What it is
International Cat Day is observed on 8 August. It was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and is now widely celebrated by cat owners, shelters and pet businesses.
It is one of the most shareable days of the year: cats are a classic social-media favourite, and almost any brand can join in with a photo, a joke or a shelter-support idea.
Symbols: A cat on a keyboard, a cardboard box, a paw, a ball of yarn, a purring cat on a sofa
Emoji: 🐱 🐾 😸 🧶 🐟 💛
Colours: Warm ginger, soft grey, cream
Hashtags: #InternationalCatDay #CatDay #CatsOfInstagram #AdoptDontShop #CatLovers
What to aim for
- Get a large number of shares, tags and photo comments with a simple cat theme
- Support a local shelter and show the brand’s care
- Sell pet products, vet services or cat-friendly places
Post ideas by format
Post
- A cat photo contest announcement with clear rules and a small prize
- “What a cat teaches us about running a business” with three light lines and a photo of the office cat, if you have one
Carousel
- “Five signs your cat trusts you”: one slide per sign with a photo
- “How to prepare your home for a rescue cat”: slides with practical steps
Reel / short video
- Hook: “POV: your cat sits on your keyboard during a meeting.” A short, harmless skit
- A 15-second montage of customers’ cats with names on screen
Stories
- A poll: “Cat on the sofa or cat on the keyboard?”
- A “show us your cat” sticker where followers send photos
Ready-made post examples
Layouts we wrote as examples. Replace the details with your own business before you publish.
Happy International Cat Day! Send us a photo of your cat in Direct or tag us in the post, and we will show the funniest pictures in our Stories today. Tell us the cat’s name and their favourite hobby. For the winner of the day, we have a small gift from our pet shelf. Cats, please sit still for the photo.
POV: it is International Cat Day and the cat decides how the meeting goes. Watch how our cat helps with the morning planning: he sits on the keyboard, ignores the agenda and takes the best chair. Tell us in the comments what your cat does while you work. The funniest answer gets featured in our next video.
On International Cat Day we want to remind you that many cats are waiting for a home. This month we are collecting food and blankets for a local shelter. If you would like to help, bring items to our shop or send us a message, and we will pass them on and share the report. Every small gift helps a cat feel warm and safe.
Meme and trend formats that fit
- Cat on the keyboard. Show a work scene where the cat interrupts your task. It fits any business and does not require real products.
- Expectation vs reality. Expectation: a photo of a calm cat posing; reality: a blur of fur. The self-irony is relatable to every owner.
What to avoid
- Do not use photos of animals in distress to attract attention
- Do not promise donations you cannot confirm; name the shelter and the amount or the kind of help
- Do not give veterinary advice unless you are a qualified specialist
When to post
- Prepare the contest rules and agree on the prize a week ahead
- Publish in the morning of 8 August, collect photos during the day and repost in the evening
- The day after, announce the winners and show how the donation was passed on, if you collected one
What to check afterwards
- Photos sent, tags and shares: this is a content-creation day for the audience
- New followers and Story replies
- If you support a shelter: the number of items or the amount actually collected
Add one line about your business: the free generator gives three captions with hashtags for the network you choose. No sign-up.