It’s no secret that Taylor Swift loves cats. I mean, she literally named her home studio Kitty Committee Studio since her cats are always by her side while recording music. Oh, and who could forget that time Swift starred in the 2019 Cats film? It was honestly iconic. Swift has always been a self-proclaimed cat lady. So how many cats does she have exactly? So far, she’s introduced fans to three cats, all named after her favorite TV and movie characters.
According Billboard, Swift had her first cat Meredith Gray in October 2011. The adorable feline has become a popular mascot in the Swiftie fandom over the years. That’s because Meredith Gray has appeared multiple times on Swift’s Instagram and even made cameos in Swift’s ‘ME’ music video and TikTok series. Midnight Mayhem with me. Swift named her pet after the popular Grey’s Anatomy character played by Ellen Pompeo. Swift loves the show so much she even invited Pompeo to appear in her “Bad Blood” music video.
Law and Order: SVU Star Mariska Hargitay also made an appearance in the video, which is cool because her character inspired the name of Swift’s second cat, Olivia Benson. The little kitten entered the singer’s family in June 2014. Like Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson is a Scottish Fold cat.
The two felines are seen at the start of “ME!” by Swift. Musical clip. Halfway through the video, Brendon Urie gives Swift a third cat. At the time, fans thought Swift was introducing the world to her new pet. The star confirmed the theory soon after by posting a selfie with her Ragdoll cat Benjamin Button on Instagram. “And then there were three…” she captioned the photo.
The cat’s name is a reference to Brad Pitt’s character in the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. According People, the same day Swift debuted her new cat, she took to Instagram Live to reveal that Benjamin Button didn’t have a home and appeared in her “ME!” music video in hopes that it would get exposure and eventually find its forever home.
When the cat master gave Benjamin Button to Swift, the singer immediately knew they belonged together. “He looks at me like, ‘You’re my mother, and we’re going to live together,'” Swift recalled when she first met Benjamin Button. “I fell in love.”
Swift has a thing for cats, and honestly, who could blame her?
