Unleashing Her Wild Side: Why Britney Spears Adores Cheetahs
This week Britney Spears took to Instagram, and without comment, posted a portrait of a pink cheetah — leaving many wondering why.
Those who follow the Instagram adventures of pop-icon Britney Spears enjoy it all – from her dance moves to her personal insights, quotes and vacation photos.
But now they have something new to ponder.
Late Thursday evening, Spears took to Instagram — and without adding any comment or reference— posted a portrait of a pink cheetah, the fastest animal in the world.
But why?
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Taking a brief safari across her Instagram this week revealed an array of cheetah references.
Last weekend, Spears shared a photo featuring a young girl with a cheetah, captioned “Looks are deceiving.” Along with the image she shared a story about holding a baby, something she said, made her feel safer than she ever has with “any man.”
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The following Monday the singer posted another photo to Instagram featuring two cheetahs, which she simply titled, “The Maharajah of Kolhapur” — an apparent reference to an Indian prince.
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And by Tuesday, she donned a cheetah-print bodysuit to appear in a brief Instagram video, she captioned, “Baby tease of the crazy, crazy edit of cheetah.”
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Spears has long expressed a fascination with cheetahs, referencing the swift creatures in numerous posts over the years. In a notable 2020 post, she featured a black and white photo of a cheetah with the caption, “don’t mess with the cat.”
And in 2021, as Spears navigated the battle to terminate her conservatorship, she donned a cat suit and posted to Instagram, “Miss pussycat loves to bite .. be careful ladies and gentlemen.”
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Spears is often spotted wearing cheetah prints – dresses, scarves, crop tops, body suits — and thongs.
Her affinity for cheetahs even influenced her stage performances. Ahead of her iconic “I’m a Slave 4 U” performance at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, there was speculation about including live cheetahs in the act. This possibility prompted concerns from animal rights groups, including PETA activist Dan Matthews, who told the Irish Examiner, ‘‘Cheetahs used in show business are often trained through intimidation and with such devices as electric shock prods and sticks.”
Spears ultimately decided against using cheetahs in her performance.
While Spears hasn’t publicly given a public explanation for her love of cheetahs, the graceful and elegant animal is renowned primarily for its incredible speed, holding the title of the fastest land animal on earth. Yet despite their speed, cheetahs face numerous ecological challenges, from habitat loss to conflicts with humans and other predators that target their young. So, the cheetah could serve as symbol of resilience and inspiration to persevere through difficulties.
Incidentally, fans can purchase their own pink cheetah canvas — just like Britney’s — for $72.