top of page
Writer's pictureTONI DEE

Global Cat Day

Updated: Nov 25, 2023

As many of you know about me..... I LOVE all animals, but I'm especially fond of cats. You will see mine on my posts and in my class videos.


October 16 is "Global Cat Day" and the 2023 theme was "Cats Are Community".

Cats are our family, our friends, and our neighbors who live indoors with us and outdoors among us.

Cats have been partnered with humans since 7500 BC. The Egyptians worshiped and adored cats. They were buried with Pharaohs. They treated them as Gods... What happened?

Cats have played an important role in protecting human food supplies and keeping our rodent population down. They give love, companionship, and laughter.

How much time have you spent watching cat videos on YouTube?


A little Cat History

300 BC

During the Roman Empire's conquests, cats were spread around Europe.

1492

Cats were apparently aboard Christopher Columbus' ships.


1700s

Cats were a part of many ships' crew lists. Feral cats were introduced all around the world by sailors, explorers, and settlers.

1950s

Cats come indoors. Cats roamed neighborhoods freely — before the invention of clay litter.

1960s

When litter boxes caught on, we grew to love them as indoor pets.


1990

The original cat lady, Becky Robinson, began humanely trapping feral cats, had them neutered, and returned them to their outdoor homes.

Out of concern for cats routinely killed by animal control agencies and shelters, Robinson begins "Alley Cat Allies".


2001

The first Feral Cat Day was started by "Ally Cat Allies". It is a day for all to be cat advocates, and give them a voice, defend, and protect them as we would any member of our community.


2015

Cats go viral

The number of cat videos on YouTube tops 2 million — with the average views hovering around 12,000. — higher than any other "cat"egory of YouTube content.


2017

"Feral Cat Day" becomes "Global Cat Day"

2022

  • China has almost 66 million domestic cats

  • 33.6 million pet cats live in Brazil

  • Cyprus Island (Cat Island) is home to 1.5 million.

  • There are a dozen "Cat Islands" in Japan

2023

The city that has the most cats in the world is Istanbul, Turkey. It has around 200,000 stray cats. The residents in the community provide food, water, and shelter for them.

Prophet Muhammad was a respecter of cats, therefore it is considered disrespectful to harm them.


2023

  • There are 400 million cats living in Asia.

  • 11 million pet cats in the UK, with 90% of them having free access to outside.

  • Almost 62 million cats in the US

  • The worldwide cat population is 600 million to 1 billion.

Interesting fact about cats

Cats can drink salt water, their kidneys are able to filter out salt from water and use the desalinated water for hydration.

Maybe we can learn to do this for ourselves, without harming the cats.


On a serious note, Cats face cruel threats to their lives. They are used for research, shot as threats to wildlife, cats are tortured for entertainment, and kittens are even taken from their mothers and destroyed in shelters. Felines are killed more than any other animal in shelters across the nation.

We can make a difference.

One of the best ways to control the feral cat population is a strategy called trap-neuter-return, or TNR. TNR reduces shelter intake, “euthanasia” and calls to animal services, which saves taxpayer dollars.

"Global Cat Day" reminds us that educating, engaging, and empowering people to defend and protect cats is the right thing to do.


“The Global Cat Day Pledge includes the fundamental principle that all cats have the right to live their lives, and it guides everything we do to protect cats,” says Allies founder and president Becky Robinson. “We stand for humane, non-lethal programs for cats, and those who join us can take action to stop cats from being killed.”


If you want to help, check out https://globalcatday.org



Reggi at cat rescue
Global Cat Day




Commenti


bottom of page