She is the cat lady.

Michaela Scott Marler is 17 years old and has lived in the Brookhaven area her entire life. She currently resides in the Loyd Star community, where she takes care of her cat, Tatum.

Marler adopted her beloved cat at the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League.

“I’ve made his own Instagram account,” she said. “I love being a mother to my precious cat. I love posting pictures to my cat’s Instagram account.”

A recent graduate of Loyd Star High School, Marler will be attending Copiah-Lincoln Community College in the fall. She is a music major and will be a new member of the Co-Lin Blue Wave Show Band. Her favorite instruments to play are the saxophone and the trumpet.

She attends New Hope United Methodist Church and is actively involved in youth group and Sunday school.

Since April, she has worked as a barista at Georgia Blue Bakery. She serves coffee and meals to customers.

“I have a picture at work of my cat. If I’m having a long day, I will look at it to cheer me up,” Marler said.

Marler is a big fan of the panini sandwiches at the bakery, but her favorite food is her mom’s steaks.

One of Marler’s favorite things to do is to watch “One Tree Hill” on Netflix.

She loves her freckles, she said, because they make her look like Emma Stone.

After college, Marler plans to stay in Brookhaven.

“I want to be a band director one day. Music is my passion and I can’t see myself doing anything else,” she said.