Meet the Richest Cat in the World That Might Own 3 Rolls-Royces
A well-known fashion designer spent decades building a global empire, shaping brands like Chanel and Fendi, and collecting luxury cars and homes across Europe. Then in 2011, a fluffy Birman cat named Choupette entered his life during Christmas, and over time she became a central part of his world. By the time Karl Lagerfeld passed away in 2019, stories about her lifestyle were almost as famous as his own.
The Pet That Took Over Karl Lagerfeld’s World
Image via Pexels/Omar Ramadan
Choupette originally belonged to model Baptiste Giabiconi, one of Lagerfeld’s longtime muses. Giabiconi left the blue-eyed Birman cat with Lagerfeld during a holiday trip in 2011. By the time he returned, the arrangement was over. Lagerfeld had fallen completely for the cat and refused to give her back.
Lagerfeld was already living at a level most people only see in films. He owned homes in Paris, Rome, Hamburg, Biarritz, and the French Riviera, as well as luxury cars, including Rolls-Royces. His library was said to hold around 300,000 books, surrounded by art and fashion. When Choupette arrived, she simply became part of that world and its routine.
This was never a normal pet-owner setup. Lagerfeld insisted she eat beside him at the table using Goyard dishes and Chinese porcelain bowls. Her meals included chef-prepared dishes such as chicken gelée and Japanese-style beef. She traveled by private jet and reportedly had two maids dedicated to tracking her sleep, meals, grooming, and moods in handwritten journals. At one point, Lagerfeld claimed those records stretched across hundreds of pages.
Choupette Became a Fashion Celebrity
The fashion industry wasted little time turning Choupette into a business. She landed campaigns with Opel and Shu Uemura and appeared in magazines beside Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen, and Kendall Jenner. In 2014, Lagerfeld claimed she earned more than $3 million through endorsements and modeling work alone.
Her fame continued to grow after Lagerfeld’s death in 2019. Choupette inspired makeup collections, plush dolls, accessories, and luxury pet items. Her Instagram account attracted huge attention, while fashion fans treated her almost like a human celebrity. Then came the 2023 Met Gala.
The event honored Lagerfeld’s career, but Choupette stole part of the spotlight without even attending. Jared Leto arrived dressed in a giant cat costume modeled after her. Doja Cat also embraced the tribute with feline-inspired prosthetics and makeup. A cat that once slept quietly in a Paris apartment had somehow become one of the defining symbols of high fashion culture.
The Inheritance Rumors
The biggest fascination around Choupette has always centered on money. French law does not allow animals to directly inherit property or estates, which immediately complicated the headlines claiming she inherited Lagerfeld’s fortune. Still, multiple reports suggested Lagerfeld arranged financial support for her care before his death.
The figures vary wildly depending on the source. Some reports place her trust or care arrangement at around $1.5 million. Others push the number higher, with estimates of Choupette’s overall net worth climbing into the millions through branding deals and licensing work.