Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest star on the planet right now, hot off her record-breaking “Eras Tour” and chart-topping singles and albums. She’s so huge that it seems like everyone in her orbit becomes a megastar, from her NFL boyfriend Travis Kelce to her pet cat Olivia Benson.
Swift’s beloved pet — reportedly the second-richest cat in the world, with a net worth of $97 million — is named in honor of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character played by Mariska Hargitay.
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Swift is a fan of Hargitay and SVU, and told Rolling Stone that she wanted to name her cats after “strong, complex, independent women” (she also has another cat named after Grey’s Anatomy protagonist Meredith Grey, along with one named Benjamin Button.)
The feeling is mutual, and over the years Hargitay has said she is a big fan of Swift. And recently, when the actress got a new cat of her own, she decided to repay the honor and give her pet a true Swiftie name.
In an Instagram post, Hargitay announced that she has a new pet named “Karma,” named after one of Taylor’s recent hit singles, off her album Midnights.
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“Karma is a Cat,” Hargitay wrote, in a caption that references some of Swift’s lyrics.
Taylor Swift was thrilled to hear that Hargitay named her cat in her honor.
“Are you serious?!!!! Nothing has ever come more full circle ⭕️ LOVE THIS SO MUCH!! 😻” Swift wrote in an Instagram comment.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 13: Taylor Swift performs onstage with actress Mariska Hargitay during The 1989 World Tour on June 13, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/LP5/Getty Images for TAS)
Beyond their cat connection, Swift and Hargitay have become friends over the years. Hargitay appeared at a 2015 concert with the multi-Grammy-winner, and sung her praises when she was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people.
“Taylor Swift: megawatt talent, an extraordinary spirit, an impossibly charming blend of impishness, poise and radiance to spare. All of it combines to rock me back on my heels every time I see her,” the actress wrote.
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Taylor Swift’s cat Olivia Benson
Swift adopted Olivia Benson, a Scottish Fold cat, in 2014 when she was just a kitten.
“[I talked with] friends about it and before I got the second cat,” she said in a 2014 interview. “I was really kinda canvassing everyone I knew, going, ‘Is cats … cat lady? Or, you know, two cats is cats and there’s more than one?’ And they’re like, ‘No, three cats is a cat lady. Two cats is a party.’”
Since then, Olivia Benson has become a favorite among Swifties and a celebrity in her own right. Earlier this year, she was named the third-richest pet in the world with an estimated net worth of $97 million.
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“The Scottish Fold earned her fortune starring alongside her owner in several music videos, has crafted her own merchandise line, and has had cameos in many big-budget ads, including for the likes of Diet Coke and Ned Sneakers,” All About Cats wrote in their report.
Swift’s love for animals extends beyond her own pets: among her many philanthropic efforts, the billionaire singer-songwriter has donated to animal shelters.
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Earlier this year, Williamson County Animal Center, in Swift’s home state of Tennessee, announced that they had received a “generous donation” from the “Cruel Summer” singer. As a thank you, they named four adoptable puppies after her songs: “Carolina,” “Bejeweled,” “Midnight Rain” and “Willow.”
“While all Swifties know Taylor loves cats, we hope she won’t mind that we named our newest adoptable puppies after her songs,” the shelter wrote.
Meanwhile, a lot of people across the US have been naming their pets in honor of Taylor Swift. In a review of the top pet names of 2023, Rover.com had a whole category dedicated to the singer, with trending names including “Swiftie” and “Cardigan.” (“Kelce” was the top-trending dog name of 2023, no doubt thanks to the Taylor bump.)
Taylor Swift’s cat “Olivia Benson” is one of the most famous celebrity pets in the world, and it’s heartwarming that Mariska Hargitay repaid the honor by naming her new cat in honor of Taylor Swift!
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