June 4, 2025
International Hug Your Cat Day
International Hug Your Cat Day
Are you a CRAZY lady (or man)?
If so, the 4th of June is definitely one day you’ll want to get on board, as it’s International Hug Your Cat Day.
What is International Hug Your Cat Day all about?
It is your chance to show the world how much you love your kitty and how furtastic they are.
To celebrate the 4th of June International Hug Your Cat Day, we are sharing photos of cats getting hugged and stories about cats in general.
According to the RSPCA, in Australia, 29% of households own a cat. An estimated 3.9 million pet cats exist in Australia, which means there are 16 cats for every 100 people. That’s a lot of cats to be hugged on this special day.
Butter’s Story
Writer Jessica Mudditt, who brought her cat Butters from Bangladesh to Australia, expressed how important Butters is to her. Jessica explains that “I honestly consider her my best friend, and I’m sure my husband feels the same way about her too! We’ve had her for more than six years, and she has travelled with us to four different countries, so it feels like she has been with us through thick and thin. And because I work from home, I spend hours with her every day. She’s always following us around like a cute little shadow – she’s not the type of cat that sleeps in another room. She’s constantly trying to get our attention. As someone who knows cats well (you!) once said, She’s a human in a catsuit.”
I asked Jess how she would be celebrating with Butters, and she said, “I’ll make sure that the first thing I do is hug her, and I’ll give her extra hugs throughout the day. I’ll take a selfie with her during one of those hugs too. She enjoys receiving hugs, so I’m confident she’ll have an amazing day!
Celebrations
To celebrate Hug Your Cat Day (Monday, 4th June), Mad Paws, Australia’s largest online pet sitting platform, has scoured the nation to find Australia’s Most Huggable Cats—winners located in WA, QLD, and NSW (pictured below). Here are the furry finalists.
Take a meow-ment to congratulate Australia’s Most Huggable Cats!
Places to Pet Cats (if you don’t have one)
If you don’t have your own cat to hug, then why not pop to your nearest cat café to pet one or, better yet, a rescue centre to show some kitties some love? You never know; you may even find a feline friend to hug year round.
For more stories visit our blog.
Author Bio
Written by Carla Francis, author of “The Zen of Cat” and a long-time advocate for pet welfare and ethical travel. Carla is the founder of Pet-Friendly Accommodation Australia and shares her life with rescue cats and a deep passion for animal wellbeing.