Crazy Cat Lady
Eleanor Albernathy
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Character Information
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Eleanor Abernathy, known as the Crazy Cat Lady and voiced by Tress MacNeille, is a woman with the appearance and behavior of a stereotypical mentally ill person. Apparently, she developed a blind eye.
Contents
Appearances
Appearance Development
The Crazy Cat Lady first appeared in the ninth-season episode "Girly Edition," in which she pelted Lisa with cats during Lisa's news segment at Kidz Newz. Originally meant to appear only in that episode, she eventually became a recurring character.
Supporting Appearances
In the episode "I, D'oh-Bot" the Simpsons' family cat Snowball II dies and after adopting two more short-lived cats, the Crazy Cat Lady appears and gives Lisa a cat that looks exactly like Snowball II. She is also on the five characters interviewed by Declan Desmond in Springfield Up.
Illness
Medication
In the episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass," the Cat Lady enjoys "brief moments of lucidity" after taking psychoactive medication. She abruptly resumes her usual bizarre behavior when Marge mentions that the "pills" are actually Reese's Pieces. Her medication helps her speak intelligibly rather than her usual gibberish.
Intelligence
Even without medication, she appears to be very intelligent. In an episode in which Mayor "Diamond" Joe Quimby is recalled, she runs for the mayor's office. During a candidate debate, she is asked what public-policy issues are important to her; unlike the other candidates (who act as stereotypical dishonest politicians), Abernathy discusses issues such as health care, economy, and public education in between her screams and gibberish (and a call for cats "in everyone's pants").
Past
In "Springfield Up," it is revealed that Eleanor earned an MD from Harvard Medical School and a JD from Yale Law School - both by age 24. In one scene, Eleanor is representing a client in open court when she asks to be excused to deliver a baby. However, eight years later, she exhibits signs of alcoholism due to stress and burning herself out. She has also become very attached to her pet cat and suggests that she might get another one. After an additional eight years, she has assumed her present appearance and behavior.
In "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe," Moe calls her a man, and she replies that he should know she is a woman because they had a cat together.
Episode Appearances
Episode – "Girly Edition"
Episode – "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass"
Episode – "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot"
Episode – "Springfield Up"
– The Simpsons Movie
