Women who have cats have long been associated with the concept ofspinsterhood,widowhood or evenwitchcraft. In more recent decades, the concept of a cat lady has been associated with "romance-challenged (often career-oriented) women".[1] The term "cat lady" has also been used as a pejorative term towards womenwithout children, regardless of if they actually own cats.[2][3]
Depending on context, the ordinarily pejorative word "crazy" may be prepended to "cat lady" to indicate either apejorative[1] or a humorous and affectionate label.[4] Some writers, celebrities, and artists have challenged the gender-based "Crazy Cat Lady" stereotype, and embraced the term to mean an animal lover or rescuer who cares for one or multiple cats, and who is psychologically healthy.[5][6][7] Naftali Berrill, Ph.D., Director of the New York Center forNeuropsychology and Forensic Behavioral Science, told AOL Health, "These may be people who have a very hard time expressing themselves to other people. They may find the human need for affection is met most easily through a relationship with a pet." This devotion can sometimes signal mental or emotional issues such as depression.[8] A cat lady may also be ananimal hoarder who keeps large numbers of cats without having the ability to properly house or care for them.[9]
Some studies indicate a link between the parasiteToxoplasma gondii, which sexually reproduces exclusively in cats, and numerous psychiatric conditions, includingobsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) andschizophrenia,[10][11] whereas other studies have shown thatT. gondii is not a causative factor in later psychoses.[12][13] Thecompulsive hoarding of cats, a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), has been associated with "crazy cat ladies".[14]Crazy cat-lady syndrome is a term coined by news organizations to describe scientific findings that linkToxoplasma gondii to severalmental disorders and behavioral problems.[10][15]
Bertha Rand wasWinnipeg's notorious Cat Lady, who for years battled her neighbours andcity hall to save her dozens of cats; even years after her death, she still holds a place in Canadian popular culture.[17] TheVenetian Snares songFor Bertha Rand, from the 2001 albumSongs About My Cats, pays homage to her, andMaureen Hunter's playThe Queen of Queen Street is based on Rand's life.[18]
In a 2021 interview onFox & Friends, then-senator, future 2024 Republican vice presidential candidate, and future vice presidentJ.D. Vance called the leadership of the country "a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives", and explicitly mentionedKamala Harris,Pete Buttigieg andAlexandria Ocasio Cortez.[19] He later received some negative reaction for the comment.[20]
CelebrityTaylor Swift has referred to herself as a cat lady on multiple occasions. In anInstagram post endorsing Democratic presidential candidateKamala Harris in the2024 United States presidential election, Swift signed the post off referring to herself as "Childless Cat Lady" in reference to Vance's comment.[21]
Media related toCat ladies at Wikimedia Commons