International Cat Day: When is it and how to celebrate
Did you know that over 25% of homes have a pet cat? While some cats can be aloof, furry felines make for wonderful and affectionate pets. Cats are low-maintenance creatures that can bring their owners years of love and comfort.
There’s no better way to celebrate cats than with International Cat Day. Some cats might think that every day should be devoted to them. However, there’s one day set aside each year that’s specifically devoted to our whiskered pals.
Whether you’re a cat owner or a cat admirer, there are many ways you can celebrate the holiday. This guide will discuss everything you need to know about International Kitty Day and how your company can promote it.
How did International Cat Day get started?
Cats were worshipped as gods in ancient times, and many modern-day felines still follow that same practice. International Cat Day was founded in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). It’s held on August 8.
IFAW is one of the biggest animal conservation and welfare charities. The goals of the organization are to do the following:
- Rescue animals
- Safeguard animal populations
- Advocate for more animal protection
- Preserve habitats
The mission for this special day for cats is to raise awareness about the animal. People can learn about the different ways they can protect and help cats and kittens.
Other than hosting a party for your cat and giving them presents, you can honor International Cat day by adopting a cat from a local shelter. You can also encourage others to adopt from shelters instead of pet stores. Additionally, you could attend a class on feline health and care.
What are different ways brands can promote International Cat Day?
In addition to celebrating International Cat Day, you should check to see when your country has its own Cat Day. For example, the United States has National Cat Day on October 29. You have multiple times throughout the year where you can honor kittens and cats.
Host an International Cat Day contest
Photo contests are extremely popular on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. A cat day photo contest allows you to collect content created by your followers and connect with your target audience.
A pet food brand, Almo Nature, hosted a photo contest for International Cat Day a few years ago. They asked their followers to share a photo of their cat. Once the image was posted, they had to refer two friends to the account.
Another way to host a photo contest is by sharing a link on your marketing materials, website, or social media accounts. You can also have the option to get entries from comments or posts that utilize specific hashtags and brand mentions. A way to add variety to your contest is to have a particular challenge or theme.
The photo contest winner can win cat treats, food, or accessories. You can team up with one for your contest if you’re not a pet-themed brand.
Share Educational Information
As we mentioned earlier, one of the primary goals of International Cat Day is to spread awareness about the health and safety of cats. The holiday is a great chance to invite your followers to share their advice about owning cats.
For example, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) created an online quiz about feline flu and posted it on International Cat Day. Pet owners could take the quiz, learning a lot about the illness.
Another idea is to invite your audience to share experiences, advice, pet care tips, and stories. You can create a post and ask your followers to post their responses in the comments. You could also create a unique link and post responses you receive in individual posts.
Offer a giveaway prize as an incentive for people to participate. Select the winner of your prize at random from the entries.
Offer rewards and coupons
International Cat Day is a great chance to engage your audience, but you could also use this as an opportunity to reward them. You can use creative promotions to drive more traffic to your website, increasing your sales.
For example, you could make a social media post encouraging your followers to sign up for your brand’s newsletter. Once they sign up, they’ll get entered into a giveaway for free cat products. You could also offer your subscribers and followers coupons to redeem on certain products.
International Cat Day frequently asked questions
Cats are capable of forming meaningful bonds with their owners. International Cat Day allows pet owners to celebrate their love for their cats while advocating for their wellbeing.
What is International Cat Day?
International Cat Day is a special day held every year to honor cats. People can celebrate the holiday by promoting awareness about cats and how we can help them thrive.
When is International Cat Day?
International Cat Day is held each year on August 8. You can also celebrate National Hug Your Cat Day on June 4 or National Dress Up Your Pet Day on January 14.
How can pet owners celebrate International Cat Day?
There is never a shortage of ideas when looking for ways to celebrate International Cat Day. Some of the ways you and your audience can honor the holiday include:
- Volunteering at your local shelter
- Going to a cat cafe
- Donating to a cat charity
- Adopt a cat
- Watching “The Aristocats”
Be creative while celebrating International Cat Day
Connect with your target audience and make an impact on International Cat Day. Everybody loves funny cat pictures and videos. Have fun promoting the holiday while having the primary goal of audience engagement at the forefront of your mind.
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