On International Cat Day, August 8 every year, cat lovers around the world dedicate an entire day to recognising and celebrating one of the most beloved pets on earth.
If you're enough of a cat fanatic to celebrate International Cat Day, why not take your next holiday in August and take a pilgrimage to one of these international locations to celebrate:
Cat cafes in Tokyo
Cats are hugely popular in Japan though many apartments forbid pets. The result? Cat cafes! There are nearly 60 in Tokyo, many of which exist to raise awareness of issues surrounding cat welfare and to find homes for cats looking for owners to adopt them. Try the fairytale-esque Temari no Ouchi, the popular MoCHA in Shibuya, or the two-storey wonderland that is Calico in Shinjuku.
'Cat Island', Japan
That's right, there's more than a few reasons for cat-lovers to visit Japan. Tashirojima (also known as 'Cat Island') is an island off the east coast where wild cats outnumber humans 6 to 1. Though mostly feral, the cats are well-fed and cared for by local residents; tourists flock to the sparsely populated island (which now has less than 100 residents) to get a glimpse of what a world run by our feline overlords might look like.
KattenKabinet, Amsterdam
In the Netherlands, the KattenKabinet (literally 'Cat Cabinet') is an art museum devoted to works depicting cats - from drawings, paintings and sculptures to ceiling murals and even architecture. Film buffs take note: this feline shrine was even featured in the movie Ocean's Twelve, so you can kill two sightseeing birds with one stone here, so to speak.
