Inside the church of cat ladies

When Taylor Swift declared herself to be – in the words of JD Vance’s insult – a “childless cat lady”, she wore the label with pride. I do the same. I am shamelessly attached to my cat, Monty and my dog, Meryl. In my eyes, there is no sin they could commit that would be irredeemable.

Even in that context, a Sunday stroll in Stoke Newington made me wonder whether my unconditional love did not extend far enough. Among the dog-walkers and brunch-munchers, I came across a poster advertising a “Pets Blessing Service” at St Mary’s Church. After some quick research, this turned out not to be a children’s event or a satirical novelty, but rather a bone fide religious ceremony – with three priests at the helm – to bless people’s furry friends before God.

The appropriately biblical phrase “you have been weighed in the balances and are found wanting” sprung to mind. It made me question my devotion to my greyhound. Is there something wrong with me because I don’t love her enough to get her blessed?

My cat’s bird-catching habits and my dog’s counter-surfing tendencies certainly designate them as good candidates for repentance in a Catholic confessional, but perhaps their poor behaviour is down to the fact I never had them blessed by a Reverend. Maybe I should’ve taught my dog to pray instead of stay.

The real question is not what our spiritual obligation is to our dogs, cats, bunnies, and hamsters, but rather, how did we get to a point where, even in Stoke Newington, we feel the need to make sure our pets get a decent dose of religion?

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic isolation prompted many to embark on the pet ownership journey. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home reported a 53% increase in adoption applications during April-June 2020. Some 31% of those applications came from people who had never considered pet ownership before the pandemic.

With increased ownership comes increased reliance – and, for some, borderline obsession. The stifling heat of the London Underground at rush hour does not stop dachshund owners adorning their pocket-sized dogs with hand-knitted jumpers and bedazzled leather collars that would rival the glitz in my own jewellery box.

Even once you have left the streets and are decompressing on social media, you can’t escape them. So-called ‘dog influencers’ have taken Instagram and TikTok by storm, with follower-counts easily rivalling those of celebrities.

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I’m the first to get choked up when I see a video of a dog reuniting with its owner after being lost, and one of my guilty pleasures is looking at pictures of Italian Greyhounds in trendy outfits. But there is also a wider commodification of animals that has now managed to infiltrate the Church of England.

It’s not just Stoke Newington – Portsmouth Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral, and many more now hold their own pet blessing services in honour of St Francis of Assisi. For those who aren’t religiously inclined, St Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment, and therefore has pet blessing services all sewn up.

Although there has been talk of a recent revival in churchgoing, the Church of England has been facing declining attendances in recent years. Statista revealed that baptism and thanksgiving services decreased by more than half between 2011 and 2023. But at least pet blessings are on the up.

Cynics may assume that this is part of the Church’s mission to stay relevant in changing times, particularly among younger generations. Many have called for better inclusivity and empathy in religious institutions, but I’m not sure spreading the word of God to household pets is quite what they meant.

Curious to know more, I contacted Reverend Charis Enga from St Mary’s Church to hear a little bit more about the pet blessing service. From what she told me, it sounded like a truly heartwarming event: 75 people of all ages turned up with their pets, and heard two talks from members of the congregation – one eight years old and the other 80 – about what their pets meant to them. There were songs, poetry and of course, the blessing of pets.

Reverend Charis told me: “In an unsafe and sometimes isolating world, loving a pet expands a person’s heart and can give them hope in life. There is so much love going in between a human being and an animal friend, and it brings light into the gloom.

“But then animals go missing or die and they leave an aching hole in a family or a heart… Perhaps there are few outlets for this kind of emotion and the pets’ blessing service was a safe space to acknowledge their feelings.”

My scepticism evaporated when the reverend described a family who brought along their old cat, nearing the end of its life, and came away comforted at being able to do something for the cat that felt meaningful. I am not inclined to feel cynical about things that bring people joy.

And apparently, I’m not the only one who has been swayed – Reverend Charis she told me that for many of the volunteers and attendees, it was their first time stepping into a church. Maybe the key is shifting the focus from religion, which to many can seem intimidating and restrictive, towards something that catches our attention. It is a truth universally acknowledged that people really love their pets.

It’s a smart move to increase appeal. I’m not sure if my cat and dog would be, but I’m up for it.

I’m not baptised. I don’t go to church. But the next chance I get, I’m taking Meryl to a pet blessing. I might not be able to forgive her for stealing the homemade brownies from the kitchen table last Christmas, but in His eternal mercy, God surely will.