International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration for one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets–the cat! If they would lower themselves to have a conversation with a mere human, any cat would probably say that every day should be a day for celebrating cats all over the world. But this is one particular day that the humans have set aside each year for that purpose. It’s time for International Cat Day! History of International Cat Day The original festivities for International Cat Day were put together for the first time in 2002 by IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Along with other animal rights groups who joined in to celebrate, this was declared to be the day to appreciate and honor one of the most popular pets on the planet. An estimated 500 million cats are thought to be frolicking in neighbors’ gardens across the world, which means that most every extended family is bound to have an aunt with more kittens than former husbands, no matter the country or climate. And that’s great, because owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. So when it’s raining cats and dogs outside and there is no one to cuddle with, any black, ginger, Persian, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, Shorthair, Munchkin, Balinese, RagaMuffin or any old stray cat will do the trick on International Cat Day. So roll out the red carpet and the catnip for that furry feline friend, because International Cat Day is that one day a year when black cats bring good luck and there’s no judging for spoiling that kitty-cat.