Every dog must have his day but the cats get exactly one per year on Saturday October 16, tomorrow. Yes it’s the tenth annual Feral Cat Day and the fur and fangs have already begun to fly as everywhere cats go wild and were-y. Don’t get caught in the cross-fur like this very unfortunate videographer (see video below).
Originally begun as “Feral Freedom Day,” in 2001 by the F.F.F. or Feline Freedom Front, Feral Cat Day was intended as a day of feline affirmation, with werecats and wild cats around the world participating in activities to showcase their strength, dexterity and hunting skill. A not-so-subtle reminder to everybody else that cats are nobody’s pet and still to be reckoned with in the world.
(Even if they ARE noticeably less well organized than werewolves whose innate pack mind makes them far better at communicating their message to the world, at least if this site is any indication. No offense to any werecats.)
Well Feral Freedom Day 2001 turned out to be a nightmare. Their hairball antics and high-wire hijinks and dead animal offerings – we’re not just talking about mice – did NOT go over the way they intended. With 9-11 fresh in people’s memory, the world was terrorized again and the Feline Freedom Front was officially declared a terrorist organization, forcing all the members underground again.
So why do we still celebrate Feral Cat Day? Well in a brilliant act of political appropriation, cat fighters around the world claimed October 16 as a day to declare war on werecats, encouraging ordinary citizens everywhere to capture and neuter the fiercest felines, dubbing it “Feral Cat Day.” Needless to say, this has led to an extended cat-fight of epic proportions. Werecats everywhere sharpen their claws all year for this night. You may hear the yeowls begin as soon as the sun goes down.
Oh and congratulations to the Italian Welfare League, which also celebrates today. I hope they fare better than their feral friends!