People Who *Really* Love Their Cat Know Exactly When National Cat Day Is

We cat owners know that our fur babies demand attention and adoration every day of the year, of course. But there are certain days when cats deserve a special place in the spotlight, and National Cat Day is among them. If you haven't heard about this important date (and if you don't, your kitty is giving you the side-eye right now), you're no doubt wondering: When is National Cat Day, anyway?

As the National Day Calendar website explained, National Cat Day is an annual October 29 event, "founded to help the public recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued." The date was created in 2005 by Colleen Paige, founder of the Animal Miracle Foundation in Portland, Oregon, and has been honored every year since then. Regrettably, the foundation itself was shuttered in 2013, but National Cat Day lives on, and so it should. According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.2 million cats enter pet shelters every year in the United States. Of those, 860,000 are euthanized. So whatever we can do to raise awareness of these stats and encourage pet adoption is worth celebrating.

Pet food brand Blue Buffalo, an active sponsor of the October 29 day suggests ways to celebrate National Cat Day. Among them: Volunteering at your local shelter; buying new toys or treats for your kitties; making a window perch to help your cat soak up the sun's rays; helping care for an elderly neighbor's cat; and, of course, adopting a new fur baby (or helping a friend bring one home).

If you have fellow cat-adoring friends, you could send them a cute card.

You could also follow the National Cat Day Instagram page, and indulge in the dozens of photos of purebred and mixed-breed cats preening for the camera. Or take a pic of your own and enter it into the Blue Buffalo's "Purr-fect Purr-sonalities" photo contest for a chance to win all kinds of licensed swag and a shoutout on their Facebook page.

And no National Cat Day would be complete without giving an extra dose of love to your own beloved pet(s). The website recommends indulging your cat in a long brushing session or a calming massage (because it's so stressful lying on the couch all day, you see).

Playtime is also important for cats to keep both their bodies and minds active; if you've ever had Fluffy tear apart your toilet paper roll, you know that cats can get bored easily. Spend part of October 29 giving your pet some time to pounce and hunt. Animal Planet offered some suggestions for safe cat toys, such as shower curtain rings and ping-pong balls. (Skip the string and yarn, which can be harmful if eaten.)

One final suggestion: Mark your 2019 calendar for the other days set aside for honoring our feline friends. There's International Cat Day on August 8, Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17, Global Cat Day on October 16, and National Black Cat Day on October 27 (yes, black cats get twice the love).

Wishing you and your fur companion a purr-fect National Cat Day.