If you told Jason ten years ago that he’d become known as Jason the Cat Guy, he’d probably have laughed and prayed for you. He was scared of cats and was in the dog business.

But one unexpected visit to a friend’s house challenged everything he thought he knew. What started as fear quickly turned into fascination, then a deep love for the animals he’d spent most of his life avoiding. Today, Jason is building a community for cat lovers and working to change how Nigerians see one of the country’s most misunderstood pets.

I’ve always been a dog guy. I grew up in a deeply Pentecostal home where people treated cats with suspicion. If a cat crossed your path, someone would probably pray. So I avoided them completely. I even ran a kennel where I trained, bred and sold dogs.

If you’d told me I’d one day become known as Jason the Cat Guy, I’d have laughed in your face.

But everything changed in 2020.

I’d gone to visit a new friend, Ayo. We’d become close, and I was excited to finally see her place. The moment I walked into her house, I froze.

There were cats everywhere; seven of them roaming around the house. My first thought was, These people must be witches.

Then I met Ayo’s mum. She was warm, loud and incredibly welcoming, but somehow my brain twisted that into even more “proof” that everything I’d heard in church about cats was true.

But curiosity is a powerful thing. I couldn’t stop asking questions. Why so many cats? Why did they all seem so calm? Why wasn’t anyone afraid of them?

Ayo encouraged me to pet one, but I refused. I stood at a safe distance until one of the cats ignored my fear, walked over, wrapped its tail around my leg and demanded attention.

Ayo found it hilarious. Meanwhile, I was convinced I was seconds away from being initiated into witchcraft.

Then she handed me some cat treats. The moment I started feeding them, something shifted within me. By the end of that visit, I’d completely forgotten I was supposed to be afraid.

By my third visit, I knew I wanted a cat of my own.

Around that time, Ayo asked if I could help find buyers for some Turkish Angora kittens. Because I’d already worked with dogs, she thought I’d know interested buyers.

I honestly didn’t think Nigerians would pay for cats, so I priced them at a ridiculous sum of ₦20K each. I was so wrong. The kittens sold quickly, and talking to the buyers made me realise there was an entire community of cat lovers existing across Nigeria.

That curiosity sent me down a rabbit hole. I started reading about cat breeds, behaviour and care. The more I learnt, the more I realised most Nigerians’ beliefs about cats weren’t based on experience. They came from religion, films and superstition.

In 2021, I got my first cat, Nyssa. She completely changed my life.

She had the biggest personality I’d ever encountered. She was affectionate, but only on her own terms. Some days she’d curl up beside me asking for attention. Other days she’d look at me like I was disturbing her peace.

At first, it frustrated me. Eventually, I realised she was teaching me something I’d never really thought about before: boundaries, consent and respect.

With Nyssa, affection wasn’t something you could forcefully demand. If she wanted company, she’d come to you. If she wanted space, she’d make that very clear. Funny enough, that lesson spilled into the rest of my life. I became more attentive to people, especially women. More aware that not everyone communicates their needs directly.

For a cat, she was an excellent teacher.

For a while, I kept this new side of my life private. Yahoo-boy accusations were everywhere, and I worried people would assume I was into something shady because I loved cats. Even my family didn’t really understand it. I always had excuses when they invited me out because I wanted to get back home to my cats.

Eventually, people started noticing my connection with cats. Then one day, an Uber driver greeted me with, “You’re Jason the Cat Guy, right?” Apparently, someone had saved my number that way on Truecaller, and the nickname stuck.

As more people discovered me, cat owners started reaching out. They wanted advice. They wanted community. Most of all, they wanted a space where they wouldn’t be mocked for loving cats.

So I started a WhatsApp group. Soon, people were sharing stories about neighbours threatening their cats, family members accusing them of fetish practices and landlords refusing to allow pets. What started as a small chat became a genuine community.

Today, my life revolves around cats more than I ever imagined possible. 

They wake me up for breakfast, keep me company while I work and somehow always know when I’ve had a difficult day.

What surprises me most isn’t how much I’ve learned about cats. It’s how much they’ve taught me. They’ve taught me that love doesn’t need control. That respecting boundaries doesn’t mean rejection. And that the things we’re taught to fear aren’t always what they seem.

That’s why I care so much about changing how Nigerians see cats. My team and I are building a cat café in Lagos. We’ve spent years creating an online community. Now we want a physical space where people can meet cats, challenge old stereotypes and maybe leave seeing them a little differently.

Because if there’s one thing I hope Nigerians take away from my story, it’s this: Cats aren’t evil, they’re just misunderstood.

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