Hat tip to Mollie Hunt for making us aware of Cat Lady Day, an unofficial holiday that is part of an effort to reclaim the concept of the “cat lady” through positive association.
That’s a noble goal, and at PITB we’ve long scoffed at the idea that gender makes a difference in appreciating felines.
Cats are paradoxically regal yet derpy, imperious yet loving, and their antics are always amusing. Those are qualities that can appeal to anyone regardless of gender, nationality, age or cultural background.
But I think we should also use a day like this to thank the innumerable cat ladies in every city, town and village across the country who work tirelessly to improve the lives of strays, ferals and shelter cats.
These are the people who walk the walk, who do the hard work of TNR (trap, neuter, return), managing colonies, and protecting cats without homes from animals and mean-spirited humans.
Cat ladies find homes for friendly strays, keep colony cats fed, and obtain veterinary care for the sick and injured.
More often than not, they provide help out of their own pockets when donations can’t cover all the costs.
Not only is it thankless work most of the time, but misguided bureaucrats sometimes take it upon themselves to make life more difficult for the cat ladies caring for local strays and ferals.
Yet these women persist because they’re driven by one thing — love for our furry friends.
That’s absolutely worth celebrating.
Pain In The Bud 
Thanks for sharing my post. And …”paradoxically regal yet derpy…” So funny and true.
LikeLike
Thanks for making me aware of Cat Lady Day. All cat ladies deserve our thanks.
LikeLike
❤❤❤❤❤
LikeLike
Yes, they are amazing. A special kudos to my local volunteers who take care of community cats all over my area, the volunteers of Ohlone Humane Society. And the occasional male TNR volunteer also.
LikeLike
There are no statistics for this sort of thing, but it would be interesting to see if more men are are getting involved in things like TNR.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pretty sure more men are getting into tnr. My neighbors, a couple, share the duties. Husband does most of trapping and wife feeds colony. A stray wondered into the garden and got stuck so i offered to help trap it. Busy teachers with 2 kids.
LikeLike
Where do they congregate, behind restaurants and places like that?
LikeLike
They get fed behind restaurant. Thank goodness owners they have no problem with it. After eating they jump back to where they stay. Which is a whole block of open garden and are safe.
LikeLike
Did anyone ever interview The Trap King? And all stories i read about cats being saved abroard have been men. Most recent story of man in Japan saving cats and dogs where people had to leave area where reactor went off and were not allowed to bring pets.
LikeLike