If you spent any time on the internet during the 2024 election, you probably saw the memes. Donald Trump surrounded by fuzzy kittens. AI-generated images of him protecting a litter of cats on a private jet. It was everywhere. But honestly, if you're asking does Trump like cats, the answer is a lot more complicated than a viral TikTok or a Twitter photo.
He's not exactly a "cat lady" or a "dog person." In fact, he’s basically the only president in modern history who didn't have a four-legged friend running around the Oval Office.
The "No Pet" President
Let's look at the facts. For over a century, every single U.S. President had a pet. From Theodore Roosevelt’s literal zoo to the Obamas’ Portuguese Water Dogs, animals are usually a staple of the White House. But Trump? He broke that streak.
He once told a crowd at a rally in El Paso that the idea of getting a dog felt "phony" to him. He didn't want to be seen walking a dog on the White House lawn just for the cameras. He said he just didn't have the time.
"How would I look walking a dog on the White House lawn?" - Donald Trump, 2019.
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It’s a fair point, I guess. If you’re busy running a country (or a real estate empire), do you really want to be scooped up poop at 6:00 AM? Probably not.
What about the cats specifically?
There is no public record of Donald Trump ever owning a cat. Not as a kid in Queens, not during his years at Trump Tower, and definitely not during his presidency. His first wife, Ivana Trump, actually wrote in her memoir Raising Trump that Donald wasn't a fan of dogs. When she insisted on bringing her poodle, Chappy, into their home, it was a major point of contention.
If he wasn't a dog fan, he certainly wasn't auditioning for the role of a cat dad. Cats are independent, sometimes moody, and they definitely don't follow orders. That doesn't exactly mesh with the Trump brand of control and loyalty.
The 2024 "Eating the Cats" Moment
You can't talk about Trump and cats without mentioning the Springfield, Ohio controversy. During the presidential debate with Kamala Harris, Trump famously claimed that immigrants were "eating the cats."
It turned into a massive cultural moment.
Suddenly, the GOP was leaning hard into cat imagery. They were positioning themselves as the "protectors" of pets. But was this because Trump suddenly developed a soft spot for felines? Likely not. It was a political move. A way to talk about immigration through the lens of something people care about: their pets.
The internet responded the only way it knows how—with thousands of AI images of Trump hugging cats. It created this weird, alternate reality where he was the ultimate cat lover. In reality, he has never been seen petting one in public.
The Policy Side: It's Not All Memes
Believe it or not, the administration’s record on animal welfare is a bit of a mixed bag. In late 2025, Trump actually signed a bill that ended Department of Defense funding for certain types of experiments on dogs and cats.
That’s a huge win for animal rights activists.
It shows that even if he doesn't want a cat sleeping on the foot of his bed, he isn't necessarily "anti-animal." There’s a difference between not wanting a pet and wanting animals to suffer. Most people forget that nuance. They think if you don't have a dog, you must hate animals. That’s a bit of a stretch.
Does he actually hate them?
"Hate" is a strong word. Sources close to him have suggested he’s a bit of a germaphobe. Cats shed. They use litter boxes. They jump on counters. For someone who famously loves cleanliness and order, a cat is basically a chaotic, shedding nightmare.
According to a 2017 report in The Atlantic, Trump was reportedly "embarrassed" by Mike Pence’s family bringing a whole "menagerie" of pets to Washington. He reportedly called the idea of having pets "low class."
The Verdict
So, does Trump like cats? If we’re being real: probably not in the way you do. He doesn't seem to have that "cute and cuddly" connection with animals. He views them through a different lens—either as a political talking point or as a distraction from work.
But hey, he’s consistent. He didn't get a "political dog" just to boost his polling numbers. He stayed pet-free, which is honestly more authentic than faking an interest in a Golden Retriever for four years.
Next Steps for You
If you're interested in how pets influence the American presidency, you should check out the Presidential Pet Museum archives online. It’s wild to see how many weird animals (like alligators and bears) have actually lived in the White House. Also, if you want to see the policy impact for yourself, look up the PREVENT Act of 2025 to see the specific language regarding the protection of cats in federal labs.