Steve was saved by a cat as a child. Like...with everything going on at home, I can see Steve wanting to not be a problem child...stuck between ‘don’t get in trouble’ and ‘man up/don’t be a baby’ if he was getting bullied, he wouldn't really tell... so headcanon that Steve’s love of cats comes from a random stray just going hell crazy on an older kid bullying Steve.
And Steve saw this street cat, barely 5 pounds if that, shaggy looking, but fierce stare, claws, and fangs bared and scarring the bully for life.
Steve makes sure the cat doesn’t get caught and helps feed it on his walk from school. The cat actually follows him and learned where he lived. When Steve got lonely, he’d go and hang out with his street cat friend named Tom. (gettid? Tom Cat? xD there are two references in that btw)
He wished he could adopt it but Mary’s got allergies and even if she can be a bit annoying, he still loves her.
