It's really the cat's house - we just pay the mortgage.

A humorous, cat-owner’s aphorism that flips the usual idea of human ownership: while people believe they “own” a pet, the cat behaves as if it owns the territory and merely tolerates the humans. The mortgage line sharpens the joke by contrasting the humans’ financial responsibility with the cat’s effortless sovereignty—suggesting that domestic life is organized around the cat’s preferences (sleeping spots, routines, attention) regardless of who pays the bills. The quote also captures a common cultural stereotype of cats as independent, imperious, and self-possessed, making it a light commentary on companionship, control, and the everyday power dynamics of shared living.