International Cat Day falls on August 8 and is a global observance founded by IFAW in 2002, now coordinated by International Cat Care (iCatCare). National Cat Day falls on October 29 and is a US-specific holiday founded by Colleen Paige in 2005 to promote shelter cat adoption. They are entirely separate observances with different founders, scopes, and goals.

If you’ve ever typed “is today national cat day or international cat day” into a search engine and come out more confused than when you started, you’re not alone. Cat-related observances now span every continent, with over eight country-specific versions, at least three distinctly named “global” days, and dates scattered across the entire calendar.

What Is International Cat Day (August 8)?

International Cat Day is observed on August 8 every year. It was founded in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and transferred to International Cat Care (iCatCare) in 2020. The day promotes global feline welfare, education, and responsible cat ownership across 47+ countries.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) launched International Cat Day in 2002 to create a unified, worldwide moment of recognition for cats as a species. The day wasn’t tied to any single country’s shelter system its scope was always global.

In 2020, International Cat Care (iCatCare), a UK-based feline welfare organization, took over as custodian and coordinator. Each year, iCatCare leads a focused campaign. The 2025 theme was #CatFriendlyEveryDay, encouraging owners, veterinarians, and shelters worldwide to adapt their environments to better suit cats’ unique behavioral and social needs.

Key facts about International Cat Day:

• Date: August 8
• Founded: 2002 by IFAW
• Current custodian: International Cat Care (iCatCare), since 2020
• Focus: Global feline welfare, education, and veterinary best practices
• Hashtag: #InternationalCatDay

What Is National Cat Day (October 29)?

National Cat Day is observed on October 29 in the United States. It was founded in 2005 by animal welfare advocate and pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige, with support from the ASPCA. The day focuses specifically on raising awareness of US shelter cats and encouraging adoption.

Colleen Paige launched National Cat Day with a clear mission: to highlight the number of cats entering shelters each year and encourage the public to adopt rather than shop. According to Chase’s Calendar of Events, approximately 4 million cats enter US shelters annually, with 1–2 million euthanized each year.

National Cat Day grew significantly through retail partnerships. Companies like Petco, Chewy, PetSmart, and Purina now run promotions and adoption events tied to October 29. This commercial participation has made National Cat Day one of the most searched pet-related observances in the US each year.

Paige also founded National Dog Day (August 26), National Puppy Day, and several other animal welfare observances.

Key facts about National Cat Day:

• Date: October 29
• Founded: 2005 by Colleen Paige
• Supported by: ASPCA
• Focus: US shelter cat rescue and adoption
• Hashtag: #NationalCatDay

International Cat Day vs National Cat Day: Full Comparison

What Is World Cat Day and Why Is It So Confusing?

“World Cat Day” has no single official owner. It is used interchangeably with International Cat Day (August 8) in most countries, but Italy, Poland, and Brazil officially observe it on February 17, and Russia marks it on March 1. This inconsistency is the main source of confusion when searching for cat day dates.

Unlike International Cat Day, which has a clear governing body (iCatCare), “World Cat Day” is a loose term adopted independently by different countries at different times. Here’s how it breaks down by region:

World Cat Day in Italy  February 17

Italy’s cat day dates to 1990, when readers of Tuttogatto magazine voted to establish it on February 17. This predates International Cat Day by 12 years, making Italy’s version the oldest formalized national cat day in the world. Brazil and Poland also observe February 17.

World Cat Day in Russia  March 1

Russia marks its cat day on March 1. The date is tied to cultural symbolism: in Russian tradition, cats are associated with the arrival of spring, and March is considered the month of cats. The day is a cultural celebration rather than a welfare-focused one.

World Cat Day Globally  Often August 8

Outside of Italy and Russia, most countries that use the phrase “World Cat Day” are referring to August 8 the same date as International Cat Day. There is no separate, officially recognized global “World Cat Day” governing body.

What Is Global Cat Day (October 16) Is It the Same as International Cat Day?

No. Global Cat Day on October 16 is a separate US-focused observance founded by Alley Cat Allies in 2001, originally called National Feral Cat Day. Global Cat Day is dedicated specifically to community and feral cats, particularly advocating for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. It is not interchangeable with International Cat Day.

This is perhaps the most overlooked content gap across competing articles. Global Cat Day and International Cat Day share similar names but couldn’t be more different in purpose:

Which Cat Day Is Celebrated in Your Country?

Different countries have landed on completely different dates. Here’s a clear breakdown:

United States

Three separate cat observances apply:

• August 8  International Cat Day
• October 16  Global Cat Day (feral cat advocacy)
• October 29  National Cat Day (shelter adoption)

Canada

Canada’s National Cat Day falls on August 8 the same date as International Cat Day. This unique alignment means Canadians effectively celebrate both on the same day.

United Kingdom

• August 8  International Cat Day (observed)
• October 27  National Black Cat Day (founded in 2011 by Cats Protection to address the fact that black and black-and-white cats take approximately one week longer to be rehomed than cats of other colors)

Italy, Brazil & Poland

• February 17  World Cat Day (the original 1990 Tuttogatto designation)
• August 8  International Cat Day also observed

Japan

• February 22  Japan’s National Cat Day (“2/22” sounds like “nyan nyan nyan” in Japanese, meaning “meow meow meow”). The date was chosen in 1978 by the Executive Cat Day Committee via a poll of cat owners.
• August 8  International Cat Day also observed

Russia

• March 1  World Cat Day (spring/cat symbolism)
• August 8  International Cat Day also observed

Sweden

• December 1  Sweden’s own national cat day

Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia

• August 8  International Cat Day is the primary observance. Adoption events through metro shelters in countries like India and Singapore have grown steadily in recent years.

Why Are There So Many Cat Days?

Cat welfare movements emerged independently across different countries, driven by entirely different motivations. They weren’t coordinated they just happened to all love cats.

The observances generally fall into four categories:

• Welfare-focused: International Cat Day, National Cat Day (US), Global Cat Day, Black Cat Day
• Cultural celebrations: Japan’s February 22 (linguistic wordplay), Russia’s March 1 (seasonal symbolism)
• Reader/community-driven: Italy’s February 17 (magazine poll), Japan’s 1978 committee vote
• Commercially amplified: US National Cat Day (retail partnerships with Petco, Chewy, PetSmart)

Timeline: How Cat Days Evolved

Which Cat Day Should You Celebrate?

Short answer: whichever one you want. But here’s a practical guide:

• US-based cat lovers: Mark August 8 (global awareness), October 16 (feral cat advocacy), and October 29 (shelter adoption)
• UK cat lovers: August 8 + October 27 (Black Cat Day)
• Canadians: August 8 covers both National and International
• Italy, Brazil, Poland: February 17 is your primary date; August 8 is also widely observed
• Japan: February 22 + August 8
• Russia: March 1 + August 8
• Sweden: December 1
• Everyone else: August 8 is the safest global default

Frequently Asked Questions

Is International Cat Day the same as World Cat Day?
Usually, but not always. In most countries, “World Cat Day” refers to August 8 the same date as International Cat Day. However, Italy, Brazil, and Poland officially observe their own World Cat Day on February 17, which predates International Cat Day by 12 years.

Is National Cat Day in August or October?
In the United States, National Cat Day is October 29. In Canada, National Cat Day falls on August 8, which aligns with International Cat Day. The two countries use the same name for different dates.

Are there really 4 million cats entering US shelters each year?
According to Chase’s Calendar of Events, approximately 4 million cats enter US shelters annually. Of those, an estimated 1–2 million are euthanized each year a statistic that directly motivated Colleen Paige to found National Cat Day in 2005.

Who owns International Cat Day now?
International Cat Care (iCatCare), a UK-based feline welfare organization, has been the official custodian and coordinator of International Cat Day since 2020, when they took over from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which founded the day in 2002.

Is Global Cat Day the same as International Cat Day?
No. Global Cat Day (October 16) was founded by Alley Cat Allies in 2001 and focuses exclusively on feral and community cats, particularly TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs. International Cat Day (August 8) covers all cats and has a global welfare and education mission.

How many countries celebrate International Cat Day?
International Cat Day is observed in more than 47 countries, coordinated by iCatCare. National cat day observances exist separately in at least eight countries, including Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

What percentage of Americans own a cat?
According to a National Today survey of 1,000 respondents, 44% of people surveyed own at least one cat. Of cat owners, 57% have just one cat, 46% tell their cats “I love you,” and 25% consider their cat their best friend.

Which country had the first official cat day?
Japan’s cat day was established earliest in modern form the Executive Cat Day Committee created it in 1978 via a public poll, settling on February 22 for its phonetic resemblance to “nyan nyan nyan” (meow meow meow). Italy followed in 1990.

Why do black cats have their own day in the UK?
Cats Protection established National Black Cat Day on October 27, 2011, after finding that black and black-and-white cats took approximately one week longer to be rehomed than cats of other colors. The day works to counter negative superstitions and improve black cats’ visibility on social media.

How many cats are adopted from US shelters annually?
Approximately 3.2 million cats are adopted from animal shelters and rescue organizations in the United States each year, according to National Today. National Cat Day (October 29) was created specifically to drive these adoption numbers higher.