Lora Lee Most people are familiar with the stereotype Cat Lady. Some even add the adjective, Crazy. It seems that for many years cats were associated with women. It was normal to see the terms “Cat Lady” and “Cat Mom”. But, what about the men who prefer to have a feline companion? Over the past few years, I have seen an emergence of “Cat Dads”. Men who are stepping out of the shadows and embracing their “Cat Dad” ways.
I follow a few “Cat Dads” who are breaking down the stereotypes that men cannot love cats. Nathan the Cat Lady is the dad of 4 cats. He creates amazing content with them on his social media accounts. Cat Man Chris has been breaking down the barriers of being a cat loving man for years. He works tirelessly in rescue and fostering, along with loving his own 3 cats. Sterling “The Trap King” Davis travels the country, spreading the word on Trap, Neuter & Return (TNR) and the importance of helping community cats. His motto is “You don’t lose cool points by being compassionate”. And, of course, Jackson Galaxy who has spent years working with cats to improve their lives, along with the lives of their humans.
The Average Cat Dad
The four men I mentioned above are well known to most people in the cat community. But, what about the average Cat Dad? The one who isn’t internet famous but has just as much love and spends just as much time with their cats. Just because they may not be sharing their feline devotion with all of the internet world does not mean that they are not as dedicated as most of us Cat Ladies. These men need some recognition. They deserve to be acknowledged for their love, dedication and compassion for the cats in their lives. More and more, men are stepping up and wearing their “Cat Dad” badges proudly. Especially the ones who may not have realized that they were a “Cat Dad”.
The Unexpected Cat Dad
When I met my husband, Ryan, almost 13 years ago, I was a “normal” cat lady. I had 1 cat. He also had a cat. A few months after we moved in together, we had to help his cat, Stella, cross the rainbow bridge. A couple of days later, we adopted 2 kittens, Sloopy & Franklin. At that time, poor Ryan did not realize my “Crazy Cat Lady” tendencies. See, he had met me at a crossroads in my life. One that was not conducive to have multiple cats. Prior to our meeting, I did have 6 cats and a revolving door of fosters.
Over the years, the number of cats that we share our home with has grown exponentially. In just a matter of a couple of years, we went from 4 cats to 20. For a self-proclaimed “Crazy Cat Lady”, or should I say Dedicated Feline Enthusiast, 20 cats seem like absolute heaven. But, for an average guy, 20 cats are a lot. A lot a lot.
Cat Dad with Honors
I am going to give Ryan some high accolades now. He has definitely risen to the task of being a Cat Dad. It is a job that he was not expecting, but he has embraced it with (minimal) complaint. He has been exposed to many new aspects of cat companionship, from kidney disease, to FIP, to why we should feed a raw diet. Through it all, Ryan has learned to trust my instincts, or kitty senses, when it comes to what our cats need to be happy and healthy. However, he does keep me grounded. I have great dreams in regard to what I would like to accomplish within the cat community. He helps me see the small steps that will take me to my goals.
Cat Daddy Ryan has really enjoyed the foster kittens. He plays with them and helps socialize them. Sometimes, we just watch the kitties play because it is impossible to be in a bad mood while you are watching kittens play. Absolutely impossible. I see a softer side of Ryan when he interacts with the foster kittens and our own cats. The compassion that he has for animals is one of the many reasons I love him. And he supports my Dedicated Feline Enthusiast ways.
“You can tell a lot about a man by how his cat feels about him.”
-Unknown
