National Cat Day 2026 is on Thursday

About National Cat Day

National Cat Day has two aims: to celebrate the cats people share their homes with, and to draw attention to the large number of cats that enter shelters and need homes every year. Owners post photos of their cats online, and shelters and rescues often feature cats available for adoption around the date.

Colleen Paige, a pet and family lifestyle author and animal welfare advocate, founded National Cat Day in 2005. She had launched National Dog Day the year before and later added other pet days, including National Puppy Day, National Pet Day and National Kitten Day. The day's website asks people to adopt rather than shop and to donate to local shelters. It does not explain why October 29 was chosen.

National Cat Day is informal and has no government status. It is separate from International Cat Day on August 8, a worldwide welfare campaign that the International Fund for Animal Welfare started in 2002 and that International Cat Care has led since 2020. The two days have different organizers and emphases, but both encourage better care for cats, from regular vet visits to safe, enriching homes.

Sources: National Cat Day, Colleen Paige: pet holidays she founded. How we check dates.

How to mark National Cat Day

• If you're ready for a pet, look at adult and senior cats at a local shelter, which often wait longer for homes than kittens.
• Donate litter, food or blankets to a shelter or cat rescue after checking its wish list.
• Schedule a yearly vet check-up for your cat if one is due.
• Add play to your cat's day with a wand toy or puzzle feeder to keep an indoor cat active.
• Ask a local trap-neuter-return group how you can help community cats in your area.

National Cat Day dates