Written by: Dent May
On the outskirts of Oxford, MS, if you drive down the right county road, you might pass an unassuming 4,200 square foot ranch-style house once inhabited by the elusive, self-proclaimed “North Mississippi Infotainment Cult” called Cats Purring.
Since 2011, a revolving cast of Oxford’s least reputable artists, thinkers and weirdos have made their home at Cats Purring Dude Ranch. Internationally acclaimed entertainers, professional townies, college students, lawyers, housewives, real estate tycoons, pseudo-intellectuals, outcasts, delinquents and sophisticates of all stripes have partied together under its sacred roof. This era now comes to a close.
Grimes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Real Estate, Youth Lagoon, DIIV, Bleached, Whitney, Prince Rama, Dirty Beaches, Woods, Fucked Up, Calvin Johnson, Empress Of, Chris Cohen, Ducktails, Twerps, Alex Bleeker & The Freaks, King Tuff, Colleen Green, Moon King, Frankie Rose, Jeff The Brotherhood, Born Gold and many more have performed here.
Cats Purring’s local affiliates have included but are not limited to Bass Drum Of Death, Dent May Group, Dead Gaze, Flight, Michael Bible, Jane Rule Burdine, DJ Scary Milk, Young Buffalo, Gray Things, Tommy Toussaint, ILLLS, Child Star, Nervs, Anna Benefield, Bobby Chiz, Bed Rats, Unwed Teenage Mothers, James Alexander Warren, Hits Incorporated, Rolex Luthor, Carson Culver, War Machine, Zachary Winter, Bonus, Nadir Bliss, Starman Jr, Reels, Greater Pyrenees, etc.
Cats Purring was founded in Taylor, MS at the Cats Purring Dream Trailer, a luxury double-wide in Jim Dees’ backyard outfitted with a jacuzzi, a skylight, and an aboveground pool that primarily served as a mating ground for tadpoles. We then moved up the hill to Cats Purring Country Club and Teen Wing, a rustic two-story cabin with a sizable garage where we threw our first shindigs. We also began hosting events at local dives such as Proud Larry’s and The Lyric’s now-defunct Red Star Bar.
When we moved into the Dude Ranch, its walls were covered in graffiti and a friendly squatter who was reading Of Mice & Men was living out of one of the bedroom closets. Its hallowed grounds, currently marked by a for sale sign, feature a spacious wrap-around porch, a now-iconic empty swimming pool filled with toxic slime and a hidden drawing room (inspired by the Incubus episode of MTV Cribs) affectionately dubbed the McConaughey Lounge.
Perhaps the Dude Ranch will become the future home to a delightful young family, but considering the breakneck pace of Oxford’s growth and its overzealous development practices, you may one day have the opportunity to shop at the Cats Purring Upscale Chain Store Galleria or even pick up a second home for game weekends at the architecturally insipid Cats Purring Condominiums.
That said, our work here is done. Our operations will move elsewhere. We now sacrifice Cats Purring Dude Ranch to the depraved real estate overlords of Oxford, MS. Praise Zorn from whom all blessings flow. 
