Taylor Swift responds to a fan who criticized her for frequently kissing and being seen with her cat, stating, “I can’t be without my cat, Travis,” emphasizing the importance of her feline companion in her life.

Taylor Swift Explains Why She Always Carries Her Cat

Is it more than just a fashion statement?

Taylor Swift and her kitten, Olivia Benson, are seen on Sept. 16, 2014 in New York City.
Raymond Hall/Getty Images

Taylor Swift fans have all seen those paparazzi photos of her walking around New York City apartment carrying her new kitten named Olivia Benson.

While there’s been much speculation about this practice — and even suggestions that she’s committing a serious error with such cavalier cat-handling — Swift said there’s a simple explanation.

“The kitten freaks out about being put in the cat carrier … she freaks out when she’s in there,” she told Access Hollywood. “So I was just like, ‘OK, all right, we’re gonna just do this!'”

Swift also noted that she’s not walking the streets of New York City holding her cat on one arm.

“It was like a ten foot walk from my door to the car!” she explained. “What I thought was funny about those pictures is that, like, the cat is looking straight at the cameras!”

Speaking of those cameras, Swift said they’re partly responsible for was named People’s Best Dressed of 2014.

“It’s been really exciting living in New York and being inspired by the fashion happening there,” she said. “And, y’know, I think you’re a little more cognizant of what you’re wearing when you do have a camera crew of, like, 20 people outside your door every day!”