Back in June, Taylor Swift announced that she had gotten her second cat, another Scottish fold kitty. Her first Scottish fold, Meredith Grey, is a few years old and as we know, Swifty totally owns the “cat lady” stereotype. She named her new kitten Olivia Benson (after the Law & Order: SVU character) and Swifty immediately posted some adorable kitty photos on her Instagram.
So, with that in mind, here’s teenager (in cat years) Olivia Benson, out and about in NYC with Swifty yesterday. You know what these photos remind me of? Poor Mercy Kardashian, rest in peace. Back in 2012, when Kanye West and Kim Kardashian first got together for real, Kanye bought a small, fluffy white kitty for Kim. Kim named her “Mercy” after Kanye’s single at the time. Kim wandered around Miami carrying poor Mercy and Mercy looked like she was scared to death most of the time. The photo-ops ended quickly and we found out later that Kim gave the cat away, claiming an “allergy.” And poor Mercy died when she was only 4 months old.
Anyway, sorry to recap the whole Mercy Kardashian saga, but I still don’t understand why anyone carries around their cat in a busy city. While Olivia looks well-behaved (she poses for pap photos just like her mama), you still have a loose cat that you’re walking around with in Manhattan. Still… Olivia is one adorable kitteh.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
annoying.
Taking her cupboard for a walk would make equally sense
Maybe she was on her way to the vet?! This is in no way like poor Mercy, rip! Trust me, don’t feel bad for this cat. Lol It has a life better than 90% of humans!!
get a leash or a carrier you dumba$$
that is an accident waiting to happen
((olivia))
she has amazing legs.
the cat is cute.
Tell me about it. I have such leg-envy. I’m 5’5″ with a 28″ inseam. FML.
Hi, are you me? 🙁
I hate how everything has to be shortened in order to maintain proportions! Pants, dresses, skirts, shorts, capris!
This is nothing at all like Mercy, the cat Kim Kardashian had. There are no similarities at all. This gorgeous cat is well cared for and very comfortable with her owner. She’s obviously not going to be palmed off to a friend. I don’t see anything wrong taking your cat with you outside but I’d have a harness on her with the leash carefully wrapped around my hand just in case she decided to bolt. You never know with cats. Then it would be fine to walk around with her.
Those Scottish Folds are just beautiful.
They’re such sweet kitties.
I hope she has people around her to scoop up Olivia in case she gets nervous and tries to jet. Even though Folds are SO chill, they’re still cats and anybody who knows cats knows how unpredictable they can be.
Yeah, my cat is very calm and trusting, but I would hesitate to carry him that way in such a high traffic area. You never know. He gets spooked by odd things. Like bags, for some reason. When I’m carrying grocery bags, he puffs up and does this weird sideways jump intended, I guess, to confuse the bags as to the direction from which they should launch their attack.
@goodnames , that’s hilarious ! thanks I need that chuckle! 🙂
Yes, those pics make me nervous, even with a calm kitty!
@GNAT, lol at the menacing grocery bags.
Lol GoodNames, I want video.
Lol, GNAT.
My kitties greatest fear is The Vacuum. If I just wheel that thing into a room, they both fly out of there like a bat out of hell.
@GNAT
In my house, we call that the “Crab Hop” and it never fails to elicit laughter. Unfortunately, all of my cats have grown out of that stage except for Evelyn, but she’s only 7 months old.
I have two indoor only kitties, and when I have to take them out for a vet visit or whatever, I put them in a carrier just because I can’t trust them not to leap out of my arms (and mine are 16 and 18 lb monsters so I can’t easily hold them when they have other ideas). Olivia Benson seems pretty chill, so maybe Taylor knows that her cat won’t jump? I wouldn’t trust my cats because they spazz out over all sorts of things I can never really predict, but if I had a really chill cat, maybe I’d forgo the carrier. They really hate the carrier, so it’s a whole production to use it.
I love when cats are part of a Celebitchy story, because all of the “cat ladies” come out to comment! 🙂
Yes…Coupari cats are so sweet and attention grabber.
They are beautiful but taking a cat out onto any city street, to me, is stupid. She is an ass; what if it leaps from her arms and darts into traffic? It’s not a freakin’ dog on a leash. It makes me angry she is using the cat for attention and photo op.
She’s probably a chill cat. I could do that with mine. Cute. Though, I’m so sick of her pap walks.
Any of our cats would be freaking out.
Her pap walks are insane and obvious. She’s even smiling and posing for them now.
My cat would run away the second I opened the door. Her walking around without a cat carrier makes me afraid for her cat.
Haha well… she can dress nice and smile and wave and be criticised or she could KStew and purposely not smile and don’t bother dressing up and get criticised.
Scottish folds will usually let you hold them for hours. A couple weeks ago I had a party and everyone took turns holding my Foldie kitten, cradled like a baby, and petting him. He’s very, very chill. Most cats don’t let you hold them on their backs, cradled, but Folds LOVE being on their backs, belly-up.
My older Fold used to love to be held but now she starts screaming whenever I pick her up…lol..the kitten has forever traumatized my poor gal.
However, I would NEVER take a chance by walking around in the open with either of my kitties not in a carrier. Even the most predictable cat can get spooked and flip in a dime. Maybe she’s just carrying her from the vet to the car? If so, then I don’t think it’s a huge deal.
I was just thinking this OK, my cat lets me carry her around the house, but I would be way too nervous she would get scared and bolt if she was outside. Plus, she hates strangers.
Kitten, did your older girl every take to little dude? I brought home my Pixie Bob last month and my older female still either wants to commit seppuku or at the very least, murder him and make it seem like an accident. I keep hoping she will chill out (especially because he’s such a sweetie), but so far she’s just reclusive & very, very angry. 👹
@Marty-my last apartment had a roof deck with a set of stairs inside the apartment leading up to it. I used to leave the door at the top of the stairs open (yes so stupid in hindsight) part-way, not even thinking about it, because my cat never showed any interest in the outdoors-never tried to escape or anything in 4 1/2 years that I lived there. Well, one day I was up on the deck making out with some dude, door partly open…and guess what happened?
@Mimif-Give it time! Mine are still at odds but it gets better every day. They have progressed to the point where they sleep in the bed with me at night and generally tolerate each other. He still goes after her–but she fights back and I mean, she FIGHTS. She’s half his size but will clock the little dude. Does your older kitty run and hide or does she assert ownership of her space?
I’m so excited you got your little Pixie! 😀
Thanks! I lurve him and glad to hear your kitties are more copesetic. My older girl absolutely owns baby boy, but he still gets his digs in when he can. He’s decided he likes the dogs better anyway, and is currently eating my pittie’s face as I type. 😀
Mimif,
I had a cat and then my fil died and we inherited his cat. It was instant hatred at first sight, and I thought they would never get along. We were awakened each morning to those crazy growling sounds cats make and they fought often. It took a long time before they were friends (years) but it very slowly improved bit by bit. It’s nerve wracking, though. Good luck.
I forgot you had dogs too, mimif-glad they’re buds with Pixie, Jr. Yeah what GNAT said, it seems impossible but it takes FOREVER for them to make nice. Or that’s what everyone is telling me.
It’s annoying…like just be besties already!!!
I have never owned a cat, but I love hearing these funny cat stories, and the differences in breeds! Taylor’s cat looks so cute and soft. I can only imagine how useless I would be if I owned something so adorable and cuddly!
@GNAT – is there anything you did to help your cat and the inherited cat get along better? I’d love any tips. I already had a cat and I inherited a cat a couple of years ago. The two have been living together for close to 3 years now and they still don’t like each other. The inherited cat is a former stray that honestly could not care less, but my cat avoids her, or hisses at her and takes swipes at her (and the inherited/former stray cat usually, but not always, just ignores the hissing or walks away from being swiped at). Despite the former stray cat being the sweetest, most chill cat that has never done anything to my cat and seems to just want to love her, my cat is still terrified of her and attacks her.
Gaaaah, such a cute cat! My old fart (he just turned 14) of a feline is sitting next to me and I’m half tempted to hoist him up and go “look, look at the pretty kitty!” LOL.
Honestly, I think this is the only thing I like about Taylor Swift…she’s a cat lady.
The fact that Taylor is such an unabashed cat lady makes me like her, too. I had no patience for all of the boy-crazy, love-song nonsense, but I can get behind a woman who loves her cats.
Cats are not dogs. You do not bring a cat out and about on the streets. At least she’s not sitting in her handbag, thank god.
While I wouldn’t bring my cat out on the city streets without a harness & leash, not all cats are made the same. My cat follows me everywhere, walks long miles with me, goes for car rides and enjoys the beach. He plays fetch as well. So, not trying to play devil’s advocate here, but there are exceptions to the rule.
Swifty’s cat is lovely.
That’s so amazing that your cat goes to the beach.
He’s so doglike it’s almost unbelievable, even my dogs are like what are you?? And he’s a behemoth; 8 Pounds at 5 months. Dude is gonna be a bruiser.
Okay, I’m not allowed to post anymore about Dirty Harry today.
ETA: He jumped in the jacuzzi tub with us last weekend. Lmao I almost died, but he swam around and then hopped out. Pixie Bobs are *almost* as cool as Scottish Folds. 😉
That is so cute! Our cat rides in the car to our weekend house. He likes to ride shotgun between us and we get really funny looks. When we get to the other house, he goes and sits by my dresser until I put his toys on the floor, then he rolls on them and he’s home. He’s so cool. I love cats.
Cute! We are coming to your weekend house then. I’ll bring mimosa fixings, Jell-O shots, Kool-Aid and catnip. 🙂
Chris said they live Valerian root! I’ll bring some.
I wish I could meet everyone’s kitties!
Open invite, anytime! That would be so fun!
As a owner of more cats than we should have, I can tell you, no cat wants to be treated this way. They aren’t toys. The older this case of arrested development gets, the creepier she becomes. Is she forever 13?
This. My cat, with her spoiled little butt, slits her eyes at me, and whines (and it’s REALLY annoying) whenever I hold her for more than a minute (depends on her mood). And I’m holding and petting her inside the house! So I can imagine how she’d act if I tried to carry her everywhere. She already looks like she wants to claw my face up when I hold her.
I can see this is a thread I’m going to over-comment on (apologies in advance).
You have to understand the nature of a Scottish Fold–they are EXTREMELY docile and very tuned into their owners. They are happy as long as they’re getting attention.
I think Swifty loves her kitties and probably treats them pretty well, but these photos read like a….well, a photo op. I think the cat is happy being held, but she should be in a carrier, for her own safety.
I love Olivia though…she is too cute!
My new girl kitty is the same. She wants to be held like a baby and will run after me chirping and flopping on her back to be picked up. I am powerless against such a powerful will to be adored. The male loves being held too and they both run to visit when anyone comes over.
Even so, no way would I take my kitties outside like that. Kitty freak outs can happen at any given moment and NYC is not super kitten friendly.
Hi TOT! Yay for kittens! 🙂
her bangs look a little combover-y
Well she’s wearing her Tartan skirt and carrying her Scottish fold around is this her tard support of the vote today? Maybe she is taking her to the vet? That’s all I’ve got…
Beautiful cat that could get spooked and jump out of her arms in New York City traffic and be gone forever. Idiot.
That’s what I thought too. If that cat has never been out before, you never know what might freak it out.
I am not a cat owner but that was my first thought. Seems like common sense…
I agree, she’s lucky the cat didn’t freak and take off. Wish she would cut down on the daily pap walks , especially if she is going to include her cat.
Why? If the cat freaked out and then tore her face and hairdo up before darting underneath a taxi cab, it would’ve made for the most singularly awesome T Swizzle photo stroll ever. I mean that seriously.
So true. I can’t believe anyone would take a cat out in NYC (or anywhere else) without a cat carrier. Surely she could afford a Louis Vuitton carrier, but of course the pap shot wouldn’t be as cute. I loathe celebrities that treat their pets as accessories.
i’ve never had a cat, but from what i know about them, you don’t carry one around the way some people carry small dogs around – that cat could be gone in a second if she so chose to. it seems to be less about the cat’s well-being than about taylor wanting to be papped with a cat.
As a cat owner I can’t imagine bringing mine out to a busy city street. They would freak out, claw me and jump out of my arms in a flash from fright. This isn’t a lap dog for goodness sake.
I posted above.
I have two Scottish Folds and I would never take that risk. Then again, Peter Gethers wrote several books about his Scottish Folds, whom he regularly carried around, even to the beach, etc. They lived long and healthy lives without incident.
The thing is, cats will have the same routine, exhibit the same pattern of behavior for YEARS, and then suddenly do something completely opposite. As a cat-owner, you always have to keep that in mind. Too big of a chance to take IMO.
Gorgeous cat, but I agree it seems risky to take a cat out in the middle of a busy city without a carrier or harness.
My cat is so high strung that if I just look at her carrier she freaks out and hides, so I can’t imagine having such a calm, docile cat!
She’s so needy
my cat would go psycho!
I love Mariska Hargitay, she is wonderful and so dedicated. She doesn´t just play Olivia Benson.
My cat would try to crawl up my back, and a deep guttural moaning meow would be heard through the streets of Manhattan. No way. No how. He would not stand for this.
Cats are not meant for walking.
Did anyone stop to think that she was taking the cat to the vet and the cat did not want to be in the carrier?
No. This looks like one of her typical pap strolls.
Only because you see these cropped shots of a short period of time. You don’t see the body guard walking with her, with the cat carrier.
I live in the Netherlands and am never surprised to see someone walking their cat on leash. I also see people carrying their cats into the vet, because they get stressed about the carrier.
Just saying you don’t have to buy into criticizing someone over carrying a cat.
I know people are pretty ridiculous, she ‘s walking from the front of her building to her waiting car with a driver ….. maybe 10 steps.. Somehow it’s a pap walk or too dangerous for a cat or whatever they can criticize her for … the most logical interpretation that she traveling and taking the cat with her and it doesn’t like the carrier for car rides and since she not driving , probably doesn’t see need to stress the cat to put it in a carrier or she going to the vet.
But ah let’s do post after post how dangerous this is ( with examples ) and she should know better and that PETA should be called on her for endangering the cat
Most cats don’t WANT to be in a carrier, but you get them in there because carrying around a loose cat is just stupid. Especially if the cat is sick, because then it’s going to be even more unpredictable.
Anyway, do we really think Swift takes her cat to the vet? That’s a job for one of her staff.
yeah, that’s sort of like saying that i won’t put my child in a car seat because he doesn’t like it. too bad. haha
Comparing putting a cat into a carrier to putting a child in car seat? Really? There is no law that says you must put a cat in a carrier. Some vets require it, but not all.
And, if there weren’t laws against it…you would see a lot more children not in car seats.
that clearly wasn’t serious… chill. my point was that for the cat’s safety, it should be in a carrier (or leashed?), whether it likes it or not.
@ Stephanie … I’m pretty sure that comparison had nothing to do with the law, and everything to do with safety. Maybe eventually, legal requirements will catch up… but until then, pet owners should still know that loose animals in a vehicle are a HUGE no-no.
I think it’s at the owner’s discretion as to whether to use a carrier or not. Some cats are fine out of a carrier, and some will go batsh*t crazy and try to crawl under the seats, etc.
When I got my first kitten, we drove 11 hours to get her and I had borrowed my brother’s carrier which was a “bag” style carrier with a zipper. As soon as we got her in the car, I unzipped it and put her on the back seat in a little kitty bed. She just slept the whole time, waking up occasionally to eat. The thing is, I had my friend driving and I was free to grab her if I needed to and monitor her while he drove.
Since I’m usually by myself when I take my cats to the vet or bring them back to my parents’ house, I put them in carriers, with the belt strapped over it. If I have someone else driving, I’ll take my older kitty out and set her in my lap. The young one stays in the carrier because he’s too unpredictable.
My cat will walk straight in her carrier as soon as you open the door. If there’s even a hint that you might open it she runs up and sits there waiting. The car though, that’s a less easy time!
She looks ridiculous with the cat out in the street. ION her outfit reminds me of Clueless.
I’d like her skirt if it wasn’t set so high on her waist. It gives the illusion of a fupa, which you know she doesn’t have. I don’t understand her obsession with high waisted things, it always looks so terrible on her. Can she please go under the radar for like a hot second? I need a break from swifty
It’s her height. My mother’s 5’11” and has always had the same problem with skirts and dresses. You go high-waisted because a lot of skirts won’t hit you in the right place anyway, so you might as well shift it up. The problem is that you have to be very careful with the hem lines. It’s fine if you’re okay with the mini-skirt cut, but then you have to look at how the skirt is structured and if its going to look acceptable at that length – or you wind up with the problem you see in a lot of her clothes where it looks ill-fitted. It’s part of why I rolled my eyes at the ultra kiss-ass move of People naming her the year’s fashion icon. It’s not just the fact that I find her look incredibly studied but the fact that it quite often the clothes wind up wearing her.
Awww…I’m happy she took it out so I could see it’s adorable little kitty face this morning. So calm too! Not one of our 3 kitties would ever consent to be arm candy on a walk in the city.
Well, as a fellow cat-lady, I would get scared to bring my cat (and they would too, enough to jump on my face lol) on the streets but little Olivia seems kind of comfortable so no worries. She’s so adorable, I wanna hug her!
Really dumb thing to do with a cat. It’s pure luck that the poor creature didn’t freak out and bolt.
Does Swifty’s face look a bit worked on to anyone else? I can’t tell exactly what it is but she looks weird here.
All I can see is paws !
The cat looks relaxed and at ease so I would not be too harsh on her.
MY cat, Her Majesty (Satan for my boyfriend) , would kill me if I ever try something like this.
My cats would probably go into outraged shock for about 2 seconds, then I would have no eyes left. Or dignity. They would maul the s^it out of me for exposing them to the vulgar gaze of the world. Happy Scottish Fold independence Day, b*tch!!
lol
I heart the kitty. And the shoes…
Agree with everything you said my fellow hokie on CB 🙂
I take one of my cats to Petsmart each week because she’s fairly docile and doesn’t jump out of the cart but any of my other ones would run away and struggle if i carried them the way Taylor is carrying Olivia in those photos
I don’t know, that cat looks pretty calm. If she’s just carrying it to the car, big deal. At the very least ,since it’s new york and very loud and busy, a harness would be a good safety measure. I’m not a Swifty stan by no means, but I doubt she would intentionally put her cat in harms way and not care about her safety. She’s goofy and covered with unicorn stickers, but I don’t see her as careless a pet owner as say Paris Hilton or Kim K.
Bodysuit, plaid mini, over the knee socks and high-heeled mary janes? I totally rocked that exact outfit in 1994.
Me too! My Mary Janes were doc martens.
Thumbs up for you.
Only shoes that truely matter
I wore the mary janes with most skirts (I can’t believe my mother actually let me go to church in some of those outfits) and my Doc Martens with my babydoll dresses and flannels. Even as a kid I HATED all 80s fashion, but man do I miss the 90s sometimes. 🙂
The 80s never should have happened. 90s were amazing. I cried a little when plaid shirts made a come-back.
Yep. I think I wore that to my first day of middle school in 1995.
That’s the beauty of ’90’s style. I loved that I could wear sexy skirts with Docs & go to a show without getting my feet crushed. They were so comfortable!
Wish I could carry my kitty everywhere. I envy dog people. Dogs are a bit more portable and accepted in social situations.
I would like to go shopping in Taylor’s purse closet. She has the most amazing bags.
I understand that Scottish folds are docile. However, to be fair doesn’t mean lil Olivia Benson should be carted out like an accessory to another carefully chosen paps-walk outfit . That’s exactly how she’s holding Oliva , as an accessory. I can understand the K. K. & Mercy reference, in that regard .
Yeah, I think she should at least be carrying the kitty in a more supportive way, either over the shoulder or cradled with two arms.
I’m trying not to laugh, but really? She out for a little jaunt with her cat tucked in her arm? Celebs are so weird.
I don’t mean to sound mean (really), but what is with this girl’s EYES? Why are they so small and squinty?
it wouldn’t take much more than a dog walker with excitable dogs to pass by for her kitty to become uncomfortable.
my kitty was a super chill kitty. i walked her to the house from the car (something i had done a hundred times before), she heard a neighbor’s dog bark (like a thousand times before), and freaked out. while she didn’t get away from me, i have a scar above my lip because she wanted to get away but i had too good of a grip on her. the distance was only a few feet. we made it in but the consequences could have been worse for both of us.
you NEVER know with an animal.
in NYC?!?!?!
that would be a very sad and very tough consequence to live with.
but i guess with swifty there are no consequences. or thoughts about consequences.
Have no problem with the cat carrying. Do have a problem with those socks. Wtf?
These comments are hilarious today. Yes, I understand this kind of cat is known to be calm and she was just walking to the car and apparently the bodyguard had a cat carrier. BUT, the thought of an after picture of poor Taylor with her so cute 90s throwback outfit in shreds, hair a mess, and a little bloody because the cat freaked out … that is making me giggle.
These pictures are just so funny to me. Obviously, she’s probably just going from a building to a car, not for a stroll down several city blocks. TOK said above that this is a docile breed of cat, so the chances of this kitty getting spooked are slim to none.
And honestly, sometimes you just want to bring your pet with you. I bring my dog with me everywhere and she’s not a small dog. I’ve had more than one friend that would occasionally bring their cats with them places, and even back and forth to their boyfriend’s house. People know their animal’s limitations. She’s probably going to a friend’s place and the friend was like, “Ohhh! Bring Olivia!” So she did.
” People know their animal’s limitations.”
It’s true, and Taylor seems to genuinely adore her cats. This is not Kim Kardashian carrying Mercy.
Are those bones behind her neck??? So weird that she has that posture.
Her shoes are gross.
Amazing how she can have such a bangin’ bod and yet be so ….. unsexy?
I would love to plant a smooch right on the face of that Scottish fold, but I’m not sure that would go well.
i’ll second the you-don’t-know-what-they’ll-do sentiment.
I once brought blissed out and mellow Missy home from a vet checkup. I let her loose in the car during the ride home. At the first screech of tires, she panicked and ended up curled around and under…my brake pedal.
Not a pleasant ride home. Missy’s human sure learned her lesson.
Gah! Get a kitty carrier! What if she jumps!
I guess the carrier wouldn’t make quite the same photo opp, but jeez, these pictures give me anxiety. My kitties would be GONE. And also, terrified. They’re indoor cats, and they don’t even like loud car noise when they’re just sitting in the window. Cats are just too fast and too unpredictable and hard to wrangle.
Poor Mercy kitty. I love all the kitties.
A case of pictures not showing the whole story. In other pictures from this set you can see she’s walking to her car which is 8-10 feet away and gets in with the cat. So she’s not strolling around with the cat on her arm as these pictures suggest, just carrying it to her car on the way to wherever she’s going.
Cute cat, okay outfit, HORRIBLE HAIR.
harness and leash just in case!
adorable chill kitty.
I have a mutt kitty who is a total mama’s boy. He is beyond laid back, will willingly wear a harness and go out on a leash. But I would never take him outside to a busy area without the safety of a carrier. It’s just common sense, it’s a cat and they do frighten by big city noise.
Even when I had super mellow cats I stil would carry them with a leash and harness or in a carrier when out in public. That’s just common sense.
In theory dumb but she’s only done it once, maybe she was taking her to a friend’s house to play with or something. I love how relaxed the kitty is, she doesn’t seem too fazed at all, I think Choupette has some competition in the cute white cat stakes!
Poor Mercy. RIP.
Though I’ve always wondered… well…
http://www.babycenter.com/0_toxoplasmosis-during-pregnancy_1461.bc
I bet Meredith is hissing with jealous.
I told my cat about this and now she wants to go to Trader Joe’s with me tomorrow. Thanks a lot , Swifty !
I don’t get all the hate for Swifty in general, but don’t bring any animal out with you without a leash! And that’s not a great way to carry a cat, even if it is better than how Kim carried Mercy.
My cats love being carried, even cradled like babies. but the traffic would terrify them.