5 Signs Carrie Bradshaw Was Always A Cat Person

The And Just Like That... Season 2 finale had everything: Samantha Jones, ultimatums that don’t make sense, and a cat! That’s right, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) adopted a kitten, named it Shoe, and took them to her new apartment in Gramercy Park. Throughout the original SATC series, the movie — the second movie isn’t canon, but I digress — and the reboot’s first season, Carrie never had a pet, with the exception of Aidan’s dog Pete tagging along. That said, it should come as no shock that when she decides to become a pet person, she chooses a cat.

Cats can be self-sufficient by nature (even if our girl Carrie is high maintenance), and they generally require less time and attention than a dog would. With Carrie’s poor track record for being fully present for her human companions, she’d be better off with a low-responsibility pet. Despite the constant shedding and clawing a cat may bring, maybe this new chapter for Carrie means finally embracing herself as a cat lady. Could you even imagine Carrie picking up after a dog during a walk in her Manolo Blahniks?

To be labeled as a cat or dog person, you don’t necessarily need to own one or the other since there are distinct traits that reflect either personality type. With that in mind, let us count the ways Carrie was a cat lady all along.

1. She’s Neurotic

According to Psychology Today, cat people are “more neurotic than dog persons.” Carrie’s constant worrying about her boyfriends and finances (at least in the OG SATC for the latter) tracks with this trait. WebMD says neurotic people are “easily stressed, anxious, and worriers.” In Season 5, she said, “In New York, they say, you're always looking for a job, a boyfriend, or an apartment.” All valid things to worry about.

2. She Didn’t Like Pete

In Season 3, Carrie lies about wanting to walk her partner Aidan Shaw’s dog, a Brittany spaniel named Pete — she really wants to go outside and talk to Mr. Big about their affair. During their conversation, she drops the leash, and Pete runs off. Was this out of spite after Pete chewed up her expensive shoes? Or is she truly that inattentive? You had one job, Carrie! I could understand not wanting a dog in your apartment or waiting until you have space to adopt one, but Carrie simply didn’t like Aidan’s dog from the get-go and wouldn’t even try to like him. Justice for Pete!

3. She Kept Her Own Apartment

Psychology Today posits that cat people prefer “doing their own thing” and might be more likely to live on their own than dog people. Even after she married Big, Carrie held onto her Upper East Side apartment. Similar to how cats can want their own space, Carrie made sure she had another place if she needed an escape.

4. She’s An Indoor Person

This should be the biggest clue of all. Remember how out of her element Carrie was when she visited Aidan’s upstate cabin in Season 4? We’re still reeling that we didn’t get to actually see her at Aidan’s Norfolk farmhouse with the chickens that freely roam his farmhouse in AJLT. According to a study conducted by Carroll University in 2014, dog people are likelier to want to be out and about with their dogs. “If you’re more introverted, and sensitive, maybe you’re more at home reading a book, and your cat doesn’t need to go outside for a walk,” Professor Denise Guastello said about cat people.

5. Sarah Jessica Parker Is A Cat Person IRL

When life imitates art! Shoe, whose real name is Lotus, is one of Sarah Jessica Parker’s three adopted cats. Her pet family includes Rémy and Smila as well. Carrie being a cat person couldn’t be any more meta with this detail. Shoe/Lotus will have a special place in SATC fans’ collective hearts — and a hiding place in Carrie’s shoe closet.