Cat lady

"Crazy cat lady" redirects here. For the Simpsons character, see Crazy Cat Lady. For the syndrome, see Crazy cat lady syndrome.
Not to be confused with Catgirl.

A cat lady is a single woman, often a stock character, who owns many pet cats. The term is usually considered pejorative,[1] though it is sometimes embraced.[2] They can have problems relating to other people, and they substitute cats for personal relationships.

Usage and association

Women who have cats have long been associated with the concept of spinsterhood. 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.[3] They may be ignorant about their situation.

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]

Cat Ladies documentary

The documentary Cat Ladies (2009) tells the stories of four women whose lives have become 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

Recent research indicates a link between the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which sexually reproduces exclusively in cats, and numerous psychiatric conditions, including OCD.[10] The compulsive hoarding of cats, a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), has long been associated with "crazy cat ladies".[11] Mass media has drawn on this stereotype to coin the term Crazy Cat Lady Syndrome to refer to the association between T. gondii and psychiatric conditions.[10]

Famous cat ladies and their cats

Cat ladies in popular culture include:

Film

Music

Games

Events

Television

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Kiri Blakeley (15 Oct 2009), "Crazy Cat Ladies", Forbes
  2. Mark Ramirez (5 Aug 2009), "Do you believe in the Crazy Cat Lady?", timesunion.com
  3. Davis, Susan; Flaherty (illus), Jake (2002), "Prosecuting Animal Hoarders is like Herding Cats" (PDF), California Lawyer (September): 26, 28, 29, 67, retrieved June 26, 2011
  4. Beth Ostronsky Stern: I Am A Crazy Cat Lady, New York Daily News, September 15, 2015
  5. Moss, Laura, It's Time to Smash the Crazy Cat Lady Stereotype, Mother Nature Network, November 12, 2015
  6. Williams, David, Meet The Men Proud to Be Crazy Cat Ladies, ABC News, Retrieved November 12, 2015
  7. Jeannette Loakman. "Cat Ladies - the Documentary". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  8. Cat Ladies at the Internet Movie Database
  9. Huso, Deborah (November 2009). "Some Live Among Hundreds of Cats". AOL Health. Archived from the original on November 19, 2009. Retrieved November 2009. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. 1 2 "How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy - Kathleen McAuliffe". The Atlantic. 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  11. D.J. Moran and Jennifer L. Patterson (2011-06-16). "When More Isn't Enough". Psychology Today.
  12. Celebrity cat lovers
  13. Sally Quinn on life in Grey Gardens, W magazine, April 8, 2009
  14. "Signature Editions". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  15. "CatCon LA". catconla.com. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  16. "CatConLA Shows the "Crazy Cat Lady" Stereotype Is Completely Wrong". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  17. "Here's the Official Schedule For Next Month's Cat Lady Heaven, CatCon LA". Racked LA. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
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