‘JD Vance’s worst nightmare’: Let us not forget the time Taylor Swift rattled off exactly one million cat breeds in 30 seconds

In what can only be described as a cat lady’s dream come true, a clip of Taylor Swift reciting cat breeds has been doing the rounds online, surely sending JD Vance into a tizzy. For context, cats have been making headlines over the last few months (more positive than those upon the release of that infamous 2019 movie), thanks to a resurfaced interview of the vice presidential candidate claiming that the government was run by a bunch of “childless cat ladies.” 

The comment drew criticism from the likes of Glenn Close and Jennifer Aniston, and was even mentioned by Oprah Winfrey during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. 

Swifties were the most critical of Vance’s comments, as Swift is arguably the world’s most famous cat lady, and they’re diehard enough that they could probably solve world hunger alongside listening to eleven hundred variants of The Tortured Poets Department. 

Vance later dismissed the cat lady fiasco as a “sarcastic” joke, but the damage had already been done. When you mess with the kitty — more specifically the Swifties — you get the claws, and the feline redemption arc in the wake of Vance’s comments has now reached its natural apex. 

A clip of Swift’s interview 2023 interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has rightfully ascended to the top of our X algorithms, showcasing not only the pop star’s voluminous knowledge of our feline friends, but also a preemptive clapback to anyone who leaves a cat lady scorned. 

In the space of 30 seconds, Swift lists off around 20 cat breeds, though some of them — like “black cat” and a “cat that pushes pens off desks” — aren’t the technical cat breed terms. We’ll cut her some slack, since she sorts through everything from ragamuffins to ragdolls and Scottish folds, the latter of which is the breed of her own two cats, Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey (yes, they’re named after exactly who you think). 

Swift’s encyclopedic knowledge of cats was met with applause both in the studio and online, as users took time to spare a thought for what must be “Vance’s worst nightmare.” Others posted pictures of their own cats, who are “VEHEMENTLY Against JD VANCE”, while resharing Swift’s iconic TIME cover with her cat Benjamin Button draped around her neck. 

While Swift’s notable absence from the DNC despite persistent rumors she would perform is somewhat disappointing, we can at least find solace that her cat lady ways are still influencing the presidential race. That’s what the kids would call “mother” behavior.