Once again the New Year is upon us and once again there are numerous special days, weeks, and months devoted to promoting causes and awareness for our feline friends. To follow, you will find all the pertinent dates for 2015 – please take a moment to look them over and bookmark the site for reference purposes. Whether radio, blogs, columns, websites, magazines, art, photographs, or more, we all have the voice and talent to highlight these causes to help educate so that we can continue to make the world a better place for the safety, health, happiness, and well-being of cats.
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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
American Heart Month.
National Spay/Neuter Month (HSUS).
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 15 – 21: National Justice for Animals Week.
February 20: Love Your Pet Day.
February 24: 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 1 – 7: Professional Pet Sitters Week.
March 2 – 8: National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
March 15 – 21: National Poison Prevention Week.
March 16 – 22: National Flood Safety Awareness Week.
March 23 – 29: National Tsunami 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 (Mr. Swanson’s Day).
April 11: National Pet Day.
April 12 – 18: National Volunteer Week.
April 12 – 18: National Animal Control Appreciation Week.
Third week in April: Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week (HSUS).
Third full week of April starting with a Sunday: National Pet ID Week.
April 18: Pet Owners Independence Day.
April 22: Earth Day.
April 24: Hairball Awareness Day.
April 25: World Veterinary Day (World Veterinary Association).
April 26: National Kids & Pets Day
April 30: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.
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 3 – 9: Be Kind to Animals Week (AHA).
May 3-9: National Pet Week (AVMA).
May 9: Animal Disaster Preparedness Day.
May 15: Endangered Species Day.
May 23: National Heat Awareness Day.
May 25 – 31: National Hurricane Preparedness Week.
May 27: Free Feral Cat Spay Day (Alley Cat Rescue).
JUNE
National Pet Preparedness Month (Timed for the first month of hurricane season).
Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month (ASPCA).
Adopt-a-Cat Month (AHA).
First week in June: Pet Appreciation Week.
June 4: International Hug Your Cat Day.
June 14: World Pet Memorial Day.
Mid-June: Animal Rights Awareness Week.
June 22 – 28: National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.
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 15: Check the Chip Day.
August 20: National Homeless Animal Day (International Society for Animal Rights).
August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day.
August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day.
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 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day (MBJungle Foundation).
September 14: National Pet Memorial Day (International Association of Pet Cemeteries).
September 19: International “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (not a cause, but somehow cat bloggers love this day!)
September 24: 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.
October 4: World Animal Day.
First full week of October: Animal Welfare Week (AVMA).
October 14: National Pet Obesity Day.
October 11 – 17: National Veterinary Technician Week.
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).
Pet Cancer Awareness Month.
Pet Diabetes Month.
First full week of November: 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.
About the Author:
Deborah Barnes is the author of The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey – A Journey of the Extraordinarily Ordinary starring her feline family as well as the award winning blog, Zee & Zoey’s Chronicle Connection that covers the everyday journey she shares with her cats as well as topics from the humorous behaviors of cats to very serious subjects on pet responsibility. She was bestowed the Friskies Writer of the Year Award in 2013 and her current circle of works has brought her to where she is today – a contributing writer for Catster.com and Cat Fancy Magazine as well as 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.
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