Greetings glorious koshki. koty and kotyata of Russia. Today we celebrate you.

Russia is home to some 23 million cats. Over half the population claim to have an in-house cat. So of course they have got their own day. It was established in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and other animal rights group to promote cat welfare. Other countries have other days, as you will know if you have been following our blog. You have, I trust.

The official National Russian Cat is the Siberian, an absolutely gorgeous creature, with a magnificent thick fur coat designed to keep them warm in extreme cold. Calm, noble, graceful (despite being really serious units, see pic) they are extremely intelligent and excellent hunters. Belvedere says that his great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a Siberian, and that his Russian name is Bel’veder, but I don’t believe him.