We at Catster are all about celebrating stars and cats -- and, of course, stars who love cats. An Oscar- or Grammy-winning celebrity will impress me even more by being a friend of the feline. Some famous people you'd expect to love cats. Others, well, it might not be so obvious.
Take Taylor Swift. She's among the obvious ones. It no longer surprising when another picture of her with a cat pops up on the Internet -- Taylor Swift and cats just makes sense. I mean, she's sweet, adorable, and generous -- all qualities we usually find in cat-lovers (Let's face it: You can't love cats and have a cold heart.) But Swift is far from the only famous feline friend, so let's look at 10 who maybe aren't so obvious.1. Jon Hamm of Mad Men
Recently, Jon Hamm showed up on Comedy Central’s late-night Internet-themed panel show, @midnight, donning an ah-maz-ing cat shirt and sharing his true feelings about our four-legged, whiskered friends. Hint: He loves them. That’s right: Don Draper loves cats. Just let that sink in. True, he may not actually own a cat, but he gets a spot on this list for his unadulterated enthusiasm. (We thought for sure he'd be into dogs -- see our "Dogster Magazine Presents the Dogs of 'Mad Men.'")
2. Evan Rachel Wood
Actress Evan Rachel Wood has been known to take on roles in dark and edgy productions, including Thirteen (in which she was nominated for a Golden Globe) and the more recent Ides of March alongside Ryan Gosling. Off screen, Wood was once engaged to controversial musician Marilyn Manson. That said, I can’t totally reconcile Evan Rachel Wood’s badass, alternative image with the idea of her cuddling up with a cat, but, alas, it’s the reality. The star got her cat, Nicodemus, in 2008, and seems to be completely enamored with him, sharing adorable snapshots on her Twitter page.
3. Ian Somerhalder
He may play a smoldering vampire on CW's hit series, The Vampire Diaries, but in real life he’s a big softy and friend of the felines. In fact, he was one of our Sexiest Cat Guys of 2013. In this Instagram photo, he shared the story of Sohalia, whom he adopted from a shelter -- after the cat was mislabeled as “feral/not friendly.” Looks pretty friendly to me! Check out Somerhalder's Twitter and Facebook pages for more swoon-worthy cat posts.
4. Cher
I almost feel like having a cat is too “normal” for Cher -- like she’d opt for a pet ferret instead. After all, the legendary performer and her ex-husband, the late Sonny Bono, performed their own wedding ceremony in a hotel room in Tijuana, Mexico; she filmed a controversial video in which she straddles a canon on a U.S. Navy ship; and she's been known to show up to appearances in outfits like this. But, despite her alternative image, she does have a cat, Mr. Big, who she loves just as obsessively as all us cat owners love our pets. (It was international news when Mr. Big fell ill a couple of years ago). The star shares photos of him on Twitter and Instagram, and he is insanely cute.
5. Jesse Eisenberg
Maybe it’s because I still picture him as cold, socially awkward Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, but it’s hard to imagine Jesse Eisenberg as a warm, fuzzy cat lover. But the actor, who also stars alongside Jason Segel in the upcoming The End of the Tour is not only a cat lover, but also a cat rescuer who fosters cats in need of homes. Here he is speaking out for “Team Cats” as part of the New Yorker Festival, alongside his best friend and cat, Mr. Trunkles. "You should rule in favor of team cat. If Mr. Trunkles is any indication, they are the greatest species on Earth," Eisenberg says.
6. Morrissey
It’s true: Rock stars love cats, too. Just look at Morrissey, an English musician who has made waves for decades, as part of the band The Smiths and as a solo artist -- he was even named one of the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone. But we can't commend him only for his musical successes. The legendary rock star is a fierce animal advocate and PETA spokesperson, and his love of cats is so well known that there’s an entire Tumblr page dedicated to photos of him with cats. He likes them here, there, and everywhere -- including on his head.
7. Russell Brand
Speaking of Morrissey, eccentric star Russell Brand has a cat with that name. And the pairing of Brand and a cat is so crazy that it just ... works. Brand is a comedian and actor who starred as the (fictional) erratic rockstar Aldous Snow in the movies, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek, and his off-screen personality isn't tame either. His autobiography, My Booky Wook, details his experiences with drugs and promiscuity. But with all that said, we still see a silly side to Brand -- I mean, just look at him hanging with the Internet-famous kid duo, Sophie Grace and Rosie in this video -- and that's what makes him being a cat lover not so radical. Enjoy this cat video Brand took to the Ellen show a couple of years ago, plus these photos of Morrissey (the cat) on his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
8. Kesha
Kesha, a singer best known for hits like Tik Tok and Die Young, burst onto the celeb scene as a unique personality, regularly sporting colored hair, outrageous outfits, and intense makeup (not to mention the, um, interesting dollar sign in her name, shown as Ke$ha). Though it seems she's toned down her image recently, showing off a more clean-cut look during appearances and as a judge on ABC's singing competition, Rising Star, we still see her as a funky, alternative celeb who wouldn't do something so "mainstream" as own a cat. But, not only does she have a cat (Mr. Peeps), but her cat his his own Twitter page. When you're not keeping up with Mr. Peeps' own social media, browse Kesha's -- her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages are full of all sorts of cat love. She was even named the Humane Society's first ever Global Ambassador.
9. James Franco
Another one of our Sexiest Cat Guys of 2013, James Franco doesn't necessarily initially strike us as a cat person, what with his "guy's guy" personality in films such as This Is The End, his toughness that comes through in others such as 127 Hours, and his, well, off-beat creativity in videos such as this one with Seth Rogen. But this A-lister does, in fact, love cats, and it seems he always has -- at least, that's what he tells Ellen in the above video. "We were raised as cat people," he says. His Instagram and Facebook pages feature the occasional feline photos for fans to enjoy.
10. Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais brought us the hilarious series, The Office, but he also brought us some controversial awards-show moments as Golden Globes host that people are still talking about. And it's that somewhat abrasive personality the comedian (who currently stars in the Netflix original series, Derek), that doesn't quite match up with the gentler demeanors often associated with cat owners. But Gervais seems to be enamored with his cat, Ollie, who is a star himself on the actor's Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. This video alone could be the key to winning back any haters he may have.
If there's one lesson here, it's this: Don't judge a cat owner by its cover. Or, before you hate on a celebrity, double check to see if he or she is really a lovable, kind, cat lover. Who knows? It just might change your whole view point. Who are your favorite -- or most surprising -- cat-loving celebrities? Does your cat have a celebrity personality, or name? Tell us in the comments!
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About Emma Sarran: After a stint in New York City (and a brief affair with thin-crust pizza), Emma Sarran returned to her native Chicago, where she grew up loving Michael Jordan, lakeshore beaches, and deep dish. An eclectic personality, she writes about topics including travel, fashion, and relationships, often on her blog, Sarrandipity. She spends more time than she should admit talking to her two cats, Harlem (who has no sense of personal space) and Squeak (who's afraid of her own shadow). Follow her on Twitter.