Prepare yourselves, Snake Fam. I am about to admit something devastating: today, I am one of you. I am part of the Snake Fam now (just for the day!!!). As we discussed, Taylor Swift adopted a new kitten, a Ragdoll boy she named Benjamin Button. I heard the rumor that she actually met Benji the first time as she was shooting her music video for “ME!” – Benji is the little kitten (stunt kitten) in the video. Now Taylor has released a “behind the scenes” video of the “ME!” shoot, and it’s just about the first time she ever picked him up and held him, and you can totally see her instantly falling in love:
This is why I got a day pass to the Snake Fam. I am the same way, which is why I can only go to the Humane Society or a shelter if I’m ready to adopt. I will pick up a kitten – literally any kitten – and talk myself into adopting him or her. Some people are that way about babies – as in, someone who can pick up any baby and want to take the baby home. I’ve never been that way about babies. But kittens and puppies? Yes. It’s a problem. It’s why I can’t just “visit” a shelter. I would have a house full of cats and dogs if I did that.
So, yeah, I like Taylor for this and I completely understand how she ended up with three cats. And I love that she was so obsessed immediately, and that Brendon Urie is not any kind of lifeline trying to talk her out of it. And her dad kissing the kitten!! OMG. SNAKE FAM WHAT IS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE CUTEST THING.
Photos courtesy of Taylor Swift’s Twitter.
I want another kitten!!! Oh no!!!
I have nothing mean to say. I too am a cat lady and it’s really the only redeeming quality I see in Taylor lol. That cat is freaking ADORABLE.
And I completely agree about being that way about cats/kittens vs babies. I am the same way. I could easily take home every cat I encounter. Literally ANY cat. I instantly fall in love with them.
This is making me want another cat – which I already want anyway.
I find it kind of weird how much her parents are always involved in everything she does. Not just with her career, but I’ll see pictures of her out with friends and her parents are in the background.
Anyways, I’d be the same way with dogs if I was rich.
I’m 48 and if I have a big fancy work ‘do, or a book launch, or celebrity-filled event, I totally invite my mom. I find it weird that you find that weird!
Her parents are ALWAYS there. Tour, award shows, music videos, friend outings, boyfriend outings, everything. If it was a handful of things, cool. I find it weird, it’s not that big of a deal? I didn’t say say anything dramatic about it.
Special occasions or milestones I get, but as Lolly pointed out, they are ALWAYS there, especially her mom. It made sense when she was younger, but now it feels a little weird to me too. And I can’t help but think it’s contributed a little to some of her emotional immaturity.
I think it’s lovely she’s so close to her family.
As much as she’s disliked by some, she’s kept her shit together – that can’t be said about a great deal of celebrities who became famous at a young age. It would seem that her parents actually protected her from the predators, which again, cannot be said about a lot of these young celebrities.
They do seem protective of her, and in that kind of environment, it’s probably not a bad idea, especially when she was first starting out.
I’d assume now they both work for her company, so they are involved in her various projects.
Me too! I wish I was still so close to my Family!
ITA. Taylor mentioned in the Elle article I think that her mother was under going cancer treatment again. I don’t blame her for wanting to spent as much time as possible with her family.
That is love at first sight. I’ve been where Taylor is. Except I was at the cat rescue when this happened. I lost my elderly Balinese cat 4 years ago and I was DEVASTATED, even though I knew it was coming. My husband recommended I go volunteer at a cat rescue to prevent me from getting another cat. He made it very clear he did not want another cat.
I had already been volunteering for a month with a little black cat came in from getting fixed. She was 2 years old and had just finished weaning 6 kittens but she was a tiny girl. I was asked to put her in the recovery cage and as I was about to put her in the cage she gave me a hug. A FREAKING HUG! She also would not stop nuzzling my face. I held her and she perched on my shoulder while I fed the other cats. She didn’t move an inch (and I have small shoulders). It was love at first sight.
I asked my husband to come in and meet her when he came to pick me up. The guy who told me we are under no circumstances getting another cat. He fell more in love than I did. We adopted her that day.
Epilogue: 18 months later, My husband, Mr. We Only Get One Cat also brought home an older Maine Coon he met at Petsmart who has been his bro ever since. Lol. Our black cat is my bff and is next to me as I write this on my phone hammocking herself between my knees. She’s been here 4 years. She’s my bff.
Also when did I, the crazy cat mama become the voice of reason and say we aren’t getting a 3rd cat?
This is a wonderful story – wishing you and your fur babies many years of happiness together!
My husband was the same way; no cats, not ever. He called the one me and my roomate had gotten “that f***ing cat” and “she who shall not be named”. Then one day her and I found a lil stray black kitten who came right up to us and nuzzled our legs and we had to bring him home. Lo and behold, my husband falls in love, decides on the name for the little man, and now that cat is his son. He follows him everywhere, sits by the door and waits for him to come home in the evenings, the whole nine yards. He’ll pick him up, throw him on his shoulder, and they’ll go about the house doing things together. Very cute.
But he still calls our tortie “that other cat”. LOL
Lmao!! That’s funny. Is your tortie sassy to him? My mama has a very sassy tortie.
Torties are sassy. That is why I love them so much. After getting my first tortie, I determined I will always have a tortie in my life. Their personalities just fit mine. They are not for everyone, though. 🙂
I’m fairly ambivalent about Taylor Swift, but I am 100% here for her cat love. Anyone who loves cats like that gets high marks in my book. Think of all the celebs who have disposable pets. She clearly gets what it is to have pets in your life.
What a sweet story, Lucia. I’m so happy for your. I lost my Pinto boy two years ago, and I haven’t been able to get another. His sister is still with me, but he was my baby, and I have a grown kid, lol. We also have a little dog, but my Pinto was so, so special to me.
*Hugs* I know how that is. I sort of felt like I moved on too soon from my beloved Santi but our little Zorya was not taking no for an answer. We all grieve differently. I still grieve for my Santi at times and cherish our special times together. But I like to think he’s happy Zorya is taking care of me as well. Take all the time you need and cherish those special memories.
The, “I know kittens are cute but he is special” line sounds just like something I would say to my husband to justify getting a third kitten!
Okay, normally I’d totally rag on Taylor Swift on this site, but today she gets a pass from me. That kitten is really cute. Good for her for adopting.
She “bought” it. Is that the same as “adopting”?
Dee, most rescues charge an adoption fee that covers the cost of spaying/neutering and 1st year vaccines and basic medical care. It also covers the cost of feeding and housing them.
That cat is adorable and that’s a sweet video. But man, she seems like A LOT. I can’t imagine hanging out with her, or for the fellas who date her. Lol bless.
I right there with you, Kaiser.
That CAT! Dying!
I am like this around any cat – it’s bad. My ovaries do not explode around human babies, but man do I get cat fever anytime I’m around kitties! and rescue kitties are the best!!
He is gorgeous and him being a stunt cat makes sense! However let’s get real, that cutie would have been adopted in a flash since it’s so gorgeous…it won the lottery tho being adopted by Taylor! Never gonna be a snake fam member but yassss to adopting and not shopping! So many fur babies to chose from that need love and a home!!!
But they clearly say she “bought” it. Not adopting.
She adopted it. It was up for adoption and was being used it the video. She heard it was available and adopted it. The end.
She clearly stated in her previous video that the cat was adopted from a program that tries to put homeless animals in videos to raise their exposure. I adopted my cat from a shelter and had to pay a fee so I don’t think it’s so unbelievable.
I volunteer at a shelter and we say adopt, but the cats are usually only free once a year when a company like Zappos sponsors all of the adoptions. The rest of the time they could be $10 or $250, depending on the cat/kitten. The general line is that a free cat isn’t free, because you still have to get them spayed/neutered and provide all of their shots. So what we provide ends up being much cheaper than the free cat when it’s all said and done.
Glad to hear she adopted him from a good program, I was hoping he wasn’t from a breeder or something.
That is one adorable kitten. I’d have been the same way, wanting to bring him home!
She did adopt. What she might not have done was rescue. Those are not the same thing. Ragdolls, like most purebreds, are most often adopted from breeders. They occasionally show up in rescue organizations or shelters, so “rescue” happens. But in most situations, either rescue or breeder purchase, money changes hands. Shelters charge for vaccination, spay/neuter, board/care costs. Breeders do it as a living. Either way, the animal ends up in a forever home, hopefully a loving one.
Ragdolls are such sweeties–some people say it’s almost like having a dog, in that they follow their humans around all the time, and as a breed tend to be more affectionate than other cats. Of course, lots of other types of cats are just as affectionate, it’s just a breed characteristic.
Fees are collected when adopting. It helps defray costs of vaccinations, neutering, and feeding. Adopting isn’t free.
The Veterinary Practice I use has a kitten room where they care for and place kittens as well as volunteering at a few local shelters so they place a couple of hundred kittens a year.They have a placement “fee” but it’s nominal and it includes spay/neutering, vaccinations and testing, deworming, & the first year of veterinary services. So it’s debatable if that $75 adoption fee could be classified as buying but it’s quite the bargain.
Taylor Swift does seem to adore her cats so good for her for providing a loving home for a homeless kitten.
What a beautiful kitten.
I’m the same about wanting to take home every cat/kitten I meet. I lost both of my cats to cancer very close together and while I figured that I might get a cat someday, I got dragged to the shelter with a friend that wanted to adopt a little less than a year after I lost my girls. I ended up completely falling for 2 kittens and taking them home with me. I even had to get special permission from the shelter, because they don’t allow adoption of animals from different sources together (I had to promise to keep them completely separated for 2 weeks). And my friend, the one who went with the intent to adopt, was able to look at all those sweet faces and resisted them all. I still don’t know how she did it.
Also just an (obvious) tip, when you think it’s too soon, it probably is. I spent the first few months with my kittens feeling such guilt, as though I’d “replaced” my cats I lost. But they’re family now, so while I probably did adopt them before I was ready, I can’t regret it.
I ended up adopting my 2 less than a month after my cat passed away. I did feel guilt, but my house felt very empty without a cat as I had had her for 18 years, and all of a sudden a friend of a friend had a litter she’d rescued and was trying to adopt out. I didn’t expect to find them so soon, but sometimes they find you!
I felt that way when my sweet Bebe died suddenly, then I saw Scott Wolf (of all people) on Kelly Ripa. His family had just lost a dog and his wife said something to the effect of, “the best way to honor the life you shared with a pet is to rescue another and give that pet an excellent life also.” That really affected me.
Of course, everyone should adopt in their own time, but it does help with any guilt to think of it that way. I ended up adopting my new tortie HarleQuinn a couple months later. She was born around the same time Bebe passed. I like to think Bebe sent her to me.
I’ve always said the same thing, the best way to honor them is to save another. And it definitely does help heal a broken heart.
@Lucy2 – exactly. They are all individual and there are always so many more who need good homes.
Thanks guys! They do find you sometimes. One of my two kitten reached out from her cage at the shelter, grabbed on to me and would not let go. Either she was going to go home with me, or I was going to have to move in with her. I had no say in it.
That is so lovely to think of honoring your pets by rescuing another. I’d never thought of it that way. I love the idea that your Bebe sent HarleQuinn to you.
I’m a allergic to only certain kinds of cats. I have never lived in a house with a cat, only dogs but I do love a sweet cat. LOL I love visiting someone’s home when they have a people-person cat that I’m not allergic to. This kitten is beyond adorable. Sorry if I missed this, but what type of cat is it?? It’s so cute. Thanks in advance, from someone who knows nothing about cats.
It’s a Ragdoll. They’re known for having a very sweet demeanor and I believe they are hypoallergenic if the dander is what they’re allergic to (don’t take my word on that part).
I have a ragdoll, such a beautiful cat she is but in my opinion most of my past cats ( all not purebreeds) have been just as loving and affectionate.
Ragdoll cats are not hypoallergenic – the vast majority of allergies to cats are to a protein in the cat saliva ( which does get on their fur due to grooming they do with their tongues)
Anyway in the future my husband and I only want to rescue cats, particularly older or special needs ones. It is so rewarding
You can take a damp wash cloth and wipe a cat down daily to reduce the saliva- borne allergens on cat fur. It can do wonders to mitigate allergies.