Do you know all the Cat Holidays?

Why am I just now finding out there are cat holidays?  You’d think my mum would have known there were special days dedicated to us felines, but if she did, she’s kept it a secret.

Spring and summer are filled with these special days so cat lovers will want to mark their calendars.  First up is National Hug Your Cat Day on either May 3 or May 30. According to the website catological.com, no one can agree on which day it is so if you missed May 3, you can celebrate May 30. TBH, I don’t much like to be hugged, so I’ve told Mum she can rub my ears and tickle my chin, but no hugging no matter which day she chooses. Banjo loves to be hugged, so maybe she can hug him instead.

In June, we get a whole month for shelter cats as it is officially Adopt a shelter-cat month.  I’m a lucky kitty who never had to go to a shelter.  A kind lady rescued me after a man tossed me from a pickup truck into a bush, and she kept me at her house until Mum saw my photo on Petfinder and came to meet me.

The closest I’ve come to living in a cage is when I’ve had my teeth cleaned at the vet, and that’s as close as I ever want to get.  The darned pet carrier for that trip is confining enough. If you don’t have a cat, I hope you’ll visit a shelter in June and find a cat to make your own.

National Cat Day or World Cat Day falls on August 8. This holiday began in 2002 as a way to raise awareness of the plight of homeless cats.  I don’t know what it is about cat people that they can’t agree on which days these holidays should occur.  Some European countries celebrate this holiday on Feb. 17, and others celebrate it on October 29. Go figure.  On the other hand, having three days spread throughout the year may be the way to go.

I’m not sure I want to celebrate National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day August 22.  I don’t like shots, and it was August last year when mum took me to have my teeth cleaned, a most unpleasant experience.  Perhaps if I keep quiet about this one, Mum will skip it.

I can get totally onboard with September being Happy Cat Month, and I have a great idea.  I’ll leave a note on Mum’s desk every night in September telling her what will make me happy the next day.  When she sits down in front of her computer, my note will be the first thing she sees … well, after she sees the pens and pencils I leave on the floor every night.

I know I want continuous dabs of wet food in my dish throughout the day, treats every time I jump on the desk, birdseed in the birdfeeder so I can watch the Outdoor channel from my little footstool by the window, Dad’s lap available whenever I want it, and fresh typing paper with crisp corners that I can chew on.  Oh heck, now that I think about it, Mum can do all of these things every day in September and all year long. I’m a deserving little thing, don’t you agree?

Princess Puddin’ Penn resides in Georgia with her dad, her mom Kathy Manos Penn, and her canine brother Lord Banjo. Please send comments, compliments, and questions to inkpenn119@gmail.com. She appears in “Lord Banjo the Royal Pooch,” a book that can be found on Amazon.