World Cat Day

“From the whiskers to the tip of the tail”

They are stubborn, graceful, have seven lives and know exactly how to lead people around by the nose: Cats.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/2020 Mary Swift Photography)

August 8th is World Cat Day. And although they top the list of the most popular pets, velvet paws in Austria are unfortunately often not treated with much celebration. In many cases, the cat's misery starts with understanding them. They communicate with us humans from early in the morning until late at night. Find out how this works in our article from the "Krone" cat house.

Cats have been the undisputed favorite pets of Austrians for years. Around two million house pets are an integral part of our daily lives in this country as four-legged family members. They keep us company and sometimes provide comfort in difficult times.

Every cat has its very own character and fascinates us again and again with its sovereignty. Whether large or small, patterned or plain, with long or short fur, with or without restrictions - each one is impressive and individual in its own way.

Swarming "fair game" in Austria
Mysterious creatures like cats deserve their own day of honor - which is why World Cat Day has been celebrated worldwide on August 8 since 2002. Many velvet paws are lucky enough to be pampered and loved by their owners. However, there are also abuses in cat keeping, which various animal welfare organizations want to draw attention to on the occasion of this day of remembrance.

For example, the lives of many innocent outdoor cats often end with a bang if they stray too far from their homes. In Austria, cats may be shot at a certain distance from residential areas, depending on the province: Burgenland 200 meters from residential buildings, in Vienna 300 meters as well as in Upper Austria, but there even if the cat is already caught in a trap. The referendum "For a federal animal protection law" calls for a uniform, modern hunting law in which the shooting of pets has no place.

Animal suffering caused by human hands
Anyone who does not have free-roaming domestic cats neutered is liable to prosecution and must expect to be reported to the official veterinarian - or so the theory goes. This also applies to farm cats. Even stray animals that are fed are not considered strays. The municipalities are responsible for compliance with the Austria-wide castration obligation. The practice is different: Due to a lack of controls, cat populations continue to get out of hand. Due to countless lawbreakers, there is an extremely high proportion of severe inbreeding, which leads to disabilities, diseases and underdevelopment in the animals.

Velvet paws find a loving home in our "Krone" cat shelter.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Sanctuary for the unwanted
The "Krone" animal corner has been running a cat house for decades, where old and sick velvet paws find a home for life. Around 65 animals are currently kept as a large group in our facility on the outskirts of Vienna. There are plenty of corners to hide in, toys and secure outdoor areas to snooze comfortably in the sun. Of course, there is also plenty of cuddling.

Many of the pets have lost their homes - often due to tragic circumstances. Some come from so-called "animal hoarding" cases. Many of them are traumatized and gradually gain trust in humans through intensive, loving care. Cat behavior expert Petra Ott has been supporting our velvet paws for years with a great deal of sensitivity and expertise and also helps with behavioral problems.

Thanks to donations from animal-loving people, we have been able to give the rescued felines a loving retirement for many years - in a place where they are loved just as they are!

Maggie Entenfellner, „Krone“-Tierecke-Leiterin

Bild: Peter Tomschi

Cat coach gives tips and helps with misunderstandings
In our "KroneTV" report, Petra Ott impressively explains how cats try to "communicate with us humans from the whiskers to the tip of their tails" every day. Or how you can correctly interpret the language of these fascinating creatures and even use your own cat training app to help with problems such as uncleanliness, scratching, aggression and anxiety.

Did you know that...

• cats are not allowed to drink cow's milk due to lactose intolerance
• a cat has 32 muscles in each ear. In comparison, humans only have six. That's why cats can turn their ears 180 degrees, stand them up and fold them down. This enables three-dimensional hearing
• an average domestic cat can jump about five times its own height
• velvet paws think most of their fluid requirements through food
• they meow in around 60 different ways
• cats purr around 1500 times per minute

Represented on social media
You can also get a good impression of our "Krone" cat house on the animal corner's Instagram page. There is a separate cat house section in the stories, in which some of our protégés are introduced and a little of their everyday life is shown.