I'm a self-confessed crazy cat lady; I live with seven at the moment! The cats actually outnumber the humans in this household.
The reason I crossed out the crazy is because my love of cats (and all animals, great and small!) has not led me to any erratic, unstable behaviour that has deemed me to be unfit for social situations or finding a partner. 'Crazy cat lady' is a term that has so many, unnecessary negative connotations attached. I mean just look at the Crazy Cat Lady from The Simpsons who is depicted as nothing more lonely, screaming, older woman whose past time happens to be launching one of her hundred cats at anyone and everyone. It's because of popular culture images like this that single cat owners have been given a bit of an unfair reputation over the years.
If you reference the Urban Dictionary, you'll find a few of the following definitions underneath 'Crazy Cat Lady':
'A woman that has an insane almost addictive love for cats.'
- In particular, note the word 'insane'.
'A woman, usually middle-aged or older, who lives alone with no husband or boyfriend, and fills the empty lonely void in her life with as many cats as she can collect in one place. Said homes are usually very stinky.'
- A prehistoric & completely sexist view that without a man in her life, a woman will always suffer an empty void so will replace the lack of testosterone with feline companions. Oh, and she'll forget the importance of hygiene and cleanliness whilst mending her broken heart from all the men who wronged her.
'A women who has 5 or more cats that she constantly tells story's about to random strangers.'
- I'm guilty as charged!
What is most frustrating about this stereotype is any female who happens to own a certain number of cats or over, is subject to be identified as a lonely woman who has replaced the hole in her heart with a cat family. Firstly, cat families are awesome. Secondly, why does this ancient stereotype that women cannot cope without the assistance of a man in their life exist? Why is it not accepted that a woman who owns shares her home with a cat gang, maybe just really loves moggies?! Owning cats doesn't make you destined to be a 'spinster' for the rest of your life despite what the internet says... not that it even matters if you choose the company of cats or any other animal over a human companion anyway!
I'm not embarrassed to admit one of my best pals is a cat. You may have seen Wesley, my feline partner in crime, dominating my Instagram account on a weekly basis - she even has her own hashtag #WesleyKnope (brownie points if you get the reference). She's also the daily superstar of my Snapchat... in fact, I've renamed it SnapCAT (I'm leightravers if you want a daily dose of feline sass). Writing this post means I can now spam my blog with even more photos of her - how can I complain?! I MEAN, JUST LOOK AT HER! She's the teeniest, tiniest, little almost all-black tabby who lost her tail in a road accident last year. When we're together we're pretty much inseparable and she's spoilt rotten. She so incredibly spoilt, she's often referred to as 'the Diva'. For example, she will refuse to eat her dinner unless it's topped with Dreamies & she's been known to sleep on my head purring away even if I have an early wake-up call. I dare not move her, otherwise she'll storm off in a strop! She really is the definition of my fur baby.
I'm actually an all round crazy animal lady. I'd rather hang out with animals over most humans. I fit the stereotype perfectly, yet I've found someone who loves furry friends as much as I do.
Online dating website, Match, have launched a kick ass campaign to kill the stereotypical views of the 'crazy cat lady'. They've cleverly dubbed the campaign #Catitude showing real-life, single, cool cat owners with their furry friends. I was asked to take part with Wes, but had to turn it down because I have a boyfriend - BOO YOU, JAMES, RUINING OUR MOMENT OF STARDOM! I could have shown my cat romance to the world!
In this day and age, the social stigma attached to owning a cat is starting to disappear with the appearance of hipster hangouts such as cat cafes exploding in cities across the world, cats having their own Instagram accounts (Wesley's not quite at that stage yet, but we're tempted to set one up!) with followers to outshine a lot of humans and cat merchandise stocked in the likes of Urban Outfitters. Cats are cool and owning them is a desirable trait!
Cat ladies, it's time to embrace your feline feelings and show off your fur babies to the world! I've been striking out the 'crazy', but maybe we just need to look at it in a different light? We're crazy cool. We're crazy fun. We're crazy awesome and just downright crazy in love with our cats.
Who wouldn't be though?! Have you met our cats?!
On top of all this cat talk, I've teamed up with Viral Cats to launch a kitty-themed giveaway for all you crazy cool cat ladies & fellas out there. Viral Cats are an awareness campaign informing cat owners across the UK the importance of having your cats vaccinated. You can find out more information about keeping your cats safe from nasty diseases over on the Viral Cats website.
Viral Cats have donated an incredible cat hamper to giveaway to benefit both you & your feline friend! Entry is easy peasy, lemon squeezy too. Head on over to my Twitter account, follow myself & Viral Cats, retweet THIS TWEET to share with your followers & send us a photo of your cat with the hashtag #ViralCats.
🐱 WIN A CRAZY CAT HAMPER! 🐱— Leigh Travers (@LeighTravers) May 14, 2016
FOLLOW, RT & SHARE A PHOTO OF YOUR CAT WITH #ViralCats ▶️ https://t.co/hrTWs1R05P pic.twitter.com/QwrYDVeBln
The giveaway will run for a fortnight ending on the 28th May 2016 and a winner will be picked at random. Make sure you use the hashtag #ViralCats with your kitty photo, so I can track all of your entries! No cat photo, no entry. It's only open to those in the UK - sorry worldwide cat lovers! Feel free to send me photos of your cats anyway though.
Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Match & Viral Cats, but all words are my own. Yep, I really do love Wesley THAT much.
WOW! Seven cats, that is just WOW! Haha! But it's so super cute how much you love them and that is certainly not a bad thing. Loving animals is a gorgeous quality to have!
ReplyDeleteBee | QueenBeady.com
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. OH MY GOD. I'm a cat lady since birth like I literally got bullied at school because I love cats so much, and I agree that the stigma around loving them is so dumb and outdated! I had no idea about that Match campaign but it makes me so happy haha <3 bless this post!
ReplyDeletebritishmermaid.blogspot.co.uk
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYES to all of this! I didn't get my first cat until my mid-20s but I am hooked, they are perfect creatures. I will cross the road to avoid people I actually know but I will cross right back again to talk to a cat. And Wesley Knope is an AMAZING name for a cat, I have a looooooong list of potential new cats names and Ron Swanson is on there :-) .
ReplyDeleteMy Leo cat had an accident with a car and lost his tail too! He now very proudly wiggles his little bob-tail whenever he's hungry!
ReplyDeleteI'm animal mad too. I have one cat just now, but would love another. Your cats are beautiful :)
ReplyDeletei only have 4 cats... black triplet boys and a ginger ninja :) :)
ReplyDelete