Deadmau5 Opens Up on How His Cats Keep Him Grounded

Deadmau5 has always walked a fine line between sonic precision and personal chaos and according to a new Billboard interview, his cats play a big part in both.

Joel Zimmerman, known worldwide for his genre-bending productions and iconic mau5head, opened up in a recent feature about how his feline companions have impacted his life, his workflow, and even his art collection. The Billboard piece, paired with a full photo gallery of his cats (yes, it’s adorable), gives a rare glimpse into the softer, fur-covered side of the EDM titan.

Cats as Co-Producers?

For someone so obsessed with control — from his modular rigs to the deadmau5 cube — you’d expect Joel to lose it over random interruptions. But when it comes to cats, he’s all in. In the interview, he called them emotional support animals and “background constants” in the studio.

“They’ve been there through tour prep, through pandemic lockdowns, through writer’s block,” he told Billboard. “They’re just always around — and that’s comforting.”

EDMTunes readers have seen this dynamic in action before. In 2023, we covered Joel adopting two new rescues, Dizzy and Dolly. He introduced them on Instagram with the caption: “Was too quiet in here lately… cue Dizzy and Dolly. Back to chaos.” They may not press keys, but they shape the vibe — lounging on synths, wandering into streams, and generally ruling the studio.

One Cat vs. Rare Art

Of course, the cat life isn’t all warm fuzzies. Deadmau5 shared that one of his cats managed to knock over a rare piece of holographic wall art — a unique collectible — and destroyed it completely. His reaction? Deadpan as ever: “That’s the price of a cat.” Just another moment in a household where cutting-edge audio tech and unpredictable claws share the same space.

Pets and Perspective

Despite the occasional damage, it’s clear these animals mean a lot to Zimmerman. The Billboard photo gallery captures raw, unpolished moments of him with his cats — the kind of domestic shots that strip away the lasers and LED panels and show the human behind the mask.

Before Dizzy and Dolly, there was Meowingtons, arguably EDM’s most famous feline. He wasn’t just a pet — he was part of the brand. He graced album art, toured the world in merch form, and even became the subject of a legal trademark battle. We at EDMTunes followed every twist — including the time Meowingtons launched an OnlyFans (yes, that happened).

When Meowingtons passed away in 2023, deadmau5 posted a heartfelt tribute calling him “peace and quiet from the beginning.” We covered the loss on International Cat Day, of all days. Talk about full circle.

Legacy of the Mau5cats

From iconic album mascots to studio sidekicks, cats have always played a role in deadmau5’s creative world. They cause chaos, they bring comfort, and sometimes they wreck rare art — but they’re part of the journey.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about personality — and the purring, twitchy-eared creatures that quietly help shape the sound.