Posted: October 1, 2009, 3 a.m. EDT
For all those
adopted cats out there without known birthdays, Oct. 1 will be a day of celebration. North Shore Animal League, an animal rescue organization in Port Washington, N.Y., has declared that date the universal birthday for shelter and rescue cats everywhere, dubbing it “CATober the 1st.”
To rally the celebration, North Shore Animal League America is inviting cat lovers nationwide to participate in the CATober the 1st festivities by expressing their birthday wishes to their own beloved furry companions, or even a family member or friend's rescued cat with a Happy CATober the 1st e-card greeting. The organization has designed four e-cards which can be sent from North Shore Animal League's website. Cat lovers can also vote at the site for the 2009 CATober the 1st Royalty. The winning cat will be announced at a celebratory event at North Shore Animal League’s headquarters.
Through the month of October, the league will be offering free adoptions of cats ages 6 months and older. People who adopt will also receive free starter bags of food and litter, a wellness visit with one of the organization’s veterinarians, a Purrfect Place Cat Playhouse, a chance to win a gift basket and the first 12 people to adopt will each receive a free collar from Pets in Stitches.