Who are the most famous cat owners?

Cats are a popular family pet, particularly given their low- maintenance lifestyle and friendly, playful nature. With over 220 million cats owned around the world, there are a number of people in the public eye who’ve picked feline friends as their pets. Our team take a look at some of the most famous cat owners, and a few of the breeds they’ve chosen.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift, the American singer-songwriter, is a self-confessed ‘Cat Lady’ with three cats including two Scottish Folds named Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson. Scottish Folds are a domestic breed of cat with a rare trait – a genetic mutation which causes their ears to fold over, giving them a rather owl-like appearance. These friendly cats are rather sought after and Olivia has become a celebrity in her own right, now worth US$97 million for her commercial work. Taylor’s other cat is a Ragdoll called Benjamin Button. Ragdolls are an American breed with a larger, stockier frame and playful nature. Their semi-long, silky coat needs lots of care, including daily brushing.

The British Prime Minister

Larry the Cat is resident at No 10 Downing Street, and so delights in a slightly different situation with a constantly changing owner. Larry has served for 12 years, undergoing five changing Prime Ministers or ‘temporary residents’ as he refers to the occupiers of No 10. After being rescued from Battersea and appointed as Chief Mouser by David Cameron, Larry now even has his own Twitter account. As a tabby cat, Larry doesn’t have a particular breed but sports a brown and white coat and has been noted for his sociable, bold and confident nature.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais, the British comedy writer and actor, is a well-known animal lover, and has shared life with his cats across his social media platforms. Ricky’s first cats – both of whom he’s sadly lost – included Colin and a Siamese called Ollie (named after Oliver Hardy). Siamese cats originated from Asia and have a particularly distinctive profile and refined features. Ricky is now the proud owner of a tabby cat called Pickle.

Ed Sheeran

Musician Ed Sheeran first became a cat owner in 2014, when he rescued a cat called Graham. He’s continued choosing and homing cats and now is the proud owner of Calippo, a Scottish Fold, and Dorito, a ginger and white tabby, who have their own social media presence under the handle @thewibbles, with over 250,000 followers!

Russell Brand

Flamboyant actor and activist Russell Brand is surrounded by animals – his country home includes eight cats as well as dogs and chickens. The author has spoken openly about the death of Morrisey, his cat of 14 years, and the impact it had on him, sharing that he’s never been so affected by a bereavement.

These are just a handful of famous proud cat parents who’ve chosen to include felines as part of their families. Many of them have also talked openly about the great sense of loss which accompanies the death of a cat, showing just how important and special these lovely animals are to so many of us.