5 Celebrities Who Are Next-Level Cat People
There’s no question that cats have captured our hearts, taken over our homes, and have even dominated the internet with their charm, cuteness, and overall hilarity. I love my cat so much that I often wonder if I may actually smother her to death, but I cannot stop loving her and squeezing her and spoiling her. Poor thing, she somehow puts up with it. My greatest ambition in life is to prove to her over and over how much she is loved, even though her take on it seems to be a general indifference. Unfortunately for my Fuzzy Muffin, my love comes with a budget. But if money weren’t an issue, just imagine how you could spoil your kitties! I dream of the ways.
Many celebrities these days have a soft spot for cats, too. They often showcase their love and devotion for their feline friends by sharing photos and videos on social media or talking about them in interviews. Sure that’s sweet, but there are some famous people throughout history who have gone above and beyond and completely (understandably) over the top! They treat the cats the way they should be treated: as royalty.
So let’s all take a lesson from these folks — for when we finally get that big break and we’re able to let our kitties live the lifestyles of the rich and famous. (Disclaimer: as long as your cat is loved and well-fed, they’re never going to know the difference.)
Read on for the most cat-crazy celebrities.
Karl Lagerfeld
The late Chanel artistic director and fashion icon only became a cat person later on in his life — but he took it to such an extreme, we could only aspire to spoil our cats as much. After watching the white Birman cat Choupette for a friend, he decided to never give her back. He took every chance to publicly share his adoration for Choupette, who became an instant celebrity as he (of course) also turned her into a model, who subsequently earned her own fortune.
A Harper’s Bazaar photo shoot where he donned fuzzy cat ears and his signature black sunglasses while holding his beloved kitty in the forefront, most accurately displayed Lagerfeld’s affections for Choupette. Lagerfeld said that his cat had several maids of her own (can you imagine) and never realized how famous she is by any means. He also endearingly proclaimed that Choupette inspired him to become a better person.
She’s garnered a massive social media that follows her lavish lifestyle and many travels with the late Lagerfeld, including riding private planes and making backstage appearances during Chanel runway shows. Upon his passing in early 2019 at the age of 85, Choupette was left a handsome portion of his inheritance to ensure proper care and she maintains a huge following on social media.
Getty
Beth and Howard Stern
Howard Stern and his wife, Beth Stern, are both devoted animal advocates, but Beth has made it her life’s mission to rescue, foster, and adopt cats and kittens. Consequently, all three of their homes are filled with felines. They have six resident cats of their own, but have fostered close to 900, many with special needs. Beth highlights the personalities of all her fosters on her Instagram, many creating a fanbase and avid followers of their own.
Beth even cared for a *gorgeous* feral named Muffin for 11 years on their Long Island property, pampering her with the royal treatment of steamed chicken twice a day, ice water in the hot months, and three heated outdoor homes for the cold (even though she could not touch or get close to her). Muffin sadly passed away from an abdominal mass this year, but her hissy, growly yet irresistibly hilarious personality will live on in the hashtag #feralmuffinstern on Instagram and, has opened our hearts to the charm of ferals.
Beth has written two children’s books about cats and even released a kitten calendar with photos taken by Howard. The proceeds of the calendar go towards saving more cats. If you’re interested in adopting a kitty, check out her current fosters @bethostern.
Getty
Ernest Hemingway
Famed author Ernest Hemingway was such an avid cat lover that there is actually a type of cat named the Hemingway Cat — and they just happen to have more than ten toes. Originally transported between Britain and the Northeast, the Hemingway Cat, also known as polydactyl cats, have a congenital physical anomaly that causes them to have extra digits. The genetic condition was thought to be good luck by sailors who considered them extra good at catching mice.
When Hemingway and his family adopted one named Snow White in 1931 and let her run rampant on their property in Key West, she created a colony of extra-digited cats that continue to thrive to this day. Now 40 to 50 of the original descendants live freely on the home-turned-museum, where they delight visitors and lounge on artifacts that aren’t allowed to be touched by humans. Imagine not only leaving a legacy of having a namesake cat, but also having a huge property for your beloved cats to live on for eternity. Best of all, Hemingway would always name the cats after famous people — a tradition that continues today.
Getty
Freddie Mercury
The Queen frontman was first gifted two cats by his best friend, Mary Austin. He loved them so much, he eventually ended up owning 10 cats throughout his lifetime, many of them overlapping. While on tour, he would call home to speak to them, telling him how much he loved and missed each of them through the receiver.
According to his personal assistant and friend Peter Freestone, he would treat them as his children, giving them individual stockings filled with treats and toys for Christmas. He had portraits of all of them commissioned and hung throughout his home (not going to lie, this is one excessive indulgence I’ve done for my cat, too!). When Freddie discovered that a lover was unfaithful to him while on tour in America, he had him flown out for a “visit.” Upon his arrival, Freddie immediately told him the relationship was over and sent him back on the next flight to London to pack his bags and vacate their shared flat. The only caveat was that his cat that he’d brought into the relationship, Oscar, was to stay. “Get out but leave your cat” is the only breakup I aspire to, and the only fair way to avenge being cheated on.
Cats made it into his work, too. On Queen’s album Innuendo he wrote a song called “Delilah” named after his favorite cat. The entire song is an endearing ode to the hilarity of loving her and all of the drama that comes with it, like how she frustratingly peed on his Chippendale suit. In “These Are The Days of Our Lives,” his final video with Queen,” Freddie wears a custom vest with portraits of all of his cats on it — and it’s the best thing ever.
My favorite Mercury moment can be found on the dedication for his solo album Mr. Bad Guy:
This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry—also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the cat lovers across the universe — screw everybody else!
Because seriously, what would we be without our cats?
More from Woman’s World
The Reason Cats Meow is So Surprising — And Cool!
Why Do Cats Lay On Top Of You? It’s Actually a Huge Compliment
