Every October 29th, we celebrate National Cat Day —a day to honor our feline companions who have captured hearts and homes around the world. Known for their independent spirit and unique personalities, cats also boast a devoted fanbase who adore their every charm.
This day is just one of several dedicated to cats throughout the year, reinforcing their status as “kings” of our homes and the internet alike. Other notable dates include August 8, which marks International Cat Day, promoted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and February 20, commemorating the late “Socks,” the famous White House cat in the United States.
The Popularity of Cats: Outnumbering Dogs
Globally, cat ownership has surpassed dog ownership, showing that a love for felines is not just a trend but a growing phenomenon in today’s society. According to the Mars Global Pet Parent Study, cats are the preferred pet in many households. Interestingly, men make up a majority of cat owners at 52%, with the remaining 48% being women. This data breaks traditional stereotypes, highlighting that cats have won over homes of all kinds thanks to their versatile and adaptable nature.
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The World’s Most Beloved Cat Breeds
Though each cat is unique, some breeds are more popular worldwide. The Mars study reveals the top three most common breeds: the Persian (16%), the British Shorthair (11%), and the Siamese (9%). Each of these breeds has its own defining qualities: the Persian is known for elegance and a calm temperament, the British Shorthair for its sturdiness and affection, and the Siamese for its energy and need for attention. Regardless of breed, each cat brings its own charm, making it an irreplaceable companion.
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A Preference for Young Kittens: An Adoption Trend
One noteworthy trend in cat adoption is the preference for adopting them at a young age. According to Mars, 84% of cats are adopted or acquired before their first birthday. This reflects a desire among owners to bond deeply with their cats from the kitten stage, when they are often at their most playful and affectionate. Adopting a kitten is a commitment, but it also offers the chance to form a lasting, meaningful relationship.
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Cats as Entertainment and Emotional Relief
For many, having a cat is more than just sharing a home with a pet—it’s a source of joy and a stress-relief companion. Among cat owners, 48% cite the entertainment their pets bring as a key reason for having them, while 44% value the stress relief they experience in their presence. Cats have a way of making us laugh with their antics while also offering moments of peace and calm, making them ideal companions for people of all ages and lifestyles.
Phrases and Quotes for National Cat Day
If you’re a cat lover, here are some famous quotes that you’ll love to share to wish everyone a Happy Cat Day.
- “A man is civilized in proportion to his understanding of a cat.” —George Bernard Shaw
- “The cat doesn’t rub against us; it rubs itself against us.” —Antoine de Rivarol
- “Winning a cat’s affection is no small task; it will be your friend if it feels you are worthy, but never your servant.” —Théophile Gautier
- “I prefer cats to dogs because there are no cat police.” —Jean Cocteau
- “Time spent with cats is never wasted.” —Sigmund Freud
- “Cats seem to operate on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.” —Joseph Wood Krutch
- “They told me training a cat is hard. That’s not true. Mine trained me in two days.” —Bill Dana
- “One cat just leads to another.” —Ernest Hemingway
- “Cats have absolute emotional honesty; human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.” —Ernest Hemingway
- “The cat is above all things.” —Margaret Benson
- “I have known many thinkers and many cats, but the wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” —Hippolyte Taine
- “People who love cats have some of the biggest hearts around.” —Susan Easterly
- “A meow massages the heart.” —Stuart McMillan
- “Cats tell me effortlessly all I need to know.” —Charles Bukowski
- “God made the cat to give man the pleasure of caressing a tiger.”
- “Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” —Robert A. Heinlein
- “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” —Albert Schweitzer
- “What greater gift than the love of a cat?” —Charles Dickens
- “Of all God’s creatures, there is only one that cannot be enslaved by a leash. The cat.” —Mark Twain
- “The smallest feline is a masterpiece.” —Leonardo da Vinci
- “The way to get along with a cat is to treat it as an equal, or even better, as the superior it knows itself to be.” —Elizabeth Peters
- “Cats are here to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose.” —Garrison Keillor
- “If animals could speak, the dog would be a clumsy companion without a filter, but the cat would have the elegant grace of saying just enough.” —Mark Twain
- “I love cats because I love my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.” —Jean Cocteau
- “I have lived with several Zen masters, all of them cats.” —Eckhart Tolle
- “How to tell if someone is a true friend? That friend will care for your cat while you’re away.” —William S. Burroughs
- “Cats can mathematically find the spot that will cause the most inconvenience.” —Pam Brown
- “I believe cats are spirits come to Earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without falling through.” —Jules Verne
- “I think cats have Asperger’s syndrome. Like me, they’re very smart. And, like me, sometimes they just need to be alone.” —Jodi Picoult
- “A woman who doesn’t love cats will never make a man happy.” —Orhan Pamuk
- “What kind of philosophers are we, who know absolutely nothing about the origin and destiny of cats?” —Henry David Thoreau
- “Cats gracefully tolerate humans until someone invents a can opener they can operate with a paw.” —Terry Pratchett
- “I explained it loud and clear. Which part of ‘meow’ don’t you understand?” —Lee Wardlaw
- “Cats choose us; we don’t own them.” —Kristin Cast
- “If you aim to be a writer, have cats.” —Aldous Huxley
- “Come closer. You’re my chance to pet the tiger—and quote Baudelaire.” —José Emilio Pacheco
- “The states of matter are four: liquid, solid, gas, and cat.” —Darío Jaramillo Agudelo
- “When spirit plays at being matter, it becomes a cat.” —Darío Jaramillo Agudelo
- “Man wants to be fish and bird; the snake wants wings; the dog is a confused lion; the engineer wants to be a poet; the fly studies to be a swallow; the poet tries to imitate the fly, but the cat only wants to be a cat.” —Pablo Neruda
- “If there were a universal sound for peace, I would vote for purring.” —B.L. Diamond
- “In ancient times, cats were worshiped as gods; they have not forgotten this.” —Terry Pratchett
- “Cats randomly refuse to follow orders just to prove they can.” —Ilona Andrews
- “Elegance wanted a body and life, so it transformed into a cat.” —Guillaume of Aquitaine
- “When cats dream, they take on the majestic pose of sphinxes reclining against solitude, seemingly asleep in endless slumber; magical sparks leap from their soft haunches and golden flecks like fine sand vaguely illuminate their mystical pupils.” —Baudelaire
- “Dogs look at us as their gods, horses as their equals, but cats look at us as their subjects.” —Winston Churchill
- “Cats have it all: admiration, endless sleep, and companionship only when they desire it.” —Rod McKuen
- “When I feel down, I just look at my cats.” —Charles Bukowski
- “If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but deteriorate the cat.” —Mark Twain
- “The trouble with cats is that they always have the same look on their faces, whether they see a moth or a hatchet-wielding murderer.” —Paula Poundstone
- “I love cats. They’re among the few creatures that refuse to be exploited by their owners.” —Umberto Eco
- “The only mystery about the cat is why it decided to become a domestic animal.” —C. Mackenzie
- “The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat.” —Jules Renard
- “Of course, you can love a cat more than a man. In fact, man is the most horrible animal in creation.” —Brigitte Bardot
Images for National Cat Day
