me’wow’ your beloved feline friend this International Cat Day by pulling out all the stops to show your cat just how much he or she means to you. But first, let’s find out how this special cat-loving day came to be.

Also known as World Cat Day, International Cat Day was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Unofficially celebrated on August 8, this special day has grown in popularity since it first began.

Indeed, the concept behind International Cat Day is to simply raise awareness about cats and how we can offer them care and protection. Sounds easy, right? However, it’s all about growing our understanding and building our knowledge of the individual needs of our ‘puurring’ pals.

10 cat facts

Find out how much you know about cats. Here are a few top facts about our feline friends.

  1. Australian pet ownership statistics show that 29% of pet parents have a cat.
  2. The estimated total population of pet cats in Australia stands at 3.8 million. MeWOW!
  3. Mixed-breed cats account for 71% of pet cats in Australia.
  4. Australia’s top cat names include Chloe, Kitty, Bella, Max, Missy, Felix, Charlie, Tiger, Misty and Smokey.
  5. Cats are thought to be the oldest known pet. This belief came about in 2004, after French archaeologists discovered a 9,500-year-old cat grave in Cyprus.
  6. On April 12, 1997, Stubbs the cat was elected as the major of Talkeetna (in Alaska). He remained as the major until his death in 2017.
  7. Cats conserve energy by sleeping. In fact, they spend 70% of their lives asleep.
  8. Cats can jump five times their own height. (Just imagine if humans could do that!)
  9. Himmy, who was the fattest cat in the world, weighed a whopping 21.3kg when he died in 1986 at the age of 10 years.

brown and black cat, international cat day

Let the celebrations begin!

Now that we understand a little bit more about how unique and wonderful cats are, let’s find out how we can care for and protect our meowing mates.

International Cat Day is the ideal excuse to pay respect to the cats around us and help make certain they are well looked after. Here are a few ways to take part in this special day.

Curl up with your cat

Giving your kitty lots of cuddles benefits both them and you. It shows your cat just how much he or she is loved, but it’s also a great stress reliever for you. Petting a furry feline encourages our bodies to produce stress-busting hormones, leaving you feeling calm and your cat feeling all the love!

Adopt a kitty

Help reduce the number of cats that are currently living in local rescue shelters by adopting one. Enjoy everything that’s fascinating about cats by inviting one into your home.

Share the crazy cat love

Be sure to take a few happy snaps of your kitty cat and share them across your social media accounts. Any activities that raise awareness of cats and get people talking about the joy and companionship that cats bring to our lives is a good thing.

Purring playtime

We know that cats spend much of their lives sleeping—but not today! Make International Cat Day different. Invite your cat to engage in a range of fun games. You can introduce food puzzles, new toys and lots of cuddles.

Offer your kitty protection

Perhaps it’s something you’ve been thinking about for a while, but why not invest in a GPS tracker for your feline friend. This way you can rest assured you’ll know where your purring pal is at all times.

Also, don’t forget to check your cat insurance policy. Make sure all the details are up to date and you have the right type of cover to give your cat the protection he or she needs. Of course, if you don’t have cat insurance, now might be the perfect time to take a look at your options.

Volunteer at your local cat shelter

Give your local animal or rescue shelter a call and ask if they need any extra help. It’s likely they’ll welcome a helping hand. Alternatively, perhaps you can organise a little fundraiser (a cake bake or a morning tea) to drum up some additional funds to support their hard work.

How are you celebrating International Cat Day?