International Cat Day

Cats have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m the kind of person who talks to them regularly and likes to imagine that they understand her. Even though we had other pets in between, in my childhood and my adult life, cats were always my everything and I could hardly imagine a life without them. These wonderful creatures were always more than just pets, they were – and still are – part of our family, so it is particularly important to us that they are well and comfortable.

I would like to use the International Cat Day to draw your attention to a few important facts and share my love for these unique creatures with you. In this post, I’ll tell you about our personal cat stories and share the funniest, cutest and most unique cat photos that have accumulated over the last few years. Stay tuned if you are as big cat lovers as we are in our family.

What is the International Cat Day about?

International Cat Day is celebrated annually on August 8th. It’s a day dedicated to honoring our feline friends and raising awareness about their well-being. The day aims to celebrate the special bond between humans and cats, while also highlighting the importance of responsible cat ownership and addressing issues like stray cat populations. It was originally created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and is now overseen by International Cat Care. There are countless ways to show your love for cats on this special day. You can share pictures of your furry companions on social media, donate to cat charities, volunteer at a local animal shelter, or simply spend some quality time with your cat.

Important topics

Spay and Neuter Your Cat: A Lifesaver

Spaying or neutering your cat is one of the most important decisions you can make as a pet owner. Not only does it benefit your furry friend, but it also helps control the pet population.

Spaying prevents unwanted litters, reducing the number of cats in shelters. It also significantly decreases the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer in female cats. Neutering male cats helps prevent testicular cancer and reduces the urge to roam, spray, and fight.

Beyond the health benefits, spaying and neutering can improve your cat’s behavior. Neutered males are often calmer and less territorial, while spayed females won’t go into heat, eliminating those pesky cries and behaviors.

So, do your part to help control the pet population and improve your cat’s quality of life. Schedule that spay or neuter appointment today!

Keep Your Cat Safe and Happy Indoors

Did you know that indoor cats typically live longer, healthier lives than outdoor cats? Keeping your feline friend indoors protects them from a host of dangers, including cars, predators, diseases, and harsh weather. Plus, indoor cats tend to have fewer behavioral issues and are less likely to go missing.

To ensure your indoor cat is happy and stimulated, provide plenty of toys, scratching posts, and vertical spaces to climb. Regular playtime and mental stimulation are essential. You can also create a safe outdoor space, like a catio, to allow your cat to enjoy fresh air without the risks of the outside world.

Remember, a happy indoor cat is a healthy and long-lived cat.

Common Cat Misconceptions

Cats are often misunderstood creatures. Let’s dispel some common myths about our feline friends.

One of the most persistent misconceptions is that cats are aloof and independent. While it’s true that cats can be solitary, many form strong bonds with their humans and enjoy companionship. Another myth is that cats are low-maintenance pets. While they may not require as much physical exercise as dogs, they do need mental stimulation and regular veterinary care.

People often believe that cats are nocturnal, but many cats adjust to their owners’ schedules. Additionally, the idea that cats always land on their feet is true to some extent, but it doesn’t guarantee they won’t get hurt during a fall. Finally, while milk might seem like a natural treat, it can actually cause digestive upset in most adult cats.

Understanding these common misconceptions can help you better appreciate and care for your feline companion.

Cat Colonies in Orihuela Costa

The subject of neutering is particularly close to my heart as I have already experienced in many ways what can happen when cats reproduce uncontrollably. It’s not just the fact that we have repeatedly taken in animals from animal shelters and welfare organizations over the last 15 years, and seeing them become increasingly overcrowded. Through our personal ties to Spain, in particular the Orihuela Costa region on the Costa Blanca, we have time and again experienced the direct effects of this uncontrolled reproduction of the cats living there.

Entire colonies of feral cats are commonplace in Cabo Roig and the surrounding area. Although the region is not an isolated case, it is certainly representative of a widespread problem. Many cat owners don’t think about the consequences of letting their four-legged friends roam the area unneutered. It’s not just the health and psychological aspects for your furry friend described above that play a role here. Outdoor cats mate with other unneutered or unsterilized outdoor or feral cats. With feral cats in particular, it is practically impossible to ensure that they – and their offspring – are and remain healthy. The kittens are often born sick. If they do not receive any health care, in the worst case scenario they have a short and miserable life.

The Spanish government and the municipality of Orihuela Costa are making great efforts to alleviate the situation in the region with measures such as the regular trapping and neutering of feral cats. There are special feeding areas for this purpose so that the animals’ whereabouts and health can be monitored up to a certain degree. That way, from 2017 to 2024 around 3,000 feral cats were neutered or sterilised by the authorities. Nevertheless, it remains a difficult undertaking. Although many cats are really sweet and trusting due to the contact with the many people passing by every day, you can unfortunately also see the many problems that the colonies bring with them. The areas around them are often very dirty and smelly because of all the faeces and urine. There is often territorial behavior and aggressive fights between different colonies. It is not uncommon for the cats to be injured in the process. Car accidents frequently occur when the cats chase each other or when they are once again chased by some dog. I don’t know about you, but this and the animal shelters full of cats looking for nothing more than a loving home are reason enough for me to prevent unnecessary suffering with a simple intervention.

How can you celebrate the International Cat Day?

Pamper Your Own Cat

Regardless of whether your cat is an outdoor cat or not, try to cater to its needs with different cat toys (bought or homemade), scratching opportunities and different lying areas. Try new activities like puzzle feeders or catnip-filled toys every once in a while.
Make sure that you always buy high-quality food for your cat and reward it with a special treat every now and then. We sometimes associate such treats with a little less popular things like claw trimming, but you can also hide them in a snack ball to keep your cats happy.
Actively take time for your cat. This is often neglected in everyday life, but if her human consciously takes a little extra time to play with her and her favourite toy, your cat will be very grateful to you
Give them an extra special grooming session. You know best what your cat loves, whether it’s this one brush or the comb under which it rolls back and forth with pleasure when you groom it. Or does your kitty like it best when she is simply stroked incessantly? Then make a little extra time today for the things that make your cat particularly happy.

Give Back to the Cat Community

Donate to a cat charity in order to support organisations working to improve the lives of cats. Perhaps there is a local organisation with which you have already had contact. You may have taken in an animal from an animal rescue organisation or an animal shelter in the past. These smaller animal welfare organisations in particular live from donations and even small amounts can make a difference.
In addition to money, such organisations are always happy to receive volunteers. Spend time with shelter cats (and other animals), providing the love and attention they need
If you are considering adopting an animal, think about adopting a cat from a shelter before you go to a breeder. Shelters are full of animals that are worth loving and finding a home where they can thrive
Share information about cat care, adoption, and responsible pet ownership on social media. Draw attention to topics that are important to you and exchange ideas with those who are interested in changing something, too.

Our personal rescue and adoption stories

Story No. 1 Loki

After our little “Happy” sadly passed away in 2014, I realised relatively quickly that I wanted to take in a new furry friend. Not that I wanted to replace her, each cat is unique in itself anyway, but she was our only cat at the time and after she left, we just really missed something. We had taken her in from an animal rescue organisation and so we knew that we would be looking for another animal that urgently needed a new home. Loki – or Mäuschen as he was called at the time – immediately took me to his heart at the local animal shelter (after all, it’s always the cat that chooses its new human, not the other way round). He immediately climbed onto my leg and could hardly wait to be stroked and cuddled by me, and he is still like that today. His favourite place of all is on my shoulder, which became increasingly difficult the bigger he got, and he is just incredibly loving and friendly. He was still very young when we adopted him, but as my son was also just 1 1/2 years old, it was a perfect fit for us. In the meantime, he has become somewhat lazy and chubby, but occasionally he gets carried away to wrestle with our second cat or jump after his favourite toy. In any case, we are incredibly happy to have found him and that he enriches our lives every day.

The wildest sleeping places (and positions)

Story Nr. 2 Milo

We literally found Milo – on a walk through the forest. To be more precise, it was our landlord, who was out walking his dog, and my son who accompanied him. They both heard a pitiful meowing and shortly afterwards discovered a tiny, dirty cat alone in the bushes. He didn’t make it easy for us. We returned a short time later with a cat basket and various items of equipment and spent an hour trying to catch the little rascal, who kept hiding under thorn bushes and among stinging nettles. We took him straight to the nearest vet to have him checked over, and apart from a slight malnutrition and a few ticks, fleas and dirt in his fur, he was fine. We initially asked around the neighborhood if anyone was missing him but the woods were so remote from any homes, but right next to a thoroughfare, so the more likely option was that someone had abandoned him there…

It was a terrible thought, he was still far too small to survive there on his own. We already had Loki at the time, but we didn’t want to give him up after we had taken him in and nursed him a little. So we decided that Milo should become our new family member. He was incredibly playful right from the start and, once he had got used to us for a few days, he was incredibly trusting. From then on, he loved to fall asleep on his humans and wake up on them.

Sadly, he became very ill when he was barely 3 years old – including a severe kidney disease – so we put him out of his misery after a short but serious illness. We all suffered a lot because it all came very quickly and unexpectedly. The only consolation we had was that Milo didn’t have to suffer for long and that I was able to be with him permanently in his last days. Nevertheless, we will always remember the wonderful time we had with him and the happiness and joy we experienced together.

We love to be right in the middle of things

Story No. 3 Romeo

Our latest addition is Romeo, a real charmer who lives up to his name. Half a year after we had to say goodbye to Milo, the time was ripe for us and Loki to adopt a second furry friend. After Loki had been on his own most of his life before Milo and seemed to feel very comfortable at the time, we suddenly had the impression that he was lonely and missed his playmate. I admit, my first impulse was to adopt another kitten, but after a brief and competent consultation at the local animal shelter, we decided otherwise. Loki was already a bit too old to keep up with such a playful kitten. So we were recommended Romeo (then still Tuc) and we haven’t regretted our decision for a second.

Although he was shy at first and needed time to gain our trust, this now big ball of fur has become an incredibly cuddly and playful cat. He was barely 11 months old when we took him in and even though we didn’t know what to expect, and despite the fact that Loki was very suspicious of him at first, it’s not possible to imagine our family without him now. Romeo definitely has a mind of his own. He usually only comes when he wants to, but when he does, he shows it. Long cuddles are just as much a part of his daily routine as climbing on his humans in the morning when he’s hungry.

When the both of them are not having a friendly fight, they get along really well, sometimes cleaning each other or lying next to each other on the bed or floor. Only when it comes to their favorite toys can there be trouble and if Romeo feels that Loki is getting too much attention, he sometimes gets jealous and pushes his way in between.

To summarise, I can only say that all the animals we have taken in so far have been a real blessing for us and we have never regretted our decision. Nevertheless, we would of course very much like the animal shelters not to be overcrowded every year (especially with cats) and for every furry friend to end up in the home they want and deserve. But now I wish you and your feline friends a wonderful International Cat Day. Enjoy it with lots of cuddles and playtime and maybe share your personal cat stories and important topics to raise awareness for the welfare of cats around the world.