“When a man loves cats I am his friend and comrade without further introduction,” it’s a quote from legendary writer, humourist, and proud cat dad Mark Twain and it’s also the opening frame of Cat Daddies, a documentary paying tribute to faithful feline fathers.
The 90-minute film introduces us to nine men across the United States, all who have special bonds with their furry friends. We meet Nathan, an LA-based actor, who, through a series of life circumstances has amassed a brood of four cats. He’s even turned his amewsing daily cat antics into a popular Instagram account, Nathan The Cat Lady, with more than half a million followers. Needless to say, Nathan leans into being a cat daddy, “once you hit three cats,you’re a crazy cat lady,” he says with pride. Nathan is such an unapawlogetic cat person that he even developed Tabby, a dating app for cat lovers that was featured both on Shark Tank and The Drew Barrymore Show before it eventually shuttered.
We’re also introduced to David Durst, a long haul truck driver who has found the purrfect travel companion in Tora, a trucker cat who has gained on Reddit. Tora has accompanied David to 45 states. “There’s definitely a lot of stereotypes about the average trucker,” he says, “but I think trucking is a lot more of a diverse group than people expect.” People may not expect to see a cat riding shotgun but David says he wouldn’t have it any other way. “With her, the road feels more like home,” he adds.
The absolute most touching story featured in Cat Daddies is that of David Giovanni, a New York based former construction worker suffering from poor health who is also homeless. One day he stumbles upon a tiny kitten clinging to life outside Penn Station, brings him to the ASCPA for care and he and Lucky become inseparable going forward with David doting on his feline friend. In fact, he credits Lucky with keeping him alive. “I’ve never been homeless, I’ve never been in a situation like this. I’ve had really bad thoughts,” he explains. “And this little creature just saved my life.” When David is diagnosed with cancer and needs to check into the hospital for treatment, a good samaritan agrees to care for Lucky until he is discharged. Their reunion is a tear-jerking moment of the doc.
While Cat Daddies is, on its surface, simply a celebration of a diverse group of men who unabashedly love their cats, it’s also an examination of modern day masculinity. Long, and often incorrectly viewed as the official pets of sad, single women (or still viewed that way if you are cartoon boy turned real life misogynist balloon-faced weirdo JD Vance) cats are quickly becoming a popular pet of choice for men, too. While historical figures like Marlon Brando, Abraham Lincoln, the aforementioned Mark Twain, and Freddie Mercury were always proud cat dads, somewhere along the way dogs became the pet more associated with manliness and masculinity. That has started to change. “Men have always loved cats,” says Will, a Brooklyn-based cat dad featured in the doc who works in advertising by day and rescues cats by night, “I think it’s becoming a little more socially acceptable some of those old stereotypes that were harmful and useless are fading away.” And indeed, many of the doting dads featured in the documentary have what would be considered by society as “masculine” careers: a firefighter, police officer, truck driver, and professional stuntman. “If you think about how we’re defining masculinity,” says Will, “caring for others, being able to protect others, that’s the foundation of strength.” Adds Peter, a school teacher and proud papa to his cat Keys nicknamed online as “Goal Kitty” for his ability to stand up with his paws up. “Cats are sensitive, you just have to be patient and calm with them and guys need to learn some of those traits.”
Cat Daddies is available right meow on Super Channel.
