National Cat Day was started in the US in 2005 by Colleen Paige, an animal welfare campaigner who also started National Dog Day. Its aim was simple: more cats adopted, and more people thinking about the millions without a home.
On 29 October, timelines fill up with cats on sofas. That’s fine. But the day was made for the ones that aren’t on a sofa yet.
Not just an American problem
The day is American. The problem is everywhere. In a 2024 study across 20 countries, around 203 million cats were living on the street, far more than in shelters.
In Cyprus, where we’re based, there are cats on every street, in every village, outside every taverna. Some are friendly enough to be someone’s pet tomorrow. Many more were born outside and are better off staying there, neutered and fed. Telling the two apart is the first step. Our guide on approaching a shy cat helps.
Adopt, if you can
By late October, rescues are often still full of the summer’s kittens, now a few months old. If you have room for a cat, this is a good time to ask. Don’t skip the grown-ups, or the black cats, who studies show wait longest. Our story for Black Cat Day, two days earlier, is about them.
Thinking about a cat from the street instead? Here’s how to help one settle into a home.
What to do on 29 October
- Adopt, or foster for a local rescue.
- Post your cat, and add where you got it. “Rescued” is the best hashtag there is.
- Book your own cat’s neutering, if it isn’t done.
- Give to a rescue, in food, money or a few hours of help.
- Snap the cats on your street, so they’re counted.
Every cat you catch lands on the map. Some of them are waiting for you.
