9 Hollywood Feline Fanatics
From Lupita Nyong'o's cat mom transformation to Cary Grant's iconic strolls with his Siamese, Hollywood is full of feline fanatics. Discover Sir Anthony Hopkin’s waltz partner, Marlon Brando's take on his living situation, and Robert Downey Jr.'s protective nature. Here are my top nine cat-loving stars!
9. Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong’o has only recently become a cat lover. Believe it or not, she used to be afraid of cats, but as she discovered, it only takes one cat to change a person. “I fostered Yoyo from Best Friends Adoption Center, and three days into it, I knew I could not give him up.” Now, her Instagram regularly features pictures of Yoyo and professions of her love for him. “I love being a #catmom.” We’re glad to have you and Yoyo in the cat community, Lupita!
8. Cary Grant
While not many quotes or anecdotes exist about Cary Grant's love for cats, the picture of him walking his Siamese in Beverly Hills is totally iconic. By the way, the neighborhood still looks exactly the same!
7. Sir Anthony Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins is not just an acting legend, he's also a devoted cat lover. His gentle, compassionate nature extends to his feline friends and he even enjoyed painting his cat Niblo, who has unfortunately passed. As Hopkins wrote on Instagram, “Our beloved Niblo, forever in our hearts. And The Waltz Goes On.”
6. Marlon Brando
The internet is full of cat photos, and a lot of those are Marlon Brando with a feline friend. Whether it’s Brando at his typewriter with a cat nearby, a feline laying across his shoulders, or him playing Don Vito Corleone with a tabby on his lap, this cat guy’s love of felines is documented. Brando’s even quoted as saying “I live in my cat’s house.” Now that’s a man who understands cats.
5. Robert Downey Jr.
Like any good cat dad, Robert Downey Jr. frequently shared his felines on social media. He told Men’s Fitness, “I would kill for these young, sweet little feline souls, these two boys. I would protect them with my life.” But who wouldn’t kill for their cat, right?
4. Jennifer Garner
Like number five, Jennifer Garner’s cats can be found all over her social media. It takes a special kind of cat mom to bathe their feline after they get poop in their fur (sorry to call you out, Moose). When she’s not Moose’s personal stylist, she’s taking him for walks in a stroller or carrying him about in a feline-holding sweatshirt. I agree with this TikTok commenter, “Oh to be Jennifer Garner’s cat.”
3. Elizabeth Taylor
Rivaling number six for most photos with a cat on the internet is Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor referred to animals as her "sweetest and most cherished friends,” and had many cats over her life. When her beloved boy Cassius went missing, she wrote this heartfelt letter to him. Unfortunately, Taylor never found Cassius, but her love of cats persisted—she’s even the reason our number one star met his cat.
2. Betty White
Betty White was an avid advocate for animal welfare, and the star got cats. As she told animal behavior specialist Steve Dale, “It drives me crazy when I hear people say what they do about cats. Oh, that cats are so independent they don’t care, or that they are conniving. I know instantly these people have never had a cat They see cats from a distance; they don’t really know cats. Cats can be so devoted.” So true, Betty, so true.
1. James Dean
James Dean received the best gift from Elizabeth Taylor while filming Giant—a beautiful Siamese he named Marcus after his cousin. During filming, when the cast and crew would break to eat, James returned home to see Marcus so the cat wouldn’t be alone all day. When Dean left for the car race in Salinas (where he had his fatal accident on the way there), he left important instructions for Marcus’s caretaker, which included what to feed him: 1 teaspoon white Karo, 1 big can evaporated milk, equal part boiled water or distilled water, 1 egg yoke [sic], mix and chill. Don't feed him meat or formula cold. 1 drop vitamin solution per day. Take Marcus to Dr. Cooper on Melrose for shots next week. Now that is a man who loved his cat. No one’s really sure what happened to Marcus after Dean’s tragic death. Some say Liz Taylor took him or maybe Jeanette Miller, who took care of Marcus while Dean was traveling, kept him, and others say Marcus just walked away and was never seen again....
Many more Hollywood stars are covered in the fur of the cats they love—too many to name. So, who would you have added to my list of CatCrazy Hollywood stars? Let me know in the comments!
Stay CatCrazy,
Petra Luna