This February is for the cats, and more specifically it’s for their health, so we call it National Cat Health Month. Every cat parent should spend the month with extra focus on their cat’s physical and emotional well-being, and educate themselves on signs of unhealthy behavior or illness. We love National Cat Health Month because it reminds us to give extra love to our sweet kitties and serves as a great way to celebrate our furry friends beyond just posting cat memes!
History of National Cat Health Month
Our love for cats goes back a long way. The Ancient Egyptians were digging cats way before it was cool to post a selfie with a grumpy one on Instagram. In those days cats were used for social and religious practices and kept as pets. They even protected the Pharaoh and were praised for killing venomous snakes. Cats were so honored that they were mummified when buried, and Egyptian gods featured heads of cats.
It’s thought that around 3000 years ago farm cats were brought to Europe by Greek traders and they were highly valued for pest control. When the Romans reached Britain, they brought cats, and when Vikings invaded and left Britain, they then took cats with them. Cats were going global.
They’ve not always been valued though. Black cats were associated with witchcraft during the Middle Ages, and their reputation suffered some temporary damage around the time of the Black Death when people wrongly thought they may have something to do with the deadly plague. By the 1600s cats’ reputation had been restored and they were welcome passengers aboard ships to keep the rats away.
Cats still flourish today in America. By 1993 they outnumbered dogs as the most popular house pets in the nation. They’ve been on a long journey over the years, and so the least we can do is spend each February checking up on their health, they’re among our best friends after all.