Taylor Swift (PC: Getty Images)
In 2023, TIME magazine named Taylor Swift its Person of the Year. Not only is she a pop star, she is also a proud owner of three cats. Taylor loves talking about her love of cats and even brought one of her furry friends to her TIME Person of the Year cover shoot. Cats aren’t just a photo prop for her, either; she often mentions them in her songs. On her 2017 track Gorgeous, she sings about coming home to my cats, showing how much they mean to her.
At the moment, Taylor Swift’s cat crew consists of Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button. These three balls of cuteness have gained fans among Swifties and even had their own merchandise in 2018. You can spot them in Taylor’s music videos, and they’re also regulars on her Instagram feed. They are not just pets; they’re practically part of Taylor’s entourage!
Taylor Swift’s feline fervor: from cat school to the big screen
In a 2019 interview with TIME, Taylor spilled the beans about her obsession with cats, which actually landed her a role in the film Cats. She liked cats so much that she went to cat school to learn all about feline behavior. It seems her love for cats has no limits!
Taylor Swift once said that she has cats and is obsessed with them. She loves her feline friends so much that when the opportunity arose to be in a movie called Cats, she just felt like she had to do it. Her devotion to her pets is something else!
The Quinzena singer revealed that she loves cats because they are super dignified. They are independent creatures who can handle their own affairs in life very well. It’s her self-sufficient nature that really wins her over.
Let’s dive into the world of Taylor Swift’s adorable cats:
Taylor Swift has three cute cats: Meredith Grey, Benjamin Button and Olivia Benson. Taylor named them after characters she really likes from TV shows and movies.
Meredith Gray (Scottish Fold)
Taylor Swift’s first cat, Meredith Grey, was named after the Grey’s Anatomy character. Taylor got the Scottish Fold in 2011 and couldn’t stop talking about her in a 2012 interview, calling her the most adorable cat ever.
Meredith is a star, frequently appearing on Taylor Swift’s social media and even appearing in the music video for Taylor’s song ME! with Brendon Urie in 2019.
In the film Deadpool 2, Ryan Reynolds’ character wears a t-shirt with Meredith and Olivia sitting together. The shirt says, Best friends with Olivia and Meredith Purrrrr-Ever.
But Meredith doesn’t really like being in the spotlight. She is a bit reserved and doesn’t like taking photos, unlike her camera-loving brothers. When fans noticed Meredith’s absence from Taylor’s social media, they became concerned. In response, Taylor assured everyone in a video that Meredith was fine and was not happy with the paparazzi’s treatment.
Olivia Benson
Taylor Swift’s second feline companion is also a Scottish Fold, and she goes by the name Olivia Benson, inspired by Mariska Hargitay’s character on Law & Order: SVU. Olivia became part of Taylor’s family in 2014.
In 2015, Taylor shared an adorable video of Olivia meeting her namesake. She captioned it, “This is Olivia Benson meeting Olivia Benson and, um, things are going well so far.”
Olivia quickly became a bit of a star, appearing in many of Taylor’s social media posts and creative projects. She even starred alongside Taylor in a fun video for AT&T’s 2017 campaign, where Taylor showered her with affectionate nicknames.
Like Meredith, Olivia made a cameo in Deadpool 2 in Ryan Reynolds’ t-shirt and appeared in a Diet Coke ad. She also had a role in the song ME! Olivia, along with Taylor’s third cat Benjamin Button, even attended the 2019 Billboard Music Awards where they met Paula Abdul. Taylor joked on Instagram about giving her cats a normal upbringing, but couldn’t resist taking a photo with Paula Abdul.
Interestingly, Paula Abdul later revealed to Access Hollywood that she is allergic to cats, adding a humorous touch to the encounter.
Benjamin Button
Taylor Swift’s third furry friend is Benjamin Button, a charming Ragdoll cat named after Brad Pitt’s character in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Taylor welcomed Benjamin into her home in 2019, and the story of how she won him is pretty sweet.
During an Instagram live session with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, his collaborator on the song ME! in 2019, Taylor shared the heartbreaking story. In fact, Benjamin was part of an initiative that puts kittens in videos and commercials to encourage adoption. Taylor told how she instantly fell in love with Benjamin when she held him for the first time. She described how he started purring and looked at her as if she were his mother, and she knew they were destined to be together.
Benjamin made his debut in the music video for ME! alongside Taylor’s other cats, Olivia Benson and Meredith Gray. While Olivia and Meredith appear at the beginning of the video, Benjamin steals the spotlight later when Brendon Urie introduces him to Taylor as a peace offering after an argument.
After the video shoot ended, Taylor officially welcomed Benjamin into her family and shared the exciting news with her fans on Instagram, complete with an adorable photo of Benjamin. And just like that, Benjamin became a beloved member of Taylor’s cat team!
The caption read: “And then there were three…”
Benjamin also joined Taylor in her viral #ImFeeling22 campaign. She posted a video with the Ragdoll on TikTok and captioned it: “Benjamin is 22 at cat age. #ImFeeling22.”
Benjamin also appeared on the cover of TIME magazine with Taylor Swift in December 2023.
Taylor Swift’s Cat Love Continues: Could Monica Geller Join Her Furry Trio?
Taylor Swift really loves her cats! She talks about them a lot and it looks like she might get another one. She already has three, but has hinted that she wants more. If she gets another cat, she’s thinking about naming her Monica Geller, after the FRIENDS character. It seems like Taylor’s love for cats has no end!
