The feline has long been associated with the feminine, but "cat dads" are now moving into the limelight as outdated gender stereotypes fall by the wayside, according to reporting published across Nine mastheads.
Ashkan Teymouri, 36, grew up in Iran surrounded by cats but never had one of his own until migrating to Australia more than a decade ago. His first cat, Mamoosh, a Persian, offered companionship and familiarity during his early, often lonely, years in Melbourne.
During the pandemic he adopted three British Shorthair kittens: Mini, Circe and Jay Jay. The trio, he says, changed his life and emotional world, teaching him patience and responsibility.
"They don't like to be approached very harshly. You have to be so slow with them and take your time to get their trust. But it's rewarding," Teymouri said.
So devoted is the tradesman to his cats that his last relationship ended in part because of them. Jay Jay escaped and died last year. His partner at the time, who never liked his cats, showed a lack of sympathy for the loss, which Teymouri considered the final straw.
"When I lost him, I went through an absolute mental crash. I can't tell you. I couldn't go to work because I was crying, and she (his ex) said, 'Just be strong'," he said.