International Cat Day: All you need to know

International Cat Day is celebrated on 8 August every year. The day highlights methods for protecting cats from abuse. “Cat-friendly resources” is the theme for International Cat Day 2022.

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The late Christopher Hitchens, arguably one of the best debaters of our times, once said, “Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”

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The custodianship of International Cat Day was passed to International Cat Care in 2020. It is a non-profit British organisation that has been working to improve the health and welfare of domestic cats all over the world since 1958.

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According to some scientists, cat ownership can be traced back to central China about 5,500 years ago. Ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats around 4,000 years ago. Cats helped in keeping away pests and rodents.

International Cat Day has a lot of importance for cat admirers. The day holds significance for not just cat lovers but also for those who are animal lovers. It is a big day for people who want to protect and provide comfort to these animals.

Several countries celebrate International Cat Day on different dates. Russia celebrates the day on March 1. The United States celebrates it on October 29.

Ecological Global Network reports that there are about 600 million small cats in the world. There are about 100 million wildcats. People post several videos with cats and click cute photos of cats on this day. Some varieties of cats are Tonkinese, Turkish Van, Himalayan, American Shorthair, Burmilla, Russian Blue, Nebelung, Turkish Angora, Scottish Fold, Siberian, Bengal, and Maine Coon.