10 ways to mark International Cat Day

Since 2002 the International Fund for Animal Welfare has celebrated the International Cat Day on 8th August of every year. It is a day to raise awareness for cats and learn about ways to help and protect them.

In 2020, the custodianship of International Cat Day passed to International Cat Care, a not-for-profit British organisation that has been striving to improve the health and welfare of domestic cats worldwide since 1958, also put up a good awareness for the protection of domestic cats.

In Africa, superstitious beliefs have hampered the keeping of cats and the situation is not getting better. Even the local movie industry has further projected cats in bad light; putting up storylines associating cats with evil.

Meanwhile benefits of keeping cats go beyond checking rodents and disease-carrying rats because cats have also proved to be good companions to their owners.

Experts have also claimed that keeping cats can help improve psychological health by aiding emotional support to people with depression, anxiety and loneliness.

The International Cat Day is celebrated in any of the ten ways listed below, providing opportunities to bond with the pets.

1. Adopt a cat.
2. Volunteer at a cat shelter.
3. Treat your cats to some baked tuna cookies.
4. Get your cat a GPS tracking device to keep them safe.
5. Invest in a new fun cat toy.
6. Put your cat through some fun exercise like wall shelves for climbing.
7. Give your cat a nice brushing to eliminate hairballs and any excess fur.
8. Get your cat a collar and tag with your name and number in case they get lost one day.
9. Have a fun photoshoot with your cat.
10. Throw an International Cat Day party inviting all your friends and their cats!

Animal Times Africa wishes cat owners and lovers happy International Cat Day 2021.