Happy 2016! May the year be filled with fabulous endeavors and passionate musings devoted to our favorite subject – the cat. Here is a calendar of the special days, weeks, and months devoted to them (and others) to help bring awareness to their causes and challenges:
Please be aware that this calendar is subject to change. To advise of corrections or additions, please leave a comment.
JANUARY
Walk Your Pet Month (for those that partake in leashes, harnesses, and strollers).
January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day.
January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day.
January 24: Change a Pet’s Life Day.
FEBRUARY
National Cat Health Month.
Beat the Heat Month.
American Heart Month.
National Spay/Neuter Month (Humane Society of the United States).
National Prevent a Litter Month.
Pet Dental Health Month (AVMA).
Responsible Pet Owners Month.
February 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day (Last Chance for Animals).
February 20: Love Your Pet Day.
February 21 – 27: National Justice for Animals Week.
February 23: World Spay Day (Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States – held the last Tuesday of February).
MARCH
Poison Prevention Awareness Month.
March 2 – Dr. Seuss Read Across America Day.
March 3 – If Pets Had Thumbs Day.
March 6 – 12: Professional Pet Sitters Week.
March 20 – 26: National Poison Prevention Week.
March 16 – 22: National Flood Safety Awareness Week.
APRIL
Animal Cruelty Prevention Month (ASPCA).
National Heartworm Awareness Month (American Heartworm Society).
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month (Created by the American Red Cross to draw attention to the need to know specialized pet first aid).
April 9: FIP Awareness Day (Mr. Swanson’s Day).
April 11: National Pet Day.
April 10 – 16: National Volunteer Week.
April 10 – 16: National Animal Control Appreciation Week.
April 17 – 23: National Pet ID Week.
April 17 – 23: Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week (Humane Society of the United States).
April 17 – 23: National Environmental Education Week (National Environmental Education Foundation).
April 18: Pet Owners Independence Day.
April 19: Pet Owners Day.
April 22: Earth Day.
April 24: National Pet Parents Day
April 26: National Kids & Pets Day
April 27: Free Feral Cat Spay Day (Alley Cat Rescue).
April 29: Hairball Awareness Day.
April 30: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.
April 30: World Veterinary Day (World Veterinary Association).
MAY
National Pet Month.
Responsible Animal Guardian Month.
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.
Pet Cancer Awareness Month (Sponsored by Pet Cancer Awareness and the Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research).
Chip Your Pet Month (Home Again Pet ID).
May 3: National Specially-abled Pets Day.
May 1 – 7: Be Kind to Animals Week (AHA).
May 1-7: National Pet Week (AVMA).
May 8: Animal Disaster Preparedness Day.
May 20: Endangered Species Day.
May 23: National Heat Awareness Day.
JUNE
National Pet Preparedness Month (Timed for the first month of hurricane season).
Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month (ASPCA).
Adopt-a-Cat Month (AHA).
June 5 – 11: Pet Appreciation Week.
June 4: International Hug Your Cat Day.
June 9: Meezer Colors Day.
June 11: Just One Day (One day of no-kill in shelters worldwide).
June 12: World Pet Memorial Day.
Mid-June: Animal Rights Awareness Week.
June 19: International Box Day.
June 23 – 25: Cat Writers’ Association Annual Conference (Wild Horse Pass Sheraton Resort – Phoenix, AZ)
June 24: Cat World Domination Day.
JULY
July 4: While not a feline recognized holiday, please keep in mind that our cats (and all pets) can become highly traumatized during the 4th of July festivities. Keep your pet safely indoors and recognize the fact that they can panic or hide from the sounds that fireworks cause.
July 15: Pet Fire Safety Day.
July 21: National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day.
AUGUST
National Immunization Awareness Month.
August 8: World Cat Day.
August 15: Check the Chip Day.
August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day.
August 20: International Homeless Animal Day (International Society for Animal Rights).
August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day.
August 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day (Purr Prints of the Heart and Zee/Zoey.com).
August 30: National Holistic Pet Day.
SEPTEMBER
Catalyst Council’s Happy Healthy Cat Month.
National Disaster Preparedness Month (Led by FEMA’s ReadyCampaign, Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council, this effort encourages individuals, families, businesses and communities to work together and take action to prepare for disaster emergencies).
National Food Safety Awareness Month.
September 11: National Pet Memorial Day (International Association of Pet Cemeteries).
September 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day (MBJungle Foundation).
September 19: International “Meow Like a Pirate Day” (not a cause, but somehow cat bloggers love this day!)
September 22: Remember Me Thursday (Helen Woodward Animal Center).
Sept. 28: World Rabies Day (Global Alliance for Rabies Control).
Last full week in September: Deaf Pet Awareness Week (Petfinder.com).
OCTOBER
National Animal Safety and Protection Month (Emergency Animal Rescue Service).
National Pet Wellness Month.
First full week of October: Animal Welfare Week (AVMA).
October 9 – 15: National Veterinary Technician Week.
October 4: World Animal Day.
October 12: National Pet Obesity Day.
October 16: National Feral Cat Day (Alley Cat Allies).
October 29: National Cat Day.
NOVEMBER
National Pet Awareness Month.
Adopt a Senior Pet Month (ASPCA).
National Senior Pet Month
Pet Cancer Awareness Month.
Pet Diabetes Month.
November 6 – 12: National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (HSUS).
November 17: National Black Cat Day.
DECEMBER
No recognized awareness days in December, but this is a good time to share information on preventative safety measures for our cats during the holidays because many of the foods, plants, and decorations that are part of our festivities can be dangerous or even lethal to them. For information on the Pet Poison Hotline, please click here.
About the Author:
Deborah Barnes resides in the tropical paradise of South Florida with her fiancé and feline family of seven. She is the author of the 5-star rated books, The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey – A Journey of the Extraordinarily Ordinary and Purr Prints of the Heart – A Cat’s Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond as well as the award winning blog, Zee & Zoey’s Cat Chronicles that continues to cover the everyday journey she shares with her cats along with topics from the humorous behaviors of cats to very serious subjects on pet responsibility. Deborah was awarded 2013 “Writer of the Year” by Friskies Purina on behalf of the Cat Writers’ Association and she is also the Secretary of the nonprofit, Pawsitively Humane, Inc. of Miami, Florida, whose mission is to create public awareness and reduce the numbers of animals on the streets and in shelters through an extensive educational campaign.
This is very useful. I always lose track of the special anniversaries and dates!
Thank you.
Such a great resource. Thanks!
Our local newspaper carried a calendar of pet dates this past year. I used it to inspire some posts for a local animal welfare blog. Special pet days are fun to track!
Wow a lot of cool causes.. Hope to see more interesting event next year..