I am a proud cougar and my husband is 18 years younger than me
LOVE often comes when you least expect it and that is certainly true for one influencer.
Thought it started as a 'weekend fling', content creator Shona Houston is now dating a man 18 years her junior – and proudly calls herself a 'cougar'.
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Their relationship began over a year ago, when 43-year-old Shona split her time between nursing and travelling.
Although the forty-something wasn't looking for love, a weekend at the lake with friends would change the trajectory of her life forever.
When she caught up with the group in 2022, the part-time nurse became closer to Owen, a 24-year-old handyman and farmer.
After that fateful night, she never could have imagined that a year later they would celebrate their first anniversary together.
Shona admits it's unusual for her to date someone so much younger, telling Fabulous: “I've dated someone who was maybe a year younger, but never that many years younger.”
Despite being blindsided by Owen, she confessed that she was hesitant to start a relationship and that things would soon fail.
“This was all very new and I didn't really think it would turn into anything. Then we started hanging out… and then it just kept going,” she said, reflecting on their year-and-a-half-long relationship.
The couple spent most of their time together in the great outdoors, visiting several states and national parks, including the Rocky Mountains.
Free-spirited Shona was even more shocked when Owen agreed to travel long distances while she worked out of state for several months.
She claims this maturity has been key to their relationship, with them openly not having children early on.
Speaking about her long-term boyfriend, Shona said: “Owen is a very old soul and so when I talk to him I don't feel like I'm talking to someone who's 24.”
While some may question the nurse's relationship, it is clear that she is in love with her boyfriend with her Tiktok littered with videos of their unconventional relationship.
However, Shona likes to poke fun at their large age difference with a video in which they playfully brag that she's 'the cougar who got him'.
The older woman has even caught the attention of singer-songwriter Yung Gravy, who left a handshake emoji in the comments while complimenting Owen on his older girlfriend.
Ironically, Shona wasn't sure how the pop star was doing before commenting on one of their viral videos.
“I didn't know who that was,” she admitted, adding, “I had to respond to Yung Gravy because I just thought this was hilarious.”
Others can't believe there is such a big age gap between them, with one commenter wrongly thinking Shona's boyfriend was in his 40s in the relationship.
The confused commenter even wrote: “He looks at least 40 when he doesn't shave.”
Unfortunately, not all the attention the couple received was so positive.
Like many couples with an age gap, Owen and Shona have had trolls targeting their social media.
One cruel commenter claimed their love wouldn't last and Shona was just 'one of those nights in the week' for Owen.
After watching another of their viral videos, one mom called the relationship “gross,” writing, “Eewwww nooooo! I'm in my 40's and I have a son in his 20's! I would never!”
To which the savvy Tiktoker replied, “Hey, I wouldn't do that either, but I'm childless – it works for me LOL.”
However, the happy couple seem to be hitting it off, with Shona responding to the backlash in multiple videos.
Instead of shying away from the controversy, the nurse brazenly uploads a video celebrating Owen's birthday with the caption: “When he finally turns 24 and you can use your birthday balloons at 42.”
She and her other half also celebrate their relationship, with videos of them spending romantic weekends together and falling into each other's arms after their break-up.
While others may raise their eyebrows about the relationship, we're glad this travel-obsessed couple found each other.
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