International Cat Day — August 8

August 8 is International Cat Day — the single biggest day on the global cat calendar, created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. It's celebrated in over 40 countries, generates more social media activity than almost any other animal-related holiday, and serves as an annual reminder of something cat owners already know: cats are not just pets. They're a phenomenon.

A brief history of International Cat Day

The International Fund for Animal Welfare established International Cat Day in 2002 to raise awareness about cat welfare globally — particularly around feral and stray cat populations, responsible ownership, and the importance of spaying and neutering. Over the years it evolved from a welfare campaign into one of the most widely observed animal holidays on the planet.

Cats have been domesticated for approximately 10,000 years, first forming relationships with humans in the Near East as agricultural communities developed grain stores that attracted rodents — and the cats that hunted them. From there, the relationship spread across the world. Ancient Egyptians revered them. Sailors kept them aboard ships. Today there are an estimated 600 million domestic cats worldwide.

What makes cats so remarkable

Cats are one of the few domesticated animals that chose the arrangement. Unlike dogs, which were actively bred by humans over thousands of years, cats largely domesticated themselves — moving toward human settlements because it suited them, and staying because the relationship worked. That independence is baked into their DNA, and it's part of what makes living with a cat so interesting.

They are simultaneously wild and domestic. They operate on their own schedule, communicate in ways humans are still learning to decode, form deep bonds with specific people while remaining indifferent to others, and manage to be both endlessly self-sufficient and completely emotionally present when they choose to be.

How to celebrate International Cat Day

Support a local shelter. Donate supplies, volunteer time, or make a financial contribution to your nearest cat rescue or humane society.
Learn something new about your cat. Cats communicate primarily through body language — slow blinks, tail position, ear orientation, whisker placement. Spend August 8 paying close attention to what your cat is actually telling you.
Upgrade their space. Cats spend approximately 70% of their lives sleeping or resting. The quality of their resting environment — elevated, secure, comfortable, positioned near the people they're bonded with — directly affects their wellbeing.
Share the moment. August 8 is your permission slip to post as many photos of your cat as you want with absolutely zero apology required.

For the cats who share your workday

If your cat spends the day beside you while you work — appearing on your video calls, navigating the gap between your monitor and keyboard — International Cat Day is a good moment to acknowledge what that actually means. They chose your desk. They chose your company.

Give them the spot they deserve. The ERGO PURRCH clamps directly to your desk, gives your cat a dedicated elevated handcrafted perch that's permanently theirs, and holds cats up to 45 lbs with a 360° rotating arm. Happy International Cat Day to every cat who has ever sat in a sunbeam, knocked something off a desk on purpose, or shown up at exactly the right moment.