A cat lady is a cultural archetype or stock character, most often depicted as a middle-aged or elderly spinster or widow, who has many cats. The term may be pejorative, or it may be affectionately embraced.
Usage and association
Women who have cats have long been associated with the concept of spinsterhood, widowhood or even witchcraft. In more recent decades, the concept of a cat lady has been associated with "romance-challenged (often career-oriented) women".[1]
A cat lady may also be an animal hoarder who keeps large numbers of cats without having the ability to properly house or care for them.[2] They may be ignorant about their situation, or generally unaware of their situation. People who are aware of it are not normally considered cat ladies.
Depending on context, the ordinarily pejorative word "crazy" may be prepended to "cat lady" to indicate either a pejorative[1] or a humorous and affectionate label.[3] Some writers, celebrities, and artists have challenged the gender-based "Crazy Cat Lady" stereotype, and embraced the term to mean an animal lover or rescuer who cares for one or multiple cats, and who is psychologically healthy.[4][5][6]
Documentary
The documentary Cat Ladies (2009) tells the stories of four women whose lives became dedicated to their cats. The film was directed by Christie Callan-Jones and produced by Chocolate Box Entertainment, originally for TVOntario. It was an official selection at the 2009 Hot Docs Festival, Silverdocs Festival, and San Francisco's DocFest.[7][8]
Naftali Berrill, Ph.D., Director of the New York Center for Neuropsychology and Forensic Behavioral Science, told AOL Health, "These may be people who have a very hard time expressing themselves to other people. They may find the human need for affection is met most easily through a relationship with a pet." This devotion can sometimes signal mental or emotional issues such as depression.[9]
Toxoplasma gondii
Some studies indicate a link between the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which sexually reproduces exclusively in cats, and numerous psychiatric conditions, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia,[10][11] whereas other studies have showed that T. gondii is not a causative factor in later psychoses.[12][13]
The compulsive hoarding of cats, a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), has long been associated with "crazy cat ladies".[14]
Crazy cat-lady syndrome is a term coined by news organizations to describe scientific findings that link Toxoplasma gondii to several mental disorders and behavioral problems.[10][15]
Notable examples
- Edith Ewing Bouvier and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale had many cats living with them in their decrepit home Grey Gardens. Reportedly, some 30 cats lived in the house by the time Little Edie sold it in 1979.[16]
- Bertha Rand was Winnipeg's notorious Cat Lady, who for years battled her neighbours and city hall to save her dozens of cats; even years after her death, she still holds a place in Canadian popular culture.[17] Maureen Hunter's play The Queen of Queen Street is based on Rand's life.[18]
Cultural references
Cat ladies in popular culture include:
General
- Catwoman: A recurring supervillain or anti-hero character that most often appears in the Batman franchise in comics, films and television.
Events
- CatCon,[19] an event described as "The convention with cattitude", hosted seminars featuring actor Ian Somerhalder[20] and actress Mayim Bialik,[21] meet and greets with celebrity cats Lil BUB[22] and Nala,[23] and an adoption village where visitors can meet and adopt a cat or kitten.
See also
