Overview
- International Cat Day, which falls on Saturday, August 8, 2026, was set by the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2002 and is now coordinated by International Cat Care to promote cat welfare.
- Mexico’s ENBIARE 2025 survey estimates about 19.2 million domestic cats, a figure reporters used on the day to stress the scale of public‑health and welfare needs.
- A global survey from MSD Salud Animal found only 16% of cat owners named vaccination as a top health priority compared with 69% of veterinarians, revealing a large perception gap on preventive medicine.
- Coverage published for the day reiterated core care steps for owners: keep vaccinations current, provide internal and external parasite control, schedule regular veterinary checks, consider sterilization, and offer environmental enrichment.
- The report reminded readers that August 8 is one of three commonly observed cat dates, with February 20 linked to Socks the White House cat and October 29 promoted by Colleen Paige, and noted August 8 was partly chosen because it coincides with the Northern Hemisphere’s higher feline breeding season.