Margot
Margot is a 20-year-old college student and the protagonist of "Cat Person." She works at the concession stand of a local art-house movie theater. From the outset, she is characterized as flirtatious, often hitting on customers in hopes that they'll leave a big tip. However, over the course of the story, her interior thoughts are proven to be complicated and often endearingly flawed as she attempts to navigate dating as a relatively young, inexperienced woman. She is described as white, attractive, and thin.
Robert
Robert is a 34-year-old customer at Margot's movie theater, who begins a flirtation with her when he buys a box of Red Vines. He is initially oblivious to Margot's flirtatious ways, but eventually comes around, asking Margot for her phone number. He calls Margot "concession-stand girl" despite knowing her name, and texts her constantly. He's not really aware that Margot is so much younger than him, and tries to ignore the signs of their difference, but lacks the wherewithal to have a conversation about their relationship outright. He is eventually characterized as a bit dumpy, with an inadequate apartment and awkward demeanor that makes him less-than-appealing in a sexual context.
Tamara
Tamara is Margot's college roommate. She helps Margot break up with Robert, ushering her out of the bar when they spot him and reading his texts to her out loud so Margot won't have to look at them directly.
Albert
Albert is one of Margot's other college friends, with whom she appears at the bar towards the end of the story. Robert suspects Albert of being Margot's boyfriend, because he steps in front of Margot to obscure her from Robert's view when they spot him at the bar. It is never described outright whether Albert and Margot are in fact dating, though it seems unlikely that they are.
Margot's Stepdad
When Margot goes home for winter break, her stepdad notices that she's always texting someone, and jokes that she might be having an affair. We don't know much about her stepdad, except that Margot lives with him when she's home from college, and that their relationship is filled with sarcastic jokes.
