It's National Feral Cat Day.. Which is also about the dogs!

So tomorrow may be National Feral Cat Day, but it doesn't mean that it's not about dogs, too!  

National Feral Cat day is all about raising awareness about stray cats that are without homes in city, suburb and rural areas.  The company Alley Cat Allies launched National Feral Cat Day in 2001 in order to raise awareness about "feral cats, promote Trap-Neuter-Return, and empower and mobilize the millions of compassionate Americans who care for them."  In other words, this day is about extending knowledge about animals who don't have homes.  And while this holiday is specifically about cats, this message can be extended to dogs as well.  Any animal who doesn't have a home can be extended charity, because charity is almost necessary for animals.

While humans, for the most part (after a certain age) can take care of themselves, animals can't.  Animals are stuck by providing solely for themselves, unless they have a human to take care of them.  This is what  National Feral Cat Day is about.  And this is why this holiday must be about dogs as well.  Feral cats are unlucky, but so are feral dogs.  They are both without homes, and both without any help.  

So instead of just observing the needs of feral cats on tomorrow's cat holiday, let's observe dogs, too.  The biggest difference between domestic and feral dogs is " the degree of reliance or dependence on humans."  This is because feral dogs are required to learn survival skills independently.  It is difficult for them to live a normal life because they cannot live a normal life.  While domestic dogs are taken care of, feral dogs are not.  They have no home, therefore they must learn to be self-reliant.  

However, this doesn't mean that feral dogs don't have needs.  This is why National Feral Cat Day exists.  It opens up understanding about the needs of feral/homeless cats.  We see a cat running around outside, scraggly looking, and don't blink an eye.  However, we need to be thinking of it as a serious issue.  For every at we see, there is also a homeless, unneglected dog.  Both cats and dogs without homes need food and care.  

If you see a feral dog or cat in your neighborhood, give it a thought.  There is something you can do, whether it be to leave out extra food at night or to call animal control. While calling the humane society seems like a bad idea, it's actually heroic. It's not "ratting" on the animals, but helping them.  Without homes, they will always be struggling.  But if you help the, they night have an easier life!

So happy National Feral Cat Day, and remember that cats aren't the only ones without homes. Lets help all of our furry friends.. together!