International Cat Day

If you’re a cat lover, then you know that International Cat Day is a very important holiday. This year, make sure to celebrate in style with some of these fun activities!

For centuries cats are known to be man’s pet. Since ancient Egypt cats have been kept as pets by various classes of people. In some countries, cats are objects of worship and are considered a deity. They are probably man’s oldest pet, historical the first record of cats can be found in the Egyptian civilization. In Egypt, they were considered gods.

The first known cat deity was Mafdet which was considered not just as a deity but as a protector against snakes, Scorpions, and evil. Cats are carnivorous mammals with four legs. They are extremely inquisitive and not as noisy as dogs or as dirty. All domesticated cats are descended from African wild cats. One very important task a cat can achieve in a household is to catch vermin.

Cats were used by the Greeks and the Romans as a form of pest control. In the earlier times, Cats were used to show class in the Eastern part of the world because only the rich could afford them. These felines were also used on ships by sailors for pest control.

So as we can see throughout history cats have been an important part of pest control. One surprising fact about this is that cats did not stay indoors with humans until the 1940s when kitty litters were invented. Cats that live indoors tend to live longer than those that live outdoor because of the harsh conditions of the weather and other elements.

In recent times cats have become a source of entertainment with the internet filled with numerous cat videos that are extremely hilarious. In many households, cats are considered as family. In this article, we will be discussing the history of cat day, some of the activities done on the day, and some special facts about cats. 

History of International Cat Day

August 8, 2002, was when International cat day was founded by an organization that works to rescue individual animals and safeguard habitats, the organization’s name is International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). This organization is active in over fifteen countries and is one of the largest animal welfare organizations around the globe.

According to the 2019-2020, National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pets Product Association (APPA) over sixty-seven per cent of households in the U.S have pets. The first time this survey was conducted the number was at fifty-six per cent in 1988, this shows there has been a marked increase in the number of households that have cats over the space of these years.

In the US are more cats as pets in these households than dogs and also globally cats are more adopted as pets than dogs. There are over a 600million cats in different households around the world. They have been known to give emotional support to people suffering from depression and anxiety. Interaction with cats has been proven by various studies to reduce stress and improve one’s mental health.

Research has proven that all domestic cats can be traced back to a common ancestor, the Near Eastern Wild Cat. This cat lived near people feeding on vermin that disturbed humans thereby domesticating itself. 

Cats in human history

During the Black Death that hoped out the majority of the population of Europe, cats were rumoured to be the cause. This led to the mass killing of cats in 1348.

October 18 was the first time a cat was sent to space. The name of the cat was Félicette.

In 2004 French archaeologists discovered the oldest known cat grave In Cyprus. It was over 9,500 years old. This shows that felines have been a part of man’s history for a very long time and now most of us consider them as family.

Customs of International Cat Day 

On this day cats are given special treatment. Cats are normally treated as royalty because they deserve nothing less but this day is a special one for them. They are especially showered with cat toys and a lot of treats on this day.

Cats are very particular about details and like their things done a certain way and are not afraid to show it. So on this day they are allowed to do what they want, eat what they like, shred what they want, and allowing them to watch whatever they want on TV. Listed below are some of the customary activities for International Cat Day;

Conclusion

There is no denying that cats are one of our favorite companions. So International cat day is one very special day for a lot of households and we have seen various ways to make that day special for you and your feline friend. So this international cat day makes the best out of it for you and your cat.