Every day can be a special day if you research it. If you can think of something you want to celebrate, odds are that there's a day for it.
Being a person who has never been without a pet cat, a person who used to have a cat themed bedroom, and a person who actually has a cat tattoo, it's pretty evident that I am a cat lover. Luckily for me, August 8th is International Cat Day. What's better than a full day dedicated to cats?
In 2002, this day was brought about by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). August 8th is set aside to celebrate one of the oldest and most popular pets on the planet.
Owning one of these precious little animals has been shown to improve mental health. While this is also true with dogs, sometimes having a cat around is the better option for some people. After all, cats can practically take care of themselves. Whether you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or maybe one day you're just stressed, studies show that having a cat around can dramatically improve your symptoms. On top of that, cats are great cuddle buddies!
Something most people don't know is that cats are the second most popular pet in the US, following freshwater fish. With over 70 breeds to choose from, it shouldn't be too hard to find the right cat to make your home feel a little bit more full.
Even if adopting a cat doesn't seem right for you, the internet is full of videos to fulfill your cat loving needs. As weird as it may seem, the first cat video was actually uploaded to Youtube in 2005. Along with that, cats were actually starring in movies as early as 1901. The Sick Kitten is a movie of two children nursing a kitten back to health. 1901 doesn't seem like it was too long ago compared to the 9,500 years that domestic cats can be dated back to.
With a whopping 200 - 600 million cats living on Earth, having two or three cats doesn't seem like too bad of an idea. So this year on August 8th, grab your cat and give it a little extra love to show your appreciation for cats and International Cat Day.
