Celebrate World Cat Day
JOBURG - World Cat Day is celebrated internationally on 8 August.
The commemorative day was founded in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and other international animal rights groups. Cats have been associated with humans for at least 9500 years, and they still play a big role in our lives.
Merinda Brits, founder of Fourways-based animal shelter, FourPaws, said that her shelter often has many more cats than dogs. “We have a lot more cats than dogs because people often adopt dogs but are not very receptive to adopting cats,” she said. Brits went on to explain that one of the main reasons people are dissuaded from adopting cats is the misconception that cats are not affectionate.
“People want a cat to run up to them like a dog and wag its tail but I don’t think you can compare two totally different species,” Brits said. “Cats are just as affectionate as dogs but they show their affection in different ways.”
Apart from celebrating all things feline on World Cat Day consider giving a lovable kitten or cat a home and making it World Cat Day, everyday.
Some animal shelters in Johannesburg where you can find a feline friend are FourPaws in Fourways, Kitty Shelter in Parkwood and Midrand SPCA.
Details: FourPaws, 083 377 3219, www.4ourpaws.org.za;
Kitty Shelter, 011 447 5275, www.kittyshelter.co.za;
Midrand SPCA, 011 265 9935, www.midrandspca.co.za
