TWH – Today, August 8, is International Cat Day. The Day of Awareness was first celebrated in 2002 and created by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. In 2020, the British not-for-profit organization, International Cat Care became the custodians of the annual celebration.
Established in 1958, International Cat Care has worked tirelessly to end cruelty and educate the world about cats in order to improve the quality and care of cat lives around the globe. The planet is currently inhabited by roughly 600 million cats, half of which are estimated to be on their own without being attached to any humans.
International Cat Care has led the way worldwide in establishing standards for cat care that include but are not limited to the development of the International Society of Feline Medicine; sponsoring research to better identify and treat illnesses in cats; and helping to change the way “unowned*” cats are treated, as well as supporting those who work with “unowned” cat populations.
Desi, a neighborhood cat takes a nap under a bench. Image credit: S. Bustamonte
In the U.S. there are estimated to be anywhere between 70 and 100 million cats that are either feral or unattached to a human household. Not all cats that do not live in or associate with a human household are feral. Most cat shelters, rescue workers, and veterinarians evaluate a cat’s behavior based on how friendly it is to humans and whether it will make eye contact to determine if it is feral or not.
Every year in the U.S. an average of over 3 million cats wind up in an animal shelter. While about 100,000 (2.5%) of those cats will be returned to or claimed by their owners, more than 500,000 will be euthanized, and only 66% will be adopted. Trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs have been proven to greatly reduce and control the number of stray and feral cats in the U.S. and many other countries where they have been implemented.
Four kittens are known as “The Black Springs” – Image credit: S. Bustamonte
Celebrating International Cat Day can include:
- adopting or fostering a cat,
- donating supplies or money to your local rescue or shelter,
- volunteering with a cat rescue or shelter,
- helping to combat misinformation and educate others about cats,
- spending a little extra time playing with your cat if you are a cat parent,
The domestic cat, be it part of a family household, a friendly community cat, or merely a member of a feral colony is often perceived as being wrapped in mystery. Scores of poems and literature have been written about cats, as they seem to capture the imagination of even those who profess to not even like cats. As for the internet, social media platforms are often abundant in cat photos, memes, and videos—never mind the number of popular cat accounts that are focused solely on the follies of cats.
Rudolf, a British Shorthair was rescued from a terrible breeder situation. Image credit: S. Bustamonte
Cats have long been associated with magic and Witches, and are often cast in a poor light which has resulted in them suffering at the hands of humans. A lot of magical practitioners have an affinity for animals, and cats, in particular.
Antonio Pagliarulo, TWH contributor, and author of The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery, and Magic of the Quiet Curse offered, “Whether you call your cat your best friend, pet, or familiar, there is an undeniable magic in the intimate and sometimes mysterious bonds we create with our feline companions.”
M. Belanger, executive producer of the new TV series, New Blood, told TWH, “Cats are instructive companions. They remind us to be present in the moment and to accept affection only on our own terms. They are precious little healers who gladly share our lives.”
“The love of a cat is life-changing.”
Belanger posted this short poem back in September of 2022:
The shape of a cat
Lingers soft as a shadow
In the old woman’s house.
Her body, a memory:
The phantom we see
Is the love that remains.
Nathan Hall, author of Path of the Moonlit Hedge, and TWH contributor said, “I’m not the type that takes living animals for a familiar, I think the 90s version of Sabrina ensured that. But these children of Bast have always been lovely companions to me and vicious defenders against wayward spirits in my home.”
And while he did not specifically mention cats, Mat Auyrn once stated, the lint roller was a Witch’s most important tool! Any Witch that cohabitates with cats is likely to agree.
*Unowned was placed within quotation marks because as anyone who lives with cats will tell you, if there is implied “ownership,” it is more along the lines of the human being “owned” by the cat.
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