A complete list of 2023 cat holidays to celebrate is essential for those wishing to celebrate cats this year. At Paws News for Cat Lovers, we focus on cat tourism and events, cat news, and lots of other cat stuff. Therefore, we felt we would be remiss if we did not bring you a complete list of special cat days in 2023.
Did you know there are 200 or more cat-related holidays we can celebrate throughout the year? The complete list of 2021 pet (mostly cat) holidays includes well-known celebrations like National Cat Day on Oct. 29, the Fourth of July, Halloween, National Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17, and February’s Feline Fix by Five Appreciation Month.
We also include January’s Answer Your Cat Question Day (January 22), Change a Pet’s Life’s Day (January 24), and National Plan Your Vacation Day (January 26). That’s so you can start planning your vacation to the many cat-themed vacation destination, inside the United States and throughout the world. It could be you want to visit Florida and visit the cats at the Earnest Hemingway Museum or go to the … in Italy.
The cat holiday list is comprehensive, including National Disaster Preparedness Month (September), Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month (June), and Happy Cat Month (September). To be sure, all of us cat lovers want to make our cats happy.
This list serves as a great guide for writers, bloggers, photographers, videographers, or event planners that are looking for a way to gain attention in a fun way. We encourage you to bookmark this list and keep it handy, for your reference in 2023, and longer. Many of the cat holidays stay on the same date.
The Complete list of 2023 Cat Holidays & More
January 2023 Cat Holidays
Walk Your Pet Month
January 1, New Year’s Day
January 2, Happy Mew Year for Cats Day (Perfect for cats ringing in the New Year)
January 2, National Pet Safety Travel Day
January 6, National Cuddle Up Day
January 12, Kiss a Ginger Cat Day
January 14, National Dress up Your Pet Day
January 16, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 22, Answer Your Cat Question Day
January 22, Chinese New Year
January 24, Change a Pet’s Life Day
January 27, National Fun At Work Day (Last Friday in January)
January 29, Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day
January 31, National Plan for Vacation Day (Last Tuesday of January)An ideal time to start plans for visiting the many cat-themed vacation spots around the world.
February 2023 Cat Holidays
Beat the Heat Month
Feline Fix by Five Awareness Month
National Cat Health Month
Black Dog and Cat Syndrome Awareness Month
Spay\/Neuter Awareness Month (Humane Society of the United States)
Pet Dental Health Month
Responsible Pet Owners Month
National Prevent a Litter Month
February 2, Groundhog Day
February 5, World Animal Reiki Day
February 12, Super Bowl Sunday (Second Sunday in February)
February 12, Nice American Rescue Bowl, formally known as Kitten Bowl VIV, will feature cats, dogs, puppies and kittens (Hallmark Channel)
February 13, Catintine Day (not official, yet)
February 14, Valentine’s Day
February 14, Pet Theft Awareness Day
February 17, Italy’s Cat Day
February 19-25, National Drink Wine with Your Cat Week (Created by offers.com and PetWinery, a company that makes alcohol-free wine).
February 20, Love Your Pet Day
February 20, International Cat Day, also known as El Dia Internacional del Gato Selected as one of many International Cat Days after President Clinton’s cat Socks passed on February 20, 2009.
February 20-26, National Justice for Animals Week (Fourth week of February)
February 20, President’s Day (Third Monday of February)
Check out our blog posts about Cats at the White Houses:
- Siam was the first Siamese Presidential Cat
- From Lincoln to Reagan, to Clinton, Cats have lived with their humans at the White House
- Presidential Cats at the White House
- Siamese Cat History shows they originated in Siam
- A new cat comes to the Biden White House
February 21, Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
February 22, Ash Wednesday
February 22, Cat Day in Japan (Neko no Hi was selected for how it sounds which is much like cat.)
February 28, World Spay Day (Annual campaign Humane Society International and Humane Society of the US) (Fourth Tuesday in February)
February 28, Spay USA Day (Last Tuesday of February)
Check out these articles that you might enjoy that are related to our Complete List of 2023 Cat Holidays to Celebrate.
March 2023 Cat Holidays
National Pet Poison Prevention Month
March 2, International Rescue Cat Day
March 3, If Cats Had Thumbs Day
March 3, International Tripawd Awareness Day Founded in 2022 by Tripaws to honor three-legged pets and those that care for them.
March 5-11, Professional Pet Sitters Week (28th annual celebration) (First full week in March)
March 12, Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 17, St. Patrick’s Day
March 17, St. Gertrude of Nivelles Day (“The Cat Lady of the Catholic Church”)
March 20, First Day of Spring
March 19-25, National Poison Prevention Week (Third full week in March)
March 23, Cuddly Kitten Day
March 28, Respect Your Cat Day
March 30, Take a Walk in the Park Day
April 2023 Cat Holidays
National Heartworm Awareness Month
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
Prevention to Cruelty to Animals Month (ASPCA)
Celebrate Diversity Month
National Pet Month – UK
April 1, April Fool’s Day
April 4, World Stray Animals Day
April 5-12, Passover
April 6, National Siamese Cat Day
April 7, World Health Day
April 7, National Pet Health Insurance Day
April 9, Easter
April 9-15, Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week (Second full week of April)
April 11, National Pet Day
April 11, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
April 15, Tax Day
April 16, National Wear Your Pajamas to Workday
April 17, Tortoiseshell Cat Appreciation Day
April 17-23, National Pet ID Week (Seven days starting April 17)
April 17-23, Animal Cruelty\/Human Violence Awareness Week (Humane Society of the US – third week in April)
April 19, Sylvester the Cat’s Birthday
April 23-29, Veterinary Receptionist Week
April 18, Pet Owners Independence Day
April 19, National Cat Lady Day
April 18, Pet Owners Independence Day
April 22, Earth Day
April 23-29, National Scoop the Poop Week
April 26, National Kids & Pets Day
April 29, Hairball Awareness Day (Last Friday in April)
April 30, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
April 30, National Therapy Animal Day
April 30, World Veterinary Day (Last Saturday in April. World Veterinary Association)
April 30, National Tabby Day
April 30, National Pet Parent Day (Last Sunday in April)
May 2023 Cat Holidays
Pet Cancer Awareness Month (Also celebrated in November)
Chip Your Pet Month
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
National Foster Care Month
National Pet Month
Pet Sitter Safety Month
Responsible Animal Guardian Month
May 1-7, National Air Quality Awareness Week
May 3, National Specially-abled Pets Day
May 5, Cinco de Mayo or Cinco de Meow Day
May 7-13, National Pet Week (American Veterinary Medical Association – first full week in May)
May 7-13, American Humane Be Kind to Animals Week (Celebrated since 1915, always first full week of May)
May 7, National Tourism Day
May 7-13, National Travel and Tourism Week (First full week of May)
May 8, National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day (Second Saturday in May)
May 14, Mother’s Day
May 26, National Road Trip Day
May 29, Memorial Day
June 2023 Cat Holidays
Adopt-a-Cat Month (American Humane Association)
Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month (ASPCA) (Also marks the height of kitten season)
National Pet Preparedness Month (Timed for the first month of hurricane season, urges people with pets to make preparations in case they should be hit by a disaster including making plans for what you would do with your cat in case of a hurricane, tornado, flood or other natural disasters).
National Foster a Pet Month
National Microchip Month
Pride Month
Social Petworking (Networking) Month
June 4, Hug Your Cat Day
June 4-10 Pet Appreciation Week (First week in June) June 2-8 2024; June 1-7, 2025
June 8, Best Friends Day
June 13, World Pet Memorial Day (Second Tuesday in June)
June 19-25, Animal Rights Awareness Week (Third week in June)
June 14, Flag Day
June 19, National Garfield the Cat Day
June 19. Juneteenth
June 18, Father’s Day
June 19, Take Your Cat to Work Day (June 17, 2024)
June 19-23, Take Your Pet to Work Week (Observed 5 full days, starting the Monday of the third full week of June) June 17-21, 2024
June 21, First Day of Summer
June 24, Cat World Domination Day
June 29, World Day Against the Abandonment of Domestic Animals
July 2023 Cat Holidays
National Lost Pet Prevention Month (Learn how to keep your pets from becoming lost in this month-long observance launched by PetHub)
National Pet Hydration Awareness Month
July 1, ID Your Pet Day
July 4, Independence Day
July 5, National Pet Remembrance Day
July 6, International Kissing Day
July 10, National Kitten Day
July 11, All-American Pet Photo Day
July 15, National Pet Fire Safety Day (Sponsored by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), ADT Security Services and the American Kennel Club (AKC)
July 16, Feline Leukemia Day (The Community Cat Podcast and Feline Leukemia Activist Margaret Tompkins host this annual event giving important up-to-date information about managing this disease.
July 21, National Craft for your Local Shelters Day
July 23, National Parents Day (Fourth Sunday in July)
July 31, National Mutt Day (Also celebrated Dec. 2, 2023)
August 2023 Cat Holidays
National Immunization Awareness Month
National Wellness Month
Itchy Pet Awareness Month
Rawgust (Celebrating raw feeding for pets)
August 8, International Cat Day
August 8, National Cat Day in Canada
August 10, National Lazy Day
August 15, National Check the Chip Day (AVMA and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) joined together to create Check the Chip Day)
August 17, National Black Cat Appreciation Day
August 19, International Homeless Animals Day (Third Saturday in August)
August 22, National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day
August 26, National Dog Day
August 28, Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day
August 30, National Holistic Pet Day
September 2023 Cat Holidays
Happy Cat Month (Established by the CATalyst Council)
National Disaster Preparedness Month (Led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign, Citizen Corps, and The Advertising Council, this effort encourages individuals, families, businesses, and communities to work together and take action to prepare for emergencies. Visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov. for more info.)
Animal Pain Awareness Month
National Pet Insurance Month
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Pet Sitter Education Month
World Animal Remembrance Month
September 1, Ginger Cat Appreciation Day
September 4, Labor Day
September 5, National White Cat Day
September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day
September 11, Patriot Day
September 10, National Pet Memorial Day (Established by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries (IAPC) – second Sunday in September) https://nationaltoday.com/national-pet-memorial-day/ Four famous pet cemeteries in US.
September 13, Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day (A day dedicated to the issue of pet birth defects including information on identification, prevention, and treatment)
September 15-17, Rosh Hashanah
September 19, National Meow Like a Pirate Day
September 19, National Cat DNA Day
September 19-25, Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week (Third week in September) check dates
September 19-24, National Deaf Pet Awareness Week ??
September 20-26, Animal Welfare Week
September 23, First Day of Fall
September 28, Remember Me Thursday (fourth Thursday of September)
September 23, Dogs in Politics Day (Sorry, there’s no Cats in Politics Day).
September 24 – 25, Yom Kippur
September 25, World’s Largest Pet Walk
September 27, World Tourism Day
September 28, World Rabies Day (Sponsored by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control)
September 29, World Tourism Maneki-Neko Day or Beckoning Cat Day
October 2023 Cat Holidays
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
Black Cat Awareness Month
National Book Month
National Pet Wellness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
World Animal Month
October 2-8, Animal Welfare Week (First week of October)
October 4, World Animal Day & World Pet Day
October 4, Feast of St Francis of Assisi (The feast commemorates the life of St Francis, who was born in the 12th century and is the Catholic Church’s patron saint of animals and the environment. It is a popular day for pets to be blessed)
October 9, CATober 9th. North Shore Animal League declared this as the universal birthday of shelter cats whose birthdays remain a mystery.
October 10, World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day
October 11, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day (October 9 in 2024)
October 13, Vet Nurse’s Day (Celebrated the second Friday in October)
October 15-21, National Veterinary Technician Week (Sponsored by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America) October 13-19, 2024
October 16, National Feral Cat Day
October 16, Global Cat Day (Previously Feral Cat Day, Alley Cat Allies)
October 13, Vet Nurse’s Day (Celebrated the second Friday in October)
October. 21, National Pets for Veterans Day
October 21, Cure4Cats Day (EveryCat Health Foundation, formerly Winn Feline Foundation)
October 27, National Black Cat Day in the UK
October. 28, Plush Animal Lovers Day(Perfect day to buy your pet a new squeaky toy)
October 29, National Cat Day
October 30, National Treat Your Pet Day (Dr. Marty Pets launched this in 2021, making it a great day to treat your cat with healthy snacks and lots of TLC.
October 31, Halloween
November 2023 Cat Holidays
Adopt a Senior Pet Month
National Senior Pet Month
Pet Cancer Awareness Month
Pet Diabetes Month
November 1, National Cook for Your Pets Day
November 1, International Pet Groomer Appreciation Day
November 6-12, National Animal Shelter & Rescue Appreciation Week (Sponsored by the Humane Society of the US – first full week of November)
November 5, Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7, Election Day
November 11, Veterans Day
November 12, World Animal Enrichment Day Awareness, Research and Education Day
November 18-24, Antibiotics Awareness Week (Always starts on November 18)
November 15, National Philanthropy Day
November 17, National Take a Hike Day
November 17, National Black Cat Day in Italy (Also celebrated on August 17)
November 18, National Adoption Day (Celebrated the Saturday before Thanksgiving)
November 23, Thanksgiving
November 24, Black Friday
November 27, Cyber Monday
November 28, Giving Tuesday
December 2023 Cat Holidays
National Cat Lovers’ Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
December 5, Volunteer Day
December 5, Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
December 9, International Day of Veterinary Medicine
December 10, International Animal Rights Day
December 15, National Cat Herder’s Day
December 21, First Day of Winter
December 25, Christmas
December 26, – January 2 Kwanzaa (A celebration honoring African heritage in African-American culture)
December 31, New Year’s Eve
And don’t forget Gotcha Day which is any day you celebrate adopting your precious kitty cat.
Some of these cat holidays may not be included on National Today, but we wanted to be as inclusive as possible to raise awareness about cats and the issues that affect them. If you know of any additional cat holidays that should be included on this list, please send us a comment, and we will be happy to include them.
That really is quite the list, thanks!!!
Nice comprehensive list of holidays! So much celebrating to do!