Taylor Swift Owns Cats: How Many, What Breeds, Their Names and More

Taylor Swift is a proud cat mom in her 30s who’s vocal about how much her feline clan means to her. She also reached billionaire status in 2023 and has hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. Did you know Taylor Swift owns cats? How many, what breeds, their names, and more are touched on below.

How Many Cats Does Taylor Swift Own?

Taylor Swift owns 3 cats. Their names are Olivia Benson, Meredith Grey, and Benjamin Button. The three felines are named after pop culture characters, and all three are rescues that came into Swift’s life at different times in different ways.

She obtained her last cat in 2019, and she adopted her first furry friend in 2011. This means that she has been a bonafide cat owner for well over a decade.

Swift had 2 cats and 2 dogs in the past, but today, she maintains a feline-only animal family. She had two Siamese and tabby mixes named Eliehsen and Indy. She also used to have two Dobermans named Baby and Bug.

Taylor Swift’s Oldest Cat: Meredith Grey

Grey’s Anatomy is a popular medical drama centered around the experiences of Meredith Grey, who is also Swift’s first cat’s namesake. Swift got Meredith Grey, who is also a Scottish Fold like Olivia Benson, in 2011 on Halloween. Meredith Grey was almost a year old when she was adopted. Grey’s Anatomy was a popular show in the 2010s that ended with one of the largest viewerships it ever had during the release of its finale in 2013, so the show’s popularity lined up perfectly with Swift’s adoption.

Meredith Grey is a shy cat, so she hasn’t been photographed or filmed as much as the other two cats. However, many photos of Meredith are on Taylor Swift’s social media posts. She’s also been in public view on the Ellen Show and some of Swift’s music videos. Swift says that Meredith isn’t in the spotlight much because she doesn’t like it in the TikTok above.

Taylor Swift’s love for Grey’s Anatomy is well known. Ellen Pompeo, the actress who plays Meredith Grey, was even in Swift’s Bad Blood video.

Other intermixing between Swift’s professional career and Grey’s Anatomy has also occurred. This is a collaboration that happens between the two, which is most likely driven by Swift’s interest in the show.

Taylor Swift’s Middle Cat: Olivia Benson

Olivia Benson is a character on Law and Order: SVU that inspired this cat’s name. Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson on TV, was in Swift’s Bad Blood video, and Swift confesses that she spends hours watching Law and Order while relaxing. The cat Olivia Benson became a member of the Swift family in 2014.

Olivia Benson, Swift’s cat, is best known for her net worth of over 97 million dollars. She’s made so much because she’s appeared in advertising campaigns for giants like Diet Coke and Keds.

However, it’s believed that Grumpy Cat from the late 2010s grossed more money while alive. There are also a handful of other extant pets worth more than Olivia Benson. She is only worth a fifth of the cost of the most expensive pet dog on Earth.

The cat Olivia Benson also had a unique line of merchandise. Items like t-shirts and stickers with the cat’s liking were available for collectors. Today, there are still fans creating items starring Swift’s cats though no original merchandise is on offer.   

Why Is the Scottish Fold Cat Breed Special?

Swift’s first two cats are both Scottish Folds. These cats have folded ears and rounded faces. They’re also on the smaller side, with the largest of their breed usually being less than 12 pounds.

Scottish folds are a newer breed, with the first recorded individuals hitting the scene in the 1960s. A barn cat with the genetic abnormality that causes the Scottish fold features was discovered, and her offspring were nurtured. All existing Scottish fold cats can be traced to this original cat.

As is common with the breed, Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson suffer from osteochondrodysplasia. The same cartilage defect that allows their ears to fold so cutely also affects the cartilage and bone all over their body. However, neither of Swift’s cats is so afflicted by any defect that their quality of life is affected.

Scottish folds are well-known companions that tend to be affectionate. They aren’t famous for being active, and they spend the majority of their day lounging around. However, once they’ve decided they have a person, they will follow that specific person around the house.

Scottish folds don’t do well with being alone, so it’s good that they’re kept in a group. If they’re too isolated, they start showing clear signs of depression.

Whether or not Scottish fold cats should continue to be bred is a point of contention. Some think that the genetic abnormality that causes their appearance creates diseases that no animal should have to endure. While they’re a recognized breed today in both the UK and USA, that doesn’t mean this will always be the case.

Taylor Swift’s Youngest Cat: Benjamin Button

The movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is centered around a character named Benjamin Button. Benjamin Button is a ragdoll that came into Swift’s ownership in April of 2019. He was born in December of 2018.

This particular cat was adopted by Taylor Swift as a result of his appearance onstage during a music video. She fell in love with him, and he was there because he was up for adoption. His easygoing demeanor and deep purrs, when surrounded by the hubbub of a busy shoot, endeared Benjamin Button to Swift.

Benjamin Button is arguably the most recognizable of Swift’s cats since he appeared on the 2023 cover of Time Magazine. Taylor Swift was voted Person of the Year, and her cover photo shows her with her cat wrapped around her shoulders.

Why Is the Ragdoll Cat Breed Special?

Ragdoll cats are both beautiful and friendly. They have blue eyes and pointed coats. They’re called ragdolls because they tend to relax fully and go limp when handled by their owners.

Some owners of ragdolls joke that they’re the puppies of the cat world. They have this reputation because they follow their people around, and they get along with almost anyone or anything with whom they come in contact.

The ragdoll breed was officially recognized in the early 1970s. The original ragdoll cats were alley cats that ended up breeding so that they had preservable traits that their owners protected.

Is Taylor Swift a Cat Lady?

Yes, Taylor Swift is a cat lady. She not only loves her pet cats as prized animals, but she uses them in her professional life as well. Most people who own cats agree that three cats are enough to achieve true cat lady status.

She has been seen out and about in the city with a cat in her arms, and she also uses cat backpacks for easy travel when commuting around the globe. She’s centered her cards around the holidays on her felines, and she’s on record saying that she’s obsessed with her pets.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/ES3N