Hopefully you are finding your rhythm with summer routines. School is out and camps and activities are in full force as are celebrations for our furry friends in June. June is Adopt a Cat Month traditionally. There are many places to adopt from but also many cats just seem to find their forever families by showing up at the right place at the right time. I always say few people go looking for a cat, cats just find their people.
June is also called National Pet Preparedness Month. This is something that should be considered not only for our small animals but also large animals. If natural disasters occur there are certain things that should be considered regardless of the size of the animal. For instance, all animals should have some form of identification. A microchip can be used for all species of animals and will never fall off or be removed. Most people only think about it for dogs or cats. If livestock get out of their pens they can travel away from home and be difficult to identify without some form of ID. In the south, multiple dogs and cats have been recovered at the time of hurricanes and many do not have identification. The shelters then rehome them to shelters up north and finding them is next to impossible. Another thing to always consider is food and access to water. These are essential items and not having access to water for a few days can cause severe dehydration and possible death. Having photos of you with your animals can prove ownership at the time of a natural disaster. Follow the above link to learn more about National Pet Preparedness Month.
- June 7th through 13th – Pet Appreciation Week
- June 9th – World Pet Memorial Day
- June 16th – Father’s Day
- June 17th – Take Your Cat to Work Day®
- June 17th – 21st – Take Your Pet to Work Week®
- June 19th – National Garfield the Cat Day
- June 21st – Take Your Dog to Work Day®
- June 24th – Cat World Domination Day
June has some well-deserved cat holidays. Sometimes it seems that cats are left out and considered 2nd class citizens next to dogs. They are gaining status but have a long way to go to catch up with dogs. Even when considering medications and available treatments for cats, many of them started as dog products and have been adapted to cats. Also, dog owners take their dog to a veterinarian once a year 78.8% of the time compared to cat owners 47.2%. With the help of google I discovered that cats outnumber dogs in the USA, but many rarely see a veterinarian for preventative care. Many cats and dogs end up in shelters each year and very few cats are spayed or neutered. This article from Psychology Today has some interesting patterns that they have collected about people and their pets.
The Truth about Cats and Dogs—by the Numbers
After reading an article like this one, I recognize that we need to do a better job of education with cat owners about the need to spay and neuter their kittens. Often spraying/vocalization
I see that the week of June 17th – 21st is take your pet to work week. I would love to see photos of my readers at work with their pets. Talk with your employers and see if they would be open to celebrating this event at your work. It may not be a productive day but certainly can bring great joy and happiness to the office. I have discovered more offices have cats or dogs that are present during business hours. I feel this is a good trend for both the customers and the pets. As you can see cat workday is at the beginning of the week and dog workday at the end. Might be good to have 2 separate days. Some cats and dogs do not get along with the other species.
Whatever holiday you decide to celebrate with your pets this month of June, be certain to get out and enjoy our first official month of summer in Iowa. With all the rain in May Iowa is in full color and water interests are ready for our enjoyment. Get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Make certain your dogs are on heartworm prevention. The mosquitoes will be out too!