Global Cat Day, which takes place October 16, reminds us that educating, engaging, and empowering people to defend and protect cats is the right thing to do. They say dogs are man’s best friend. Perhaps, but it’s very likely cats are tied for first place in the informal and unscientific “Best Friend” category.
How to Observe Global Cat Day
1. Have your cat spayed or neutered
When it comes to cat advocacy Bob Barker was right, one of the best things we can do is to spay or neuter our cats and to encourage others to do the same. Not only does this reduce the number of so-called “nuisance” cats, it can also protect them from certain diseases and prevent them from wandering off to find a mate.
2. Spread the news
Alley Cat Allies recommends that supporters sign their pledge and then share it with friends, family, and social media followers. That type of word-of-mouth advocacy is likely to reach the world’s legislators, who can take positive action to protect cats.
3. Organize your own event
In honor of Global Cat Day, consider organizing your own event and then registering that event with Alley Cat Allies. You can host workshops, cat food drives, or any number of things to help the cause.
History of Global Cat Day
Global Cat Day confirms one thing — we have loved our cats since the beginning of time — or close to it. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to harness the glory of the feline. Nearly 4,000 years ago, they domesticated our four-legged friends by keeping them near food stores. (This helped control vermin and other pests.) Cats quickly earned a reputation as great hunters, and later, Egyptians worshipped them as gods. Nothing much has changed since the old days.
An advocacy group known as Alley Cat Allies, along with millions of supporters, will observe Global Cat Day with a commitment to save cats from being killed.
“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.”
Robinson’s asking everyone who values the lives of cats to sign the Alley Cat Allies’ Global Cat Day Pledge online.
The organization, which promotes humane treatment of all cats, reports that millions of cats and kittens are in life-threatening danger. That’s because felines are killed more than any other animal in shelters across the nation.
Global Cat Day demands that community leaders abolish policies that result in the killing of cats; equip communities with lifesaving, humane policies like Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR); and change any policies that threaten cats’ health and safety.
TNR is the mainstream approach in which cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped and returned to the outdoor homes where they live and thrive. As sound public policy, TNR reduces shelter intake, “euthanasia” and calls to animal services, which saves taxpayer dollars.
