Cassidy was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of '70s pop idol David Cassidy and former model Sherry Benedon (née Kaltschnee); the two had an "on-again, off-again" relationship during the 1970s-1980s, resulting in Katie's birth, fifteen years after first meeting. Cassidy's paternal grandparents were actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward. She grew up in Calabasas, California with her mother and stepfather, Richard Benedon, an ER physician. She now has a close relationship with David Cassidy.[citation needed] She has two older sisters, Jenna and Jaime. As a child, Cassidy took to tumbling and eventually became a cheerleader for the California Flyers, a competitive team. She cheered as a freshman for Calabasas High School where she attended classes and graduated in 2005. As a child, Cassidy became interested in show business. She is also known for dating two members of former boy band Dream Street, rocker Greg Raposo (2002 - 2003) and popstar Jesse McCartney (2004-2007). Rap