Meet the cuddliest day in the pets calendar: National Kitten Day is here and it’s the perfect opportunity to get snuggly and celebrate the cutest cats around. Whether you have a special fur baby in your life already, are considering adopting or are simply looking for an ample reason to watch balls of fluff playing together on a livestream, this holiday is the perfect excuse to celebrate everything kitten!
What is National Kitten Day?
Founded by pet and family lifestyle expert and animal advocate, Colleen Paige, National Kitten Day at its heart looks to celebrate the magic of kittens and show how much joy they bring to people’s lives. However, it was also created to highlight the plight of homeless kittens in search of their forever home. National Kitten Day looks to encourage kitten adoption and focuses on key areas around cat health and pet owner responsibilities, such as spaying and neutering as a way to keep the feline population in control.
The first National Kitten Day was launched in 2012, with the first held the following year. Initially, National Kitten Day was actually celebrated in December for two years in a row before shifting to the month of July. It’s been sponsored by big names in the pets world including BLUE Naturally Fresh Cat Litter, The Blue Buffalo Corporation and Naturally Fresh cat litter.
While it’s all a bit of fluffy fun, there’s a serious message here too. National Kitten Day looks to promote adoption too. According to the National Kitten Coalition, each year, approximately 1.4 million cats are euthanized in America. But while kittens are a great choice to add to the household, don’t forget about senior cats too who are often looking for a second chance at life.
If you’d like to know more about adopting a kitten, Pets Radar wants to help. You can explore their in-depth articles on kitten care including kitten training tips, how to litter train a kitten, and common kitten behavior problems you might encounter. They’ve even covered mealtime: from best kitten food to how often to feed your kitten, you’ll find plenty of advice to keep your new furbaby healthy and active.
How can you make a difference on National Kitten Day and beyond?
1. Spoil your kitten.
If you already have a special furbaby in your life, then you don’t need an excuse to spoil them but National Kitten Day is rather convenient! Simply playing with your cat helps build a better bond, staves off the boredom, and keeps them healthy and active. You could even bake them up a special cat treat in your kitchen.
You could opt to take a selfie with your special friend and post it in social media. National Kitten Day can be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Simply use the hashtags #KittenDay , #NationalKittenDay or #WorldKittenDay to show your appreciation or share your own adoption stories by adding on hashtag #AdoptDontShop. Even if you don’t have your own kitten, it’s the perfect excuse to celebrate the kitten of a friend or family member.
3. Adopt!
If you have room in your life for a new pet, why not consider adopting? You search for an available pet by using the Shelter Pet Project, or check your local shelter’s website to find your lifelong friend. Be sure to think about the long term commitment adding a new member to your family will involve. Adopting a cat means preparing and doing your research in advance, including considering any financial obligations. You’ll want to ensure you have all the essentials your new kitten would need to hand before they move in too. If you have any existing cats in your household, Pets Radar has advice on how to introduce a kitten to a cat: some cats won’t enjoy an intruder invading their space no matter how adorable the idea may seem to us humans.
4. Help a shelter.
If you’re unable to adopt or foster a cat or kitten, why not consider volunteering at your local shelter? This can include basic support like cleaning their litter boxes or cages, but some shelters look for cat cuddlers to help socialize or calm anxious cats. Some skills required you may not have even thought of, such as marketing, social media or even carpentry! There are a few additional ways you can help a shelter. In addition to financial donations, some shelters have a wish list where you can donate pet supplies such as towels, toys and treats.
5. Educate.
If you’re not in a position to adopt a cat, you could let others know about the many kittens that are in need of a home. If you’re looking to make a difference in the lives of kittens, you could use National Kitten Day as an opportunity to research kitten mills and educate others, or even write to your representatives on the subject.
6. Spay / Neuter your pet.
You can often make the jobs of shelter easier from the comfort of your own home. Ensure your pet is spayed or neutered and look to provide them with collars and a proper ID.
Considering the health of your kitten is an all-year round responsibility, but days like National Kitten Day can remind us to schedule that check-up or simply go out of our way to ensure they have everything they need to live their best life whether that be something as simple as fresh litter, or frequent safety checks of our homes.
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