Theory: Who We Think Taylor Swift’s Favorite Cat Is
Aside from being a great songwriter, Taylor Swift is also known for her love of cats. The famous singer has three cats: Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button. For fun, we’re going to try and guess which cat of Swift’s is her favorite. Of course, this is all in good fun, and as a disclaimer, we know Swift probably loves all three of her cats equally.
Meredith is Taylor Swift’s first cat
Meredith is the cat that started it all. Swift got Meredith, a gray and white Scottish Fold, as a kitten in 2011.
She is named after Ellen Pompeo’s character Meredith Grey from Grey’s Anatomy. As a reference to Swift’s admiration of Pompeo and the character, Pompeo appeared in Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video in 2015.
Out of all of Swift’s cats, Meredith is probably the hardest to analyze. Over the years, she has been seen less and less, causing some fans of Swift to periodically speculate that something happened to Meredith.
In 2021, Swift addressed the speculation by posting a video on social media. The video showed multiple pictures of Meredith but revealed that the cat “HATES having her picture taken.”
“So yup, there you have it,” Swift said in the video. “That’s the explanation. She’s just a really private little cat. She likes her business kept to herself. She doesn’t like a camera shoved in her face. And really, who can blame her?”
The singer got a cat named Olivia in 2014
Like Meredith, Olivia is a Scottish Fold, but she is primarily white in color with gray points on her nose and feet. Olivia joined Swift’s family as a kitten in 2014.
The cat is named after Mariska Hargitay’s Law & Order: SVU character Olivia Benson. Like Pompeo, Hargitay also appeared in Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video.
Swift frequently posts pictures and videos of Olivia’s unusual sitting and standing positions on social media. Olivia also appears to be a frequent traveler with Swift, and was seen accompanying Swift on flights in the Netflix documentary Miss Americana.
In a 2014 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Swift gave some insight into Olivia’s personality.
“Her name is, in the house it’s Dibbles. Because it suits her personality more than Olivia. She’s like a scrappy little cat. So her name is Olivia, but it’s like, her personality’s more like, ‘Hey guys, it’s Dibbles!'” Swift said on the talk show.
In the documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, Swift also gave more insight into Olivia’s personality. The documentary showed clips of Swift’s cats Olivia and Benjamin play-fighting while Swift recorded her 2020 album Folklore at home.
“Benjamin always starts it, and Olivia always finishes it. He’s twice her size but she’s an amazing fighter,” Swift said in the documentary.
Benjamin is Taylor Swift’s newest cat
Swift got Benjamin Button as a kitten in 2019. The singer revealed she got a new kitten while filming the “Me!” music video.
A behind-the-scenes featurette revealed that Benjamin was selected to star as a kitten in the music video. Swift fell in love with him, and when it was revealed he was “available,” Swift decided to bring him home.
A Ragdoll cat, Benjamin is shown to be attentive and cuddly, and he is frequently seen on Swift’s social media being carried around by the singer.
“I’ve never personally encountered a cat that preferred to be carried as if they’re a human baby, but you know, that’s what’s happening here,” Swift said in an Instagram video of Benjamin. “This is how he prefers to travel.”
Which cat we would guess is the singer’s favorite
One thing is clear, Swift is obviously a caring cat owner. She respects each cat’s personality and boundaries, and she also celebrates their individual quirks and talents.
Meredith is the beloved first child and a slightly aloof queen on social media. Olivia is the savvy queen and hilarious middle child. Meanwhile, Benjamin is the youngest child and a cuddly and attentive king.
Deep down, we believe Swift loves all of her cats equally, as all pet parents do. However, with her adorable nickname, funny social media posts, and the way Swift talks about her, there is something about Olivia’s vibe that makes us think she could be Swift’s favorite if the singer were ever forced to pick.
