You should probably sit down for this. A few weeks ago, we had the in depth look at the Nepotism Baby network that’s running through Hollywood. Not that we didn’t know it was there, but we got a better idea of the layers and from which branch all or faves (or not so much) sprouted. Well finally someone’s doing the real work – taking a hard look at the Nepo Pets. The website AllAboutCat.com (AAC) has ranked the top earning pets of the world. And wouldn’t you know it, almost half the list would be eating Purina out of a second-hand cereal bowl if it wasn’t for mumsy and daddy. Coming in at #3 is none other than Ms. Olivia Benson, the famous Scottish Fold kitty who belongs to Taylor Swift. Olivia has a net worth of $97 million. Don’t blame me for that dropped coffee mug, I told you to sit down. And what’s worse, is that’s how much Livvy could be making – her potential net worth. But she doesn’t really work. She doesn’t have an Instagram account or any social media. She’s not a spokesperson, she just appears with Tay-Tay when the mood strikes her and then rolls around in all her cash.
At the number three spot is Olivia Benson, the best friend and companion of artist Taylor Swift, who asks the question: is Instagram celebrity really the most profitable profession for your pet? With a whopping $97 million net worth, Olivia has found success outside of the world of Instagram influencing. 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.
At number four are the pampered Sadie, Sunny, Lauren, Layla, and Luke, Oprah Winfrey’s pet dogs, each of whom has their own trust fund and as a collective are set to inherit $30 million when Oprah passes. These dogs are not the only ones on this list who have or are set to inherit their fortunes. Gunther VI’s fortune was originally inherited and Choupette, late Karl Lagerfeld’s Birman, inherited $13 million after his death taking her to the sixth richest pet and the third richest cat. Pontiac, the late Betty White’s adopted Golden Retriever, will inherit $5 million after the recent loss of the American actress and comedian, making Pontiac the 7th richest pet in the world.
Gunther VI, who is mentioned in the article, is our reigning world’s richest pet. He has a fortune of $500 million, but as mentioned, he inherited a sizable fortune from his grandfather. And just to remind everyone, I’m talking about dogs. He is, somehow, a real estate magnate who sold a mansion that was formerly owned by Madonna. My gawd to have been a fly on the wall for those negotiations.
As Yahoo! pointed out, there are some liberties being taken in that AAC is projecting what Olivia could make. We haven’t seen her tax returns. I applaud Taylor keeping Olivia off social media, she’s still young and should be allowed to be a cat. Although she’s still being exposed through her mom’s work, of course. Glaringly omitted from the Top Ten list are Taylor’s other cats, Meredith Grey and Benjamin Buttons. Are they too young to take on the family business of… looking adorable next to Mom? Wasn’t Benjamin a working actor when Taylor met him? So why don’t they get to draft on Mom’s coattails? Or are they choosing not to work and poor Olivia is having to keep everyone in catnip and tuna fish? Apparently Meredith is camera shy, but Benny has some explaining to do. OMG – I’m obsessed with the Swift Family Machine.
I am also looking at my motley crew – my cat who is glaring at me from her window shelf because the rain is making too much noise and my dog who’s asleep on her back with her head under her dog bed. Somehow I don’t think we’re making the list next year.
Photo credit: Taylor Swift Instagram
“I applaud Taylor keeping Olivia off social media, she still young and should be allowed to be a cat.”
This is so funny
So funny! The whole post had me in stitches!!
I had never seen that cat before but I love Taylor and her cat is adorable!
That part made me laugh too. This whole post is so funny. Well done Hecate!
I’m with you, I laughed my ass off.
And I’m over here with two university degrees, a full time job, and a side hustle trying to make rent…WEEPS
My two would simply turn their backs to the camera. No interest in fame.
I would legit act like a cute cat if it meant earning even 1/100th of that money. Like, glue some fur on me, I’ll eat out of a bowl, I’ll hiss at random passersby. Shameless? Sure. But it doesn’t feel that much different from the work I do now to try to pay rent…
I wonder what my tortoises could earn? They are little itty-bitty right now and oh so adorable. Gotta be at least 5 figures. I might have to try to make them famous just so I can afford to see Taylor’s tour.
When I went part time in my last employed job (I’m freelance now) due to some mental health issues I was having at the time, people (men) often asked if it was to spend more time with my family (because why else would a woman in her late 30’s not want to spend all her week at work?) and I’d tell them I was planning to make my cat famous online so he could pay his way. Ask a sexist question, get a stupid answer.
My cat does indeed have an IG account but I’m yet to find a way to monetise his 253 followers!
I started an IG account for my cat when I first adopted her because she is so darn cute. After amassing several thousand followers I gave up because being an IG influencer is actually a lot of work.
It is! My dog has a pretty decent following and for a time she was actually a brand ambassador for some bandana companies, but it was hard to keep up with. Now it’s just pictures and silly stories.
This perfectly encapsulates what it meant to go through the dawning age of social media. Thank you!
I just came here to say that I love that Taylor Swift’s cat is named Olivia Benson.
If she’s really on top of things, she will adopt one of those weird hairless cats, and name it Elliot Stabler. COME.ON. I would never stop laughing.
. . . Reads just the headline aloud, swivels in my home office chair to face my sleeping cats, and calls out “Listen to this, you slackers!”
This is my favorite story of 2023. So cute.
Hate to rain on everyone’s parade, but it’s actually f’n terrible that she owns a Scottish fold (and is probably encouraging others to own them). It’s a terribly sick breed that should not exist – but people still buy them because their painful genetic disease looks “cute”.
“All Scottish Fold cats suffer from variable degrees of painful degenerative joint disease”
I loathe these types of articles because some people do start thinking that making money this way is realistic. Not that it’s impossible, but that the people who are able to “monetize” social media probably had pretty high social skills and artistic ability already.
Give this piece a pulitzer!
My cat is usually a lazy jerk too. However she keeps the mice away. She will likely die penniless…