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(Well, it was actually two days ago.)

Every August 8th is all about our cute, cuddly, purring kitties. Next to dogs, cats are the most popular pets ever. They are very incredible beings: they are independent, inquisitive, adventurous, have an amazing physiognomy, and the power to heal by themselves — at least most of the time. Descended from the African wildcat, these felines were domesticated by Ancient Egyptians, who regarded them as divine emissaries of the gods and were worshipped as thus. In time, they were imported to other countries, including Mediterranean cultures like Greece. Cats were most likely drawn to humans since the agricultural revolution; by growing crops, early farmers drew in pests, like mice and rats, which in turn, attracted wildcats. By culling the pests threatening their resources, cats were accepted and domesticated. Their services would continue throughout the millennia to today, for farms, aboard ships, and in homes. During the Dark Ages, however, cats were once persecuted for being familiars of witches or demons in disguise due to their mysterious, nocturnal lifestyle. But no cat breed would receive more superstitious infamy than black cats. In the US, it is bad luck should one cross your path, while in the UK, it’s good luck for one to do so. It has also been a popular symbol for Halloween as it is most likely chosen to be a witch’s pet or familiar. With the advent of film and digital media, cats received fame, whether as fiendish antagonists for mouse or dog protagonists, or friends and heroes themselves. Cats have also become internet sensations, with people posting videos on YouTube, starring famous felines, like Lil Bub, Grumpy Cat, and many, many more.

Despite their solitary nature and seemingly aloof nature, cats are very affectionate pets, as well as very intelligent. Although they’re not as easy to train, they are loyal and very affectionate. Cats have a wide range of vocalizations, from the famous meow to growling, hissing, trilling, and purring. They have different forms of meowing, with each variation having its own meaning, a meow for food, another for attention, and another for play. Meowing was initially used by kittens to call for their mothers. But once cats were domesticated, they’ve learned to use meowing to call for their otherwise preoccupied human caretakers. Although cats purr to indicate happiness and comfort, they also purr as a means to heal themselves. Cats are intelligent enough to manipulate doorknobs, mimicking baby cries to get their humans’ attention, and can dream. Based on several studies, behaviorists believe an adult cat’s intelligence is comparable to that of a 2-year-old human toddler.

Effective since August 3, 2020, the leading cat welfare charity, International Cat Care, became the custodians of International Cat Day. Since 1958, they’ve challenged cruelty, ignorance, and misunderstanding to affect positive change in the lives of cats. With an estimated global population of 600 million cats, half of which are thought to be unowned, their work has never been more important.

In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, cats have also been domesticated by ponies. Rarity owns a Persian named Opalescence, or Opal for short. She may seem grumpy and spoiled at times, but she cares for her Unicorn friend as any cat would. Goldie Delicious has a house full of cats of every breed, as well as a cheetah, while Ahuizotl has a Persian kitten with his lynx, cheetah, jaguar, and tiger. Meanwhile, in the lands south of Equestria, there is a kingdom ruled by great, sapient cats known as the Abyssinians. One individual from this cat kingdom who made a huge difference for the ponies was Capper Dapperpaws, an aristocrat (or aristoCAT) was lost his all his money when he fell in terrible debt with the Storm King and Verko, and ended up in Klugetown as a street con-artist. It was when the Mane Six came in search for help, he became their new friend and helped them defeat the Storm King (after he nearly sold them to Verko). The world of MLP:FIM had some very cool cats.

I received a notification from my computer’s search bar that was International Cat Day on the 8th. Although I made vectors of Opalescence and the sphynx, I had to make vectors of Goldie Delicious’ cats, and Ahuizotl’s white kitten. Each took an hour to make. The background was the toughest part. I tried having them rest on a table, but it didn’t work. I eventually stuck with a bed. Because Capper’s a really big kitty, I only place a picture of him on the wall. I also included Grumpy Cat (or rather Sourpuss’ cutie mark). And if you notice, I snuck in Hello Kitty on the bed spread.

I’m sorry this was posted so late. I struggled getting this project done on time. Once I finished it, I wasn’t too pleased with how it turned out. I then added the black cat I would use for my Halloween/Nightmare Night projects, and I feel like it fits. I neglected to share this, but since today is World Lion Day, I felt like this would be an excuse to post it by then. It’s not totally perfect, but it was the best I could do.

I will say this, I’ve been a cat owner throughout my life. First, I had a male cat named Meeko since I was a kid, and I treasured him as much as I did with my dogs. Sadly, he disappeared before I got into the 8th grade. Then, after entering high school, my family and I adopted a cat per school year: black longhair named Raven when I was a freshman, a female cat of the same mixed breed as my first cat named Miko when I was a sophomore, a female tabby we named Monkey before I became a junior, a pregnant longhair we named Helen before graduating, and from her, a male cat we named Tazzy. These were all the best felines I ever known, and while we only have two left, I will always love them with all my heart.

#internationalcatday #internationalcatday2023 #international_cat_day