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Character Profiles > Catherine O'Brien Radha Mitchell

Catherine 'Cat' (née Chandra Rain) O’Brien 1996-1997
Lived: 30 Ramsay Street
Parents: Bess O’Brien
Marital Status: Malcolm Kennedy (2001-)
Siblings: Sarah
Family Tree: O'Brien
Occupation: Student, The Holy Roll Assistant/Manager, Wilderness Foundation volunteer

Catherine, a confident and opinionated young student, caught the attention of Stonie Rebecchi at Eden Hills University. Stonie realised that Catherine was very strong with her views about the environment – she was a vegetarian and regularly went on protests to voice her views and beliefs. Stonie loved his meat, and didn’t really care much for the world. He soon realised that in order to impress Catherine, he would have to change his ways.

Catherine then had a run in with Sam Kratz. Her research told her that Stefano Gold, the company Sam worked for, tested their products on animals, something Catherine was naturally dead against. Her and Sam argued and argued over it, Sam saying that he just saw it as a way to make money, and didn’t think there was anything wrong with the company. Later on, as Sam was about to leave, Catherine came round to tell him she was sorry – when really her ulterior motive was the handcuff herself to Sam so there was no way he could attend the modelling shoot.

Later at the Coffee Shop, Catherine apologised to Sam, after she found out that Stefano Gold actually do a lot to help the environment, and that she was misinformed. Sam accepted her apology.

Stonie wanted Catherine by his side all the time, so he talked his mother Angie into giving her a job at the Coffee Shop. When Stonie started becoming for environmentally friendly, Catherine began to see him in a different light, not realising that it was all an act to simply impress her. Catherine talked Stonie into abseiling down the University wall as a protest. Stonie agreed, but just as he was about to partake, he confessed to Catherine that he was scared of heights and that he was only doing it so she would like him. However, after she passionately kissed him, he decided to go ahead with it, nearly falling to his doom.

Stonie and Catherine began working together on a play, and when she found out that Stonie was only pretending to feel as strongly as she did about the environment after seeing him devour a ham sandwich, she went cold on him. However, Stonie was persistent, and refused to let her get away that easily. He pestered Catherine and eventually she agreed to give him a second chance.

Stonie asked Catherine to move in with him, but she didn’t like the idea of living with him, Toadie and Angie, so she said she couldn’t, which made Stonie contemplate moving out. The play rehearsals were going well until Catherine got a call saying her mother was sick. She went to go see her, meaning that she couldn’t stay with Stonie. She didn’t know how long she would be gone, but they promised to try and stay together. They said a teary goodbye at the train station.

When Catherine returned some months later, she was in for a shock when her sexy half-sister Sarah arrived in Erinsborough, working in Danni's clothes shop. Catherine then realised that her relationship with Stonie wasn't working, and decided to break up with him. Angie and Stonie fired Catherine from the Coffee Shop, but then offered her the place to manage when they left to live with Big Kev. Catherine accepted the job, and she patched things up with the Rebecchis before they left. She then moved into Number 30 with Luke and Sarah.

Catherine was perplexed when she saw that photographers were following Sarah, and was even more stunned to realise that her name was Sarah Beaumont, opposed to Sarah O'Brien. Sarah told her that it was because Beaumont was her father's name, and that she used it whilst modelling in England.

With Stonie gone, Catherine's feelings for Mal Kennedy blossomed and they soon began dating each other. They settled together and had a steady relationship, until Catherine decided to start to learn to drive. She had to learn to drive for a new job she was doing at the Wilderness Foundation. She didn't want Mal to teach her, because she knew they would just argue. She left the Coffee Shop, and asked Sarah to teach her. The two girls fell out and argued when Catherine nearly ran over Madge. Darren Stark then decided he could teach Catherine, because they weren't related. He took her driving, but his impatience got the better of him, and Catherine stormed off. Darren apologised and took her for another lesson, and realised that he was developing feelings for her, despite the fact he was in a serious relationship with Mal's sister, Libby. Catherine realised Darren wasn't her ideal teacher, so she asked Lou for help as well. That, too, ended in disaster.

When the occupants of Number 30 decided to get the place revamped, Darren was on hand to help with the paint work. It was here that he and Catherine gave into temptation and kissed each other. Naturally, Mal found out and promptly ditched Catherine and decided to leave to go travelling. Catherine then realised she was a fool behaving the way she did, and realised that her feelings for Darren were just lust, and not love, like she'd had with Mal. She chased him to the airport, where the two made up, and headed off to England together. They were married in 2001.

Trivia Notes
• Before landing the role of Catherine in 1996, Radha Mitchell appeared on Neighbours in 1994 as Cassandra Rushmore
• When Mal returned to Erinsborough in 2011, he mentioned that Catherine was working for the World Wildlife Fund

Tenure
2541-2807