Photo by Shakhmaev Marat. "Neighbor's cat"
Galina Shakhmaeva.
Serenaded cats
Under my open window.
Summon a friend who has insomnia
Filling the house with screams.
The singing gradually subsides.
And the darkness of the night hides
Whirling boiling passion,
What lived behind the glass?
Brother's poem. Vladimir Vedminsky.
Cats know how to conquer people
How to force yourself to love very tenderly.
How to treat yourself to sausage,
Did you guess it? Well, of course with affection!
They are extraterrestrial beings
Even small ones, but already with a mustache......
There are holidays dedicated to these furry pets in many countries. For example, in our country Cat Day is celebrated on March 1, in Poland on February 17, in Japan on February 22, and in the USA they are celebrated on October 29. These days appeared at different times and based on different events (or without them).
But at the international level, this holiday has been celebrated since 2002. World Cat Day is celebrated annually on August 8 at the initiative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, not only to honor furry couch potatoes, but to draw attention to the problem of stray cats.
And today the holiday unites millions of owners of these animals around the world. After all, there are few people on the planet who remain indifferent to these fluffy, active, affectionate and very intelligent animals. And there is even a science about cats - felinology (from Latin felinus - cat and Greek logos - science), emphasizing that cats are very smart and useful. The domestic cat (Felis catus) is a member of the cat family, which includes 2 subfamilies, 4 genera and about 36 species. It is known that representatives of both subfamilies, 3 genera and 12 species live in Russia.
In addition to “aesthetic pleasure” (after all, what could be more pleasant than a purring, warm friend cuddling on your lap), cats also perform a number of useful functions for humans. They perfectly exterminate rodents, treat some diseases and even prolong the life of their owner. Thus, American doctors found that cat owners are 40% less likely to suffer from heart disease, and they are also less likely to have heart attacks and strokes. And English doctors have even developed a whole “cat therapy”, with the help of which they propose to treat a number of diseases, in particular, inflammation of the joints and gynecological diseases.
Therefore, it is not surprising that in some countries these animals have a special state status, for example, in Austria, every cat that guarded food warehouses is paid a lifelong pension in the form of meat and milk, and in China cats are protected at the legislative level. By the way, in Japan there is even a Cat Temple, built in honor of 7 cats who served Japanese warriors faithfully in the 17th century, and in Germany there is a Cat Museum, which contains many exhibits related to cats and selected from around the world. Our country does not lag behind in their veneration - for example, there are cat museums in both Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Since childhood, we have all been familiar with the phrases “How many people, so many opinions” and “There can never be too much of a good thing,” but it is not always possible to apply them to the same phenomenon. This time is a rare case when it is not only possible, but also necessary. A holiday that reminds us of gratitude and respect for such amazing creatures as cats was definitely worth inventing.
When is Cat Day celebrated?
It should not be surprising that in Russia World Cat Day is March 1, in the USA it is October 29, in Great Britain it is August 8, and, say, in Italy it is February 17. Firstly, good ideas often occur to different people at the same time, especially in different countries. Secondly, one of the oldest companions of man, with a population of more than half a billion, certainly deserves increased attention.
Thirdly, everything is logical: for each season there is one Cat Day (or more, if you count not only officially international, but also local holidays). But still, let's talk about some of them in more detail.
February Cat Day
World Cat Day, which is celebrated on February 17 in a number of European countries, can rightfully be called one of the “oldest”, if this can be said about a holiday that is 27 years old. And it all started in Italy with the initiative of a journalist from the famous Tuttogatto publication, Claudia Angeletti.
On its pages, a survey was conducted among readers whether they would like to see Cat Protection Day. Since the audience supported the idea, the next day was chosen - February 17 was proposed by a certain Oriella Del Col. The woman motivated her choice by the fact that February is traditionally considered the month of witches and cats in Italy, and the number 17 also portends bad luck.
If such a message for a holiday seems strange to you, let us explain: Italian animal activists thereby spoke out against superstitions and mistreatment of cats (in particular, black ones who suffered from the Inquisition). And so that no one else has any questions, they appointed an additional holiday for the most unfortunate category of cats - November 17 (Black Cat Day).
But even earlier, Japan began to honor furry pets. Every February 22, since 1987, events are held in Tokyo at which a special jury chooses the most unusual cat (not in terms of appearance, but taking into account its “achievements” and behavior). The day was not chosen by chance, because the Japanese “meow-meow” (in the original “nyan-nyan”) means two deuces.
England and America
In 2002, the International Fund for Animal Welfare officially registered World or International Cat Day on August 8th. This initiative caused a great response among the British. This is not surprising if we remember how eagerly in the United Kingdom they erect monuments to mustachioed mouse hunters, who not only protect grain stocks at enterprises from rodents, but are also officially on duty in museums, for example, in the most famous repository of relics - the British Museum.
On Cat Day, it is customary to congratulate these employees: arrange houses for them, sew “uniforms”, pamper them with tasty treats. Other Europeans also do not forget about home front workers: in Austria, for example, on one of the World Cat Days, a special bonus was established, which was awarded to animals who have worked for the good of their homeland for several years - mouse-catching cats there are accepted for lifelong maintenance at the expense of the state.
In America, Cat Day is celebrated annually on October 29 - this decision was made by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 2005.
In addition to the fact that on this day many people wear T-shirts and “cat ears”, buy and give gifts with cat symbols (paying tribute to marketing, so to speak), the main emphasis in the media (and social networks) is on people taking as many shelter cats as possible. Photos of empty cages with adoption statistics for October 29 and August 8 are posted online every year.
World Cat Day in Russia
We are unlikely to be mistaken in assuming that most of our citizens do not know when Cat Day is celebrated in Russia. Still, despite its growing popularity, this holiday is not the most iconic, and besides, truly popular love is coming on its “tail” - March 8th. But you must admit that March is much more suitable for purrs than other months.
Spring begins, the sounds of dripping, bird chirping and March “trills” are heard more and more often outside the window. The nature of the latter, we think, does not need to be interpreted by anyone - the phrase speaks for itself. Did these associations influence the choice of the date of the holiday in our country? We decided to find out how it happened that March 1 is International Cat Day in Russia.
How it all began
For the first time this holiday, Cat Day, took place in Russia on March 1, 2004. The magazine “Cat and Dog” and the private Moscow Cat Museum took direct part in its birth. It was at the opening of the exhibition dedicated to the mustachioed heroes of the occasion (under the motto “Love for cats is forever!”) that the organizers announced the creation of a new holiday. Then other organizations took up the idea.
The emblem of the holiday was drawn by the talented artist Tatyana Kharitonova - it was a portrait of a sunny red cat named Sebastian.
Now it seems correct and logical that Cat Day is March 1, its history, however, could have been completely different if not 
creative people behind the scenes. This is Natalya Dmitrieva, Chief Editor newspaper and magazine “Cat and Dog” and artist Andrei Abramov (he is also the director of the Cat Museum and at that time the host of the program “The Amazing World of Cats”).
Double birthday
An interesting fact that perhaps opens up new dimensions, if not in the holiday itself, then in its history: the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Cat and Dog” also celebrates his birthday on March 1st! Congratulations 
Natalya Yakovlevna on her personal holiday and at the same time on World Cat Day.
And we remind readers that the first issue of the newspaper “Cat and Dog” was published on September 2, 1990 - this publication immediately became popular among pet lovers. Then the magazine of the same name appeared, which, despite very difficult times, did not give up its positions, putting love for animals and attention to readers above many market factors.
Natalya Yakovlevna sincerely loves cats (as the beauties who live in her home would probably tell you), is interested in the life and rights of animals, and participates in many events dedicated to pets. It is not surprising that she put a piece of her soul into the creation of World Cat Day.
By KITTS for the holiday
Now that you know everything: how things are abroad, and why World Cat Day is celebrated on March 1 in Russia, congratulations, poems and pictures will no longer be out of place.
We really hope that through joint efforts with you we will replenish the “folk stock” of ditties about CATs, interesting poems about cats, poetic and prosaic declarations of love and heartfelt photographs. In the meantime, check out the pictures and poems for March 1 on Cat Day that we found for you on the Internet and came up with ourselves.
So that you never get sick
Eared ears, purrs,
And only delicious food
Pillows, hands, mice
They were surrounded day and night,
And all sorrows go away with the wind!
March motives
We don't need empty speeches,
Forecast for the week
The cats have arrived -
Now we are waiting for the rooks.
Red-haired pirate
Spring, oh, how glad I am.
Look, admire,
But don’t pry into my personal life!
Beauty connoisseur
And he hates slippers...
From the sore
If the cat is striped -
She is harmful and mustachioed,
But loving her at the same time
You must in winter and summer.
They bought me a filler
For the cat's litter box.
I tried - the whole apartment
Like a hamster cage.
Dark night in my bedroom
They are closing.
I sing to them at the door.
But they don’t like everything!
I'll go for a walk in the yard
There's a nasty ball there.
I will drive him -
Let him know what revenge means!
I'll tell you people this -
If you offend me,
My butt and my tail -
Just see it!
Every day packages, bags
You bring it home.
Oh, the work, that work!
Smell everything, dig through it!
My master is in the laptop
I compiled the entire program.
He created it in agony -
I washed everything with my paw!
Louder than thousands of decibels -
Our Murzik hasn’t eaten yet
"Ode to a Cat" by Pablo Neruda
And finally, again a little poetry... On March 1, Cat Day, the poems of the wonderful poet Pablo Neruda (translated by O. Savich) sound especially solemn, gentle and elegant. And what do you think?
Animals were at first imperfect:
the tail is too long
it's a tiny head.
But they gradually settled down
and created a landscape for themselves,
acquired grace and spots
Dear ones, you have mastered flight.
And the cat is just a cat!
And she appeared whole and proud;
she was born complete,
she goes and knows what she wants.
Would a person like to become a fish or a bird,
the snake would like to have wings,
a dog is just a confused lion,
an engineer would like to become a poet,
and the fly learns to become a swallow,
the poet strives to imitate the fly,
but the cat wants to be a cat, and that’s all;
every cat is a cat
yes, cat, from whiskers to tail
and from premonition to fast rat,
from night to gold in the eyes.
There is no such unity yet;
there is no such building
neither the moon nor the flower;
there is integrity in everything,
like the sun, like topaz,
and elastic line
confident and fine contours
similar to the drawing of the bow of a ship;
and yellow eyes
they leave only one crack,
so that the night can throw its coins there.
Oh little one
Empress without a globe,
conqueror without a homeland,
toy salon tigress,
Sultana in the sky of the roofs,
you call in bad weather
love wind;
you walk on the ground,
walking with four graceful feet,
sniffing everything, not trusting
earthly nothing, -
everything is disgusting - unclean
for the feet of cats immaculate.
O independent domestic predator,
an arrogant relic of the night,
lazy, elastic, alien,
the whole cat down to the roots of the hair
and to the end of the nails,
secret home police,
the remnant of the disappeared velvet, -
there is no mystery, of course
in your demeanor;
maybe you're not a secret at all,
everyone knows you, you -
of the least mysterious creatures;
maybe everyone believes this,
but they consider themselves
masters and owners,
comrades and friends of cats,
and relatives, students.
Me not. I won't sign up for this.
I don't know cats.
I know everything - life, archipelagos
and the sea, and the innumerable city,
botany and the path of the whorl to the sun,
and mathematics - to the extent and extent
and passionate deceptions of the world,
and surreal crocodile clothes,
the unknown kindness of firefighters,
priests azure atavism, -
but I can’t decipher the cat.
My mind slides over her indifference,
and there are golden numbers in her eyes.
I look at today's Moscow courtyards and see less and less the yard cats that have always been their sign. The cats were fed, children played with them, and many kittens were taken home. Today they were poisoned by throwing poisoned food. They gave it to homeless dogs to be torn to pieces, walling up all the entrances to the basements and locking the entrances with iron doors.
Those who are lucky flock to the markets where they are fed to protect themselves from the rats. Others were placed in shelters, where they eke out a miserable existence, because the cat, over the millennia of living next to humans, has become a domestic creature, living next to humans and for humans.
A cat needs a person, just as a person needs a cat. We know of many great people who are spiritually attached to their pets. The Prophet Muhammad himself loved his cat so much that, according to legend, when she fell asleep on the hem of his robe, he cut off a piece of it so as not to disturb her.
“Even the smallest of cats is perfection,” said Leonardo da Vinci. And Daniel Defoe said: “Whoever has a cat need not be afraid of loneliness.” A cat is irreplaceable in the house; it creates an aura of comfort, kindness, and relieves stress. She is a child's best friend and an old man's healer. Many people believe in the magical power of a cat and consider it their good genius at home, the keeper of the hearth.
Unfortunately, not every cat finds a home. But history knows a lot of examples when a cat was not only a pet, but an irreplaceable and respected worker. In ancient Egypt, the cat was a sacred animal, primarily because it was an excellent rodent killer and its life was protected by law.
With the development of navigation, cats became vital members of ship crews and spread throughout the world. On British ships they are from the 16th century. arrived in North America, and in the 18th century. - to Australia.
The British are generally distinguished by their respectful attitude towards cats, and animals in general. Many departments have traditionally enlisted cats in the civil service with a salary. For more than a century, funds have been allocated for the maintenance of cats in English post offices and museums.
Nowadays, cats officially “work” in ports, in vegetable warehouses and markets, in museums, libraries, and printing houses in many European countries and in the USA. For example, the French state printing house maintains a whole staff of cats that catch mice that eat paper.
And one of the famous American working cats named Fang lives in a police station in Texas and has a personal badge with a photo card.
If only we had such traditions. How many cat lives would be saved? How much benefit would ordinary yard cats, about which no one cares, bring to people?
And I would like to quote the words of the world famous humanist, theologian, musician and doctor, laureate Nobel Prize of the World (1952) by Albert Schweitzer.
Prayer for animals
Hear our humble prayer, Lord! We pray for all our animal friends, especially those who are suffering. For everyone who is hunted, lost, abandoned, scared or hungry; for everyone who needs to be put to sleep. Have pity on them, be merciful! And to those who should take care of them, Grant hearts full of compassion, Give them kind hands, suggest kind words. May we be true friends for animals! May we share your mercy and grace with them! Amen!
Look around, how many more of these defenseless creatures drag out a miserable existence next to us, literally under our feet.
There are holidays dedicated to these undeniably intelligent animals in many countries. For example, in our country Cat Day is celebrated on March 1, in Poland on February 17, in Japan on February 22, and in the USA they are celebrated on October 29.
But at the international level, this holiday appeared in 2002.
World Cat Day is celebrated annually on August 8 at the initiative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Animal Welfare, not only to honor furry couch potatoes, but also to draw attention to the problem of stray cats.
Few people can remain indifferent to these fluffy, agile, affectionate and very intelligent animals.
By the way, there is a science about cats - felinology (from Latin felinus - cat and Greek logos - science), emphasizing that cats are very smart and useful. The domestic cat is a member of the cat family, which has two subfamilies, four genera and about 36 species. It is known that representatives of both subfamilies, three genera and 12 species live in Russia.
Cats have been and remain the most common pets around the world: about 80% of all inhabitants of the Earth have a pet, and more than half of them gave their preference to cats, with dogs coming in second place.
In some countries, these animals have a special state status, for example, in Austria, each cat that guarded food warehouses is paid a lifelong pension in the form of meat and milk. In Germany there is a Cat Museum, which contains many exhibits related to cats, selected from around the world. Our country does not lag behind in their veneration - for example, there are cat museums in both Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Cats have long been considered mysterious and magical animals. Knowing about their abilities, you will take a new look at your pet.
The first mentions of cats as pets are found in Ancient Egypt. Then the presence of a cat in the house indicated that the person was an important person. Cats at that time were sacred animals of Egypt and lived in temples.
Cats are the patrons of the home. The strength of their effect on everything that happens in the house depends on the color. The darker the fur, the more negativity the cat absorbs. The whiter and lighter the cat, the more often it attracts goodness into the house.
Black cats do not bring trouble, but warn about it.
Cats process negative energy, turning it into light energy. They absorb all the negativity that you bring with you, for example from work. They are like a vacuum cleaner, a magnet for bad energy.
Cats can anticipate seismic disturbances in the Earth, gas leaks, future fires, and much more.
Cats heal wounds, illnesses and illnesses. Those who suffer from joint pain often notice cats sitting next to them and just sitting. They feel your pain. The purring of cats inexplicably cures any ailment.
Cats and kittens recognize perfectly bad people. If the pet behaves calmly at the sight of a stranger or even goes into his arms, the guest can be trusted. If not, this person is a source of negative energy caused by negative thoughts and emotions.
Along with dogs, cats are the most beloved pets of humans. These mysterious, wayward creatures bring a bit of comfort and tranquility, joy and peace into the lives of their owners. It is not for nothing that today in the vastness of the Runet you can often come across a phrase that has already become a kind of saying: “Life is not the same without a cat.” Every year, at the beginning of the third summer month, the entire planet honors man's mustachioed four-legged friends and companions: August 8 is listed on the calendar as World Cat Day.
About World Cat Day
World Cat Day appeared thanks to the initiative of the Animal Welfare organization - the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Representatives of this community pursued two goals with their actions: firstly, to restore justice and give due attention to the importance of cats in human life, which they well deserve, and secondly, to attract the world community to the solution of a rather serious problem, which, alas, has not been lost over time. its relevance - the fact of the existence of stray cats.
World Cat Day is very necessary for all of us, since the cat is perhaps the most common furry pet on the planet. If you believe the statistics, today more than half of the world's population owns cats and prefers them to other types of pets. In Latin, the phrase “domestic cat” is “Felis catus”. This affectionate and quite intelligent animal is a member of the Feline family, which in turn consists of two subfamilies and four genera, numbering approximately 36 species. On the territory of our country you can find cats of three genera and as many as 12 varieties.
The benefits and harms of a domestic cat
World Cat Day is a great occasion to talk about these amazing animals.
A person's mustachioed friends exert their presence on the inhabitants of the house where they live, the most positive influence.
The first and most important function of cats is, of course, the extermination of rodents, that is, mice and rats, which are pests of both property and health (we are dealing with disease carriers). But furry couch potatoes also have other useful abilities. Cats heal people - in the literal sense of the word. You've probably noticed more than once: if something hurts you, the cat tries to lie down on this particular place or, close to this, place on your body. As a result, the pain subsides quite quickly without any pills! This is how cats and kittens work: they cleanse a person’s biofield of negative energy, bringing their patient quite tangible relief. Scientists have found that regular contact with miniature relatives of tigers and lions can be a kind of therapy for a variety of diseases - articular, heart, vascular, gynecological and nervous. Communication with cats alleviates the condition of hypertensive patients and reduces the risk of myocardial infarction and strokes in purring owners. But cats and kittens have become especially famous in the fight against depression and nervous disorders. The fact is that our mustachioed pets are real living antidepressants. In Europe there is even the concept of cat therapy, the concept of which belongs to the author of British doctors.
Another benefit of cats for humans is that they are very intuitive creatures. They have an excellent sense of people with bad intentions, energy vampires: furry purrs will never approach such individuals, and even more so, they will not allow them to caress them. According to popular belief, cats see ghosts. Yes, you yourself probably could have observed the following picture: your cat, for no apparent reason, stares into complete emptiness, and then suddenly begins to hiss, while his fur stands on end.
Cats and cats are animals for real aesthetes. It is difficult to argue with the fact that, for the most part, four-legged homebodies are very attractive: there seems to be some mystery lurking in the green eyes, the movements and gait of mustachioed pets are smooth and relaxed, and the ability to purr gives them a special charm.
The harm of cats to human health lies only in the presence of fluffy fur in these animals. Such a fur coat can cause an allergic reaction upon contact. However, now this problem is no longer a reason for refusing to have a cat in the house: there are smooth-haired and completely hairless cat breeds.
- The average cat spends two thirds of the day sleeping without regret. As a result, out of approximately nine years to live, he is awake for only three years.
- The Jews have a legend explaining the appearance of domestic cats on Earth. It takes us back to biblical times, when a global flood hit the planet. According to this legend, the righteous Noah prayed to the Lord with a request to preserve food in the ark from attacks by rodents. God heard his prayers: he made the lion sneeze, and as a result, a domestic cat jumped out of the wild cat.
- Among the cat habits is the habit of affectionate pets to rub against the legs of their owners. In this way they express love, but first of all they try to mark a person with their own scent. Cats succeed in this thanks to the secretion secreted by special glands located around the muzzle, in the paws and near the tail.
- Researchers still can't say exactly how a cat purrs. If you ask veterinarians about this, they will answer that the reason for this phenomenon is vibration of the vocal cords. The latter are located deep in the throat, and they are activated by the work of the muscles of the larynx, which alternately open and close the passage for air in the pharynx more than 20 times per second.
- The world's smallest wild cat today is the black-footed cat. The females of this animal do not reach half a meter in length, and their weight is on average 1.2 kg.
- The Persian cat has gained the most popularity on our planet. The second place in the ranking for this indicator is taken by the Maine Coon cat (otherwise known as a raccoon cat), and the Siamese cat is in third place.
- The Amur tiger is the largest wild cat these days. The maximum length of its body can be more than 3.5 meters, and its weight can be up to 3.2 centners.
- The most expensive cat in the world is an animal named Little Nicky. The animal became a clone of its owner's beloved cat - she died of old age. The generous owner paid $50,000 for the “creation” of Little Nicky.
- The world's oldest cat was included in the Guinness Book of Records. His name was Crème Puff, he lived from 1967 to 2005 in the USA (Austin, Texas). Thus, the cat's age at the time of death was 38 years and 3 days. The usual life expectancy of cats does not exceed, as a rule, 20 years, which in human years is equal to 96 years of age.
- Another cat named Himmy from Australia entered the Book of Records due to his impressive weight, which was equal to 21 kg. Himmy was 10 years old when he died.
- But the cat Blackie distinguished herself by becoming the heiress of 15 million pounds! Her benefactor is the owner Ben Ree. Now Blackie is considered the richest cat in the world.
On World Cat Day, show special attention to your pet and treat a stray cat with a treat. In general, enjoy your holiday!