(It must be noted that while men may be successfully "reclaiming" cat love, women are having a harder time shaking off the negativity of the 'cat lady' label.) What's behind the rise of cat love?ĭr Fraser attributes the emergence of cat men online to a range of factors: urbanisation and the trend towards apartment living, which is conducive to keeping cats the "rise of the metrosexual" man, who is confident enough in his masculinity to embrace his feminine side - particularly in his fashion choices and, of course, the internet - original home of the cat meme. In the early 20th century, illustrations of cats dressed as women were used in American anti-suffrage propaganda to depict suffragettes as silly and incapable of orchestrating a political campaign, and debase their movement.Ĭats, like women, were trivial, incapable of and incongruous with seriousness.Īnd although the spinsters of the Victorian era, ostensibly loveless but for their trademark clowder of cats, have long been buried, their legacy endures the term 'crazy cat lady' appears so frequently in modern popular culture it has become a cliche. Harrison wrote in an article in The Journal of Education in 1891, for example, "The fiery spirit, the loud bark, the watchful temperament of the dog give him always a male aspect and the sleek sleepiness, the treble mew, the spiteful deceit of the cat combine to render her female in character."
Since at least the 19th century writers have observed that, among English speakers, cats have been associated with females and the feminine, while dogs - "man's best friend" - have been thought of as male, and masculine.Īs F.B. Recent Roy Morgan research shows there are 2.3 million 'cat people' in Australia. Of course, this stereotype has endured for hundreds of years. taking on cat love and presenting it in ways that challenge the stereotype that they're effeminate." "So I think it's quite an interesting cultural shift to see especially young men. many men from being able to talk in the same kind of ways about their feelings about animals as women," Dr Fraser tells ABC News. "There are aspects of orthodox masculinity that get in the way of or prohibit. The aim of her research, she says, is to better understand who cat men around the world are, what popular photos, videos, gifs, and news stories about men with cats reveal about their masculinity, and what such shifts in pet-keeping might tell us about the diversity of gender practices in modern society. Why are cats considered feminine?ĭr Heather Fraser, senior lecturer in social work at Flinders University, is currently working on a study of what she calls "feline masculinities" and the rise of cat men on social media - "that is, men depicted as keeping cats, and differently from their predecessors". The report also found Aussie cat men earn more, on average, than non-cat men are 29 per cent less likely than the average man to believe 'homosexuality is immoral' and - contrary to popular misconceptions that cat owners are sad singletons - almost 70 per cent are married or in de facto relationships.Īnd yet the 'cat men' phenomenon has not been extensively explored in scholarly research - until now. Indeed, recent Roy Morgan research shows there are 2.3 million 'cat people' - those who have cats but not dogs - in Australia, one million of whom are men. Others might be surprised to learn how common the cat man actually is. Catstronaut.īut while some might dismiss men's pussy PDAs as frivolous, experts say it represents a shift towards a more positive, inclusive masculinity - one which is sorely needed, especially given the impact a more aggressive masculinity - evident in, for example, violence against women - is having on society. Hamish Blake with his cat on Instagram: "I seen crazi stuf out there but no one beleev me wen I got bak and dun my report" - Meowbert.
Though starting a business based entirely on cuddling and playing with cats might be an extreme manifestation of cat love, Mr Loughran represents a burgeoning movement of men who are shaking off the tired stereotype that cat ownership is exclusively a feminine pastime and publicly embracing their affinity for kitties. "That's Jasper," Mr Loughran nods, as another cat curls around his leg. And even though they can be a bit aloof, when they bond with you, there's nothing like it."Īs he speaks, one of the 15 resident felines at the cafe - a large, fluffy, white creature - struts past, its proud confidence commanding our attention. "I feel they can give you that real dedication that a lot of animals can't. "There's something about cats," the 29-year-old co-owner of Cat Cafe Melbourne tells ABC News. Put another way, Mr Loughran is a man who likes cats - as opposed to a man who likes dogs, say, or miniature pigs. 'Cat man' as in, 'cat lady', but with a Y-chromosome. David Williams's book Men With Cats celebrates cat-owning men.