I’ve been a lover of pets since I was 10 years old when my mother bought a dog for me. However, I refused to accept the dog because I’m a fan of cats, not dogs. Instead, I gave the dog to my brother.The Lover singer’s pet family includes three felines — Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button — whom she openly adores.

Swift has never been shy about making her cats part of her personality, and fans love her all the more for it. All three cats have made multiple appearances on her social media pages and even in some of her music videos. In 2020, the superstar’s pets were also featured in her holiday card, wearing cute winter gear against a black-and-white background reminiscent of her 2020 album folklore.

The Grammy winner has also said that her beloved cats have had some influence over her career. In 2019, she told TIME, “I have cats. I’m obsessed with them. I love my cats so much that when a role came up in a movie called Cats, I just thought, like, I gotta do this.” In fact, Swift even attended a “cat school” on set to prepare for her role.,The Midnights singer has spoken several times over the years about why she developed such an affinity for cats, telling TIME, “They’re very dignified. They’re independent. They’re very capable of dealing with their own life.”

Swift’s self-proclaimed cat-lover status has even done some good. Ahead of the Houston stop on her Eras Tour, a local animal shelter announced it was reducing its cat adoption fees as a nod to Swift’s passion for the animal.Posting the program announcement — aptly named “Lucky $13” — to its website, the HHS shared: “KARMA IS A CAT, PURRING IN MY LAP ‘CAUSE IT LOVES ME!!!”Here’s a look at everything to know about Swift’s three cats: Meredith, Olivia and Benjamin.

Swift’s first famous cat is a Scottish Fold named Meredith Grey (yes, she is named after Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy). The pop star got Meredith in 2011.The kitten has always had a special place in Swift’s heart. “She is awesome. She’s, like, the most adorable cat in the world,” the singer said not long after bringing her home.Their relationship, however, is not one-sided — Swift has a loyal fan in Meredith. In 2012, when her then-new single, “I Knew You Were Trouble,” was playing on the radio, Swift filmed Meredith meowing along to the song.

Meredith has made several appearances on Swift’s Instagram and is a bit of a star in her own right as well. Look closely throughout Deadpool 2 to spot Meredith: she appears in a t-shirt Ryan Reynolds’ character wears in the film, which shows Meredith and her sister Olivia Benson sitting side-by-side with the words, “Olivia & Meredith Best Friends Purrrrr-Ever.” The Scottish Fold also appeared in Swift’s “ME!” music video with Panic! At the

That said, Meredith might be Swift’s most reclusive cat. In 2020, Swift encouraged her fans to self-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic with a cute photo of Meredith sitting in a toy, barely visible. In a tweet, the pop star wrote, “For Meredith, self quarantining is a way of life. Be like Meredith.”

In December 2021, Swift had Benjamin join in on the viral “#ImFeeling22” hashtag. She posted a TikTok video of herself lip-syncing to her song “22,” panning the camera to feature a shot of Benjamin. She captioned the video, “Benjamin is 22 in cat years. #ImFeeling22.”Swift’s cats have been a constant in her life, and even her ex-boyfriends have had bonding moments with them, including Joe Alwyn, whom the singer split from in April 2023.Benjamin joined Swift on the cover of TIME in December 2023. The cat looked like a fluffy accessory as it rested gracefully on the singer’s shoulders.