Freddie Mercury Loved His Cats Like Children And Cat Lovers Everywhere Totally Understand
Freddie Mercury was a rock legend, but his softer side showed up in a very different spotlight, his cats. Long before Bohemian Rhapsody brought Queen’s story back into the mainstream, Mercury had already built a reputation for loving animals with the same intensity he brought to the stage.
That affection came through in small, memorable ways, and it made his home life feel surprisingly warm for someone so larger than life. For cat lovers, the connection is easy to understand, because some bonds really do feel like family.
Mercury’s devotion to his cats went far beyond a passing celebrity quirk, and the details make the story even sweeter.
Mercury's cats didn't travel with him, but when he was home, he devoted nearly all of his time and attention to his precious pusses. According to Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist, "Pets can provide companionship and emotional support, often becoming integral parts of our families." At one point in the 70s, Mercury had ten cats.
Freddie's partner, Jim Hutton, once said:
He would constantly fuss over them, and if any of them came to any harm when Freddie was away, heaven help us. During the day, the cats had the run of the house and grounds, and at night, one of us would round them up and bring them inside.
Tom and Jerry, Tiffany, Delilah, Dorothy, Goliath, Lily, Miko, Oscar, and Romeo... all cats of Mercury's. But it was his cat Delilah who was truly his favorite.
In his memoir, Mercury and Me, Jim Hutton wrote about Delilah:
When Freddie went to bed, it was Delilah he brought with us. She’d sleep at the foot of the bed before slipping out for a nighttime prowl around Garden Lodge.
Before cat memes turned into a whole internet language, these vintage photos proved kids and cats were pure magic.
Delilah was a spoiled cat and depended on Freddie for everything, even protection from the other cats. They would gang up on her, and she would run into our bedroom—it was a cat sanctuary. In many ways, the cats were Freddie’s children, and we all thought of them that way. The slightest feline sneeze or twitch, and he’d send them off to the vet for a check-up. And we were old-fashioned when it came to having to have sex in total privacy. Whenever Freddie and I jumped in the bedroom to make love, he would always ensure that none of the cats were watching.
-Jim Hutton
Mercury's love of cats was certainly no secret! His solo album Mr. Bad Guy (1985) was dedicated to his cats: “Jerry—also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany, and all the cat lovers across the universe—screw everybody else!”
Freddie even wrote about Delilah in one of his songs! Queen’s Innuendo album in 1991:
Delilah, Delilah, oh my, oh my, oh my – you’re irresistible.
You make me smile when I’m just about to cry.
You bring me hope, you make me laugh – and I like it.
You get away with murder, so innocent.
But when you throw a moody, you’re all claws and you bite.
In Mercury's last performance for the Queen promo of "These Are the Days of Our Lives," he wore a specially designed waistcoat featuring paintings of all of his cats.
Cat lovers everywhere can easily resonate with Freddie Mercury and his love for his cats. After all, as cat lovers, our obsession is the same across the universe.
Want more feline chaos and cuteness? Check out 40 iconic animated cats.
Share this article:
