Sutton Stracke found the purr-fect companion in cat Babette, which is why the feline is Us Weekly’s inaugural Reality TV Pet of the Year.
“Well, of course, I would expect nothing less. Look at her,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 52, exclusively told Us of Babette’s honor. “She’s so funny. These cats are so great because they’re really super social and so she doesn’t like to not be around a human. If I go somewhere, she goes somewhere.”
Stracke continued: “She likes to be with us all the time and my daughter, Porter, misses her all the time. She’s in Virginia at school and always wants to know what Babette is doing and … we love her so much. She’s such a member of our family.”
Stracke — who is the mother of daughter Porter and sons Philip and James — revealed that she’s had Babette for “a long time.”
“She’s very well-behaved. She sleeps with me [and] she takes up the bed. She’s just a good cat,” Stracke — who also has two other cats and three dogs — gushed to Us of Babette, who’s been known to make special cameos on RHOBH.
Babette is a Ragamuffins breed, which Sutton chose due to her mom’s allergies. The kitty is also an unparalleled source of support whenever the Bravo star has a difficult time filming the reality TV show.
“Some nights are really tough when we film and it’ll be a long dinner and it’s just nice to put on pajamas and get in the bed and she’s right there,” she told Us. “It’s really nice to have that comfort. She likes to be held. … They like you to be calm so they can just get in your lap or get in bed with you. So it’s nice to have that calm effect after a long night of Housewives.”
Stracke — who joked that she frequently talks to her animals when she’s home alone — further praised Babette for helping her “get through things.”
“You fall in love. It’s so true. They’re better than men,” Stracke quipped to Us. “I will say this, I’ve found that Babette has been a better partner in life than any man has, so that’s good, I think, for me.”
Babette — who is the unofficial “lioness” and ruler of Stracke’s pets — follows in her owner’s footsteps when it comes to living luxuriously.
“She gets groomed regularly, so that’s important. She has on her Tiffany collar and she has her Tiffany cat bowl that she eats out of. I don’t do much more.” Stracke explained of her “diva” feline. “I tried to walk her on a leash. She wasn’t having it. She doesn’t like that. If she takes a step outside, she comes back in. She’s like, ‘no,’ she’s not an outdoor kind of girl. She likes … television, massages, facials, back scratches, that kind of thing. She loves lounging in bed with me [on] Sundays, especially.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
