By: Halie Holland

To most people, I’m known as Cat Lady Halie. I love cats and will proudly parade around in public in my “I love my cat” sweatshirt.

I have four fur babies living with me, and I know that’s a lot of cats, but they keep me out of the dumps. I’ve always had a kitty cat. There has never been a day in my 17-and-a-half years of life that I haven’t had a cat.

When most people hear “Cat Lady,” they automatically come to the conclusion that you’re talking about an old lady who lives alone and has twenty cats. How did this stereotype become so well known and why are cats so disliked by the public?

In today’s society, most people prefer cats over dogs. Some say it’s because of dogs, overwhelming friendliness and the lack there is of that in cats. I do believe that is true, however they just need more time to trust you. Nevertheless, it still doesn’t justify people’s disfavor towards cats. Cats and dogs have fluff, paws, and tail. If they’re so similar why are dogs favorited? I think cats deserve the recognition and love that dogs get and if you think about it, cats are easier to take care of than dogs. You don’t have to take your cat outside to go to the bathroom, you don’t have to bathe your cat since it bathes itself, and your cat could be left alone for the weekend with a bit of food and water bowl full of water.

As for the cat-lady stereotype, people find comfort in cat companionship. Although it is directly referencing females, males play a part in cat-lady-ism. Men influence whether a woman is a cat lady or a crazy cat lady. In society, if a woman has a man and is a cat owner she is viewed as just a cat lady. But if a woman doesn’t have a man and has cats, she is considered a crazy cat lady. So, in actuality, the root of being a cat lady or crazy cat lady is sexist and is why there is a difference in being a cat lady and crazy cat lady.

There is so much more to the Cat human relationship. Cats are exquisite creatures, and they deserve our attention and loving nurturing. They help us by being sweet little friends who help us stress less, avoid loneliness, and save money because they’re less expensive than dogs. It is time to redefine what a cat lady or crazy cat cady really means.