This article originally appeared on Dr. Mahaney’s Pet-Lebrity News ^[1] column on Pet360.com as Has Taylor Swift’s New Kitty Made Her a Crazy Cat Lady? ^[2]

Taylor Swift may have outed herself as a crazy cat lady.  Yet, with Swift’s admission to be an intense financier of felines, does she really fit the characteristics of the crazy cat lady stereotype?  Such is yet to be seen.

What Kind of Cat Does Taylor Swift Have?

Swift has an appealing-looking, pure-breed of cat called a Scottish Fold ^[3].  Uniquely, Swift’s feline friend has a human name: Meredith.  She was named after the Grey’s Anatomy character played by actress Ellen Pomeo, as the show is reportedly a favorite of Swift’s.

The Scottish Fold’s namesake is based on its small ears that begin to fold forward and downward around three weeks of age.  Yet, the ears are still capable of moving and expressing a cat’s emotions, such as the Instagram photo of Meredith looking less than pleased ^[4] where Swift states “This has been going on for 20 minutes and I even took a picture and it is still going on. #CatStaredown #MerStare.”

Meredith’s ears are positioned in a “backward, sideways, flat (“airplane ears”)” manner, meaning she’s “irritable, angry, or frightened” according to The Humane Society of the United States’ Cat Chat: Understanding Feline Language ^[5].

Is Swift Really a Crazy Cat Lady?

Personally, I feel that since Swift only has one cat and hasn’t yet been photographed wearing an Etsy-crafted onsie bedazzled with Meredith’s image then she’s not quite crossed the threshold into crazy cat lady status.

Swift recently gave the world an inside glimpse into her relationship with Meredith. Huffington Post ^[6] posted a YouTube video of Swift explaining the concept of the Country Music Awards (CMAs) to Meredith just like she was talking to a human audience.  Whether Meredith really understood Swift’s words is yet to be determined.

Swift certainly seems quite attached to Meredith, as she states “making erratic and impulsive decisions as a result of missing my roommate” in posting this Instagram photo ^[7] of her iPhone festively adorned with stickers of a variety of cat shapes, colors, and sizes.

So, perhaps Swift is a little batty (or is she “catty”?), but I don’t necessarily feel that conversing with Meredith or covering one’s phone with feline-centric stickers makes her a crazy cat lady.

What Does Meredith Like to Do with Her Free Time?

Swift occasionally takes Meredith out and about with her for adventuresome excursions in New York City. CelebBuzz ^[8] featured a photo of Swift dressed fashionably in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood with Meredith slung over her shoulder and safely confined in a sturdy, airline-approved carrier.  I’m glad to see that Swift is bringing Meredith with her yet doing so in a responsible manner.

Additionally, Meredith likes to be involved in preparatory process for Swift’s media appearances. Swift recently gave an interview to People ^[9] where she tells of an incident where Meredith came treacherously close to shredding some pricey couture.  Swift said “I’ve never seen more fashionable people lose their composure quicker than when a cat walks up to a satin, customOscar de la Renta gown and then decides to make a home inside of it.”  Meredith gave everyone a good scare as “she just passed, dug her claws in and started to roll…like when you see a crocodile attack an antelope on National Geographic. That’s what she tried to do to the dress.” Good thing for Swift and her stylists that Meredith’s biological instincts to urinate or defecate weren’t stimulated.

Damage to household or or personal items is often a concern for any pet owner, therefore it’s important to have plenty of intriguing scratching options for your feline friends to scratch instead of your clothes, carpets, and furniture.  Additionally, regularly training your cat nails can help to better maintain the health of the mail and reduce the damage caused by scratching.

How’s Meredith’s Health and Fitness?

Swift indicates that the lack of damage to her Met Gala gown may be due to Meredith’s poor physical condition and strength. Swift sates “she’s a chubby housecat. She’s not very strong!”   Stating that Meredith is of a larger body size concerns me for her overall health, as cats that are overweight or obese are more prone to a variety of ailments including diabetes mellitus, heart and lung disease, arthritis, constipation, poor skin condition and coat quality, and others.

As approximately 98 million pets (54% of dogs and cats) are overweight or obese according to theAssociation for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) ^[10], I hope that Swift more highly prioritizes Meredith’s body condition in the future. Obesity is completely preventable, but the health consequences associated with being overweight or obese are potentially irreversible.

I wish both Swift and Meredith many happy years together. If they are in Los Angeles, I’d love to provide a holistic veterinary consultation to get Meredith on the right track to long-term health (seeVeterinary Services ^[11]).  I promise not to reveal any of her crazy cat lady tendencies with the world.

Do you have a Scottish Fold or are a cat about whom you are crazy? Feel free to share your story in the comments section.