As the unofficial OnMilwaukee.com "cat person," I felt it was my duty to report on National Cat Day. Until I received a press release yesterday announcing Companion Animal Resource and Adoption Center's (CARAC) plans for celebration, I had never heard of such a thing.
But then again, my co-worker informed me last Thursday that it was National Chocolate Milkshake Day, so I suppose these things can sneak up on us. Did anyone else know that this country celebrated delicious dairy desserts on Sept. 11?
As it turns out, National Cat Day, Oct. 29, was created by animal expert Colleen Page in response to her successful National Dog Day. (She also set aside days for horses and wildlife).
This woman is an animal warrior. As an animal behaviorist, she founded "Pet Home" magazine, authored "The Good Behavior Book for Dogs," and started the Animal Miracle Network, which connects animal lovers, shelters, rescues and businesses that care about helping orphaned animals.
The purpose of the upcoming National Cat Day is to raise money for local shelters and to, simply, celebrate the felines in your life.
CARAC commemorates the day with a Cat Care workshop on Oct. 25 at Bucketworks, 1340 N. 6th St. The $5 event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. and features vendor and information booths, feline microchipping services, a "build your own" cat scratching post workshop and a cat scratching post and condo auction.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
