Crazy Cat Lady
Eleanor Albernathy
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Character Information
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Eleanor Abernathy, known as the Crazy Cat Lady 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 pelted Lisa with cats during Lisa's news segment at Kidz Newz[1].
Supporting Appearances
When 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[2]. She is also one of the five people interviewed by Declan Desmond [3].
Illness
Medication
The Cat Lady enjoys "brief moments of lucidity" after taking psychoactive medication[4]. 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. When 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
Eleanor earned an MD from Harvard Medical School and a JD from Yale Law School - both by age 24[5]. Once 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.
Moe once calls her a man, and she replies that he should know she is a woman because they had a cat together[6].
Behind the scenes
The Crazy Cat Lady first appeared in Girly Edition. Originally meant to appear only in that episode, she eventually became a recurring character.
Episode Appearances
Episode – "Girly Edition" - Episode – "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass"
- Episode – "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot"
- Episode – "Springfield Up"
- Episode – "Home Away From Homer"
- Episode – "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe"
– The Simpsons Movie
