A community cat graduated from a university with an honorary degree this weekend. With Vermont State University Castleton Campus’ commencement scheduled for May 18, Max the cat received a “Doctor in Litter-ature” degree. The kitty has won over students and faculty alike, becoming a local celebrity at Castleton.
Cat earns honorary degree from Vermont State University Castleton Campus
Max the cat received his honorary degree on Saturday, per WCAX. The university announced this on Instagram with a carousel post with photos of the kitty enjoying the campus. Max is an outdoor cat who belongs to Ashley Dow and her family. They got the feline from Fair Haven about four years ago.
The kitty is loved by all, as the admissions office admitted that he is sometimes the highlight of their campus tours. Max loves socializing, so he greets almost everyone with equal enthusiasm. The cat is a delight for prospective students and visitors, following them through the campus tour.
The Vermont State University Castleton Campus honored the cat because he is a great emotional support for students. Especially during the finals, Max helps them deal with their stress and anxiety. The director of career development and innovation, Jessica Duncan, noted that she often sees university students pick him up and play with him.
Max thinks of the students as his humans, and they love to give him all the attention. However, with the university break approaching, his owner, Ashley Dow, stated that the tabby cat was in for confusing times. With students returning home for the summer, the campus gets deserted, which can throw off Max’s usual schedule.
However, his family is grateful for the summer breaks, as they finally get to spend more time with him. Once the university students return, the feline tends to be gone from home for days to spend some time with his second family. Dow stated that sometimes he forgets to come home altogether, and they have to look for him, only to find him enjoying his time with the students.
