National Cat Lovers’ Month - Show some love to our furry feline friends on National Cat Lovers’ Month.

National Cat Lovers’ Month 2024 – December 2024

National Cat Lovers’ Month is celebrated every year in December. Use this month to shower your pet cats with love and show them your appreciation! Cats are beautiful, sassy, and fascinating creatures. Yes, they can be fiercely independent, hard to tame, and unpredictable creatures — but that’s not all. They can also be shy, loving, affectionate, outgoing, energetic, and loveable! Cats are often misunderstood and treated badly just because many people think of them as being aloof and standoffish. But the truth is that cats can be extremely playful and make for great companions! Use this month as an opportunity to show your love and support for our adorable feline friends! If you want to celebrate in style, check out our guide to gifts for cat lovers.

History of National Cat Lovers’ Month

Cats were first seen in the early Pliocene Epoch, approximately five to four million years ago, and have marched into modern times with remarkably little change. The earliest known association between cats and humans can however be traced as far back as the origins of agriculture in the Middle East around 9,500 years ago.In recent years, the skeleton of a cat was found buried along with that of a human in southern Cyprus. Although some sources noted that this discovery suggested that cats had undergone some forms of domestication in that region, other sources argued that cats may have chosen to domesticate themselves by living in human-altered landscapes. They cited the evidence that the cat genome was not so different from that of the African wildcat at that particular period.Fossil evidence unearthed in China which dates back to about 5,300 years ago shows that cats having similar sizes to modern domestic cats used to feed on small grain-eating animals such as rodents. In contrast, the cats in agricultural settings went for millet.There’s also a common belief that cats were domesticated in ancient Egypt because of the Egyptians’ great affinity for cats and the fact that these animals had social and religious significance in their culture. Although cats were proclaimed to be sacred animals in Egypt around 2465 B.C. to 2150 B.C., they had not yet been domesticated at that time. There is the possibility that the ancient Egyptians kept cats because of their value in protecting their barns from rodents. Their respect and affection for this majestic predator resulted in the development of religious cat cults and worshiping of cats in temples.However, there are no authentic records of domestication earlier than 1500 B.C.

National Cat Lovers’ Month timeline

10,000 B.C.
Domestication

Cats are domesticated in the Near East with some researchers speculating that the process began 12,000 years ago.

3000 B.C.
Ancient Egypt

Cats are revered and many religious deities are depicted with cat-like features.

1800s
Cat Breeding

Development of cat breeds begins.

2004
A Discovery

Researchers unearth an old site in Cyprus where a cat had been deliberately buried with a human.

National Cat Lovers’ Month FAQs

Are cats better than dogs?

Owning a cat reduces the chances of having a heart attack by 40%. Cats also live longer than dogs, so their owners can make judicious use of the health benefits they provide.

Why do cats hate water?

Some suggest that because the species evolved in dry climates and had very little exposure to rivers or lakes, cats are unfamiliar with water and so they avoid it. More likely, however, cats don’t like getting wet because of what water does to their fur.

Are cats evil?

Cats are not evil, mean, or vindictive by nature.

National Cat Lovers’ Month Activities

  1. Show your love

    Share pictures of your cat on social media and declare your love for these adorable creatures. Let others know about National Cat Lovers’ Month so they too can shower love on their pets.

  2. Adopt a cat

    Visit a shelter and adopt a cat so you can give it a better life. If you’re unable to adopt a cat at the moment, consider donating to help improve the quality of their lives.

  3. Appreciate your pets

    Take a break from your busy life and shower love and attention on your pet. Let them know they are loved. Take your cat out to the park, and get them some catnip or new toys.

5 Mind-blowing Facts About Cats

  1. Cats are digitigrade

    This means that, unlike many other animals, they walk on their toes.

  2. They sleep for 70% of their life

    Cats sleep for 13 to 16 hours a day to save energy.

  3. Purring means they’re content

    Most of the time, a cat will purr when it is happy and content.

  4. A large population

    Approximately 400 million cats are living around the world today.

  5. Cats domesticated themselves

    Cats became loving domesticated companions for humans without ever changing much.

Why We Love National Cat Lovers’ Month

  1. They’re adorable

    Simply put, cats are adorable. It’s hard to resist their charms, demeanor, adorable little faces, and round furry bodies. They deserve a whole month of devotion.

  2. They are often mistreated

    Several street cats and house cats have suffered abuse at the hands of humans. Many people consider them to be vile creatures and think of them as bad omens. It’s up to us cat lovers to help provide a better life for them.

  3. There are many of them in shelters

    Many cats enter shelters each day with several of them going unadopted because of their old age. National Cat Lovers’ Month promotes being kinder to these gentle creatures and spreading awareness about adoption.

National Cat Lovers’ Month dates

Year Date Day
2022 December 1 Thursday
2023 December 1 Friday
2024 December 1 Sunday
2025 December 1 Monday
2026 December 1 Tuesday