GLOBAL CAT DAY
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.
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.
5 MORE REASONS WE CAN'T STOP PURRING ABOUT OUR Cats :
Egyptians loved their cats
The ancient Egyptians were so enamored of cats that they often worshipped them in life and mummified them in death — including dressing them in precious jewels.
Kitty on board
Cats were apparently aboard Christopher Columbus' ships as he set sail for the Americas.
That's a lot of cats
The worldwide cat population exceeds 500 million.
Cats can drink saltwater
Cat kidneys are able to filter out salt from water and use the desalinated water for hydration.
More popular than man's best friend
In North America, cats are the most popular pet. According to some estimates, there are 73 million cats in that region, compared to 63 million dogs.
WHY GLOBAL CAT DAY IS IMPORTANT :
Cats are our best friends, too
Yeah, yeah — we know all about the old saying. But in reality, cats are just as trusting, loving and dependent on their humans as any good dog can be. Just ask anybody who has a cat.
Information is power
Global Cat Day can remind us that local laws and ordinances have profound impacts on how the local cat population is treated. Once people are armed with information on the often sad plight of the world's kitties, they may be more inclined to help out — and to speak out.
There's power in numbers
Alley Cat Allies would like people from around the world to take a simple vow — "to speak up for the cats in their communities and show kindness for all of catkind." The more people who take that pledge, the more protected the world's cats will be.
