‘I chose Tulane for the campus cats’

One of the best icebreakers I’ve used during my first few weeks of college is to talk about the campus cats. I’ve been questioned a lot about why I chose Tulane, and replying ‘I wanted to become best friends with Cow Cat (our most loved kitty)’ is a sure way to make people laugh – and it’s not even a lie.

I’m pretty sure Cow Cat is just too fat to move out of the way of people’s reaches – some students actually built him his own home to make sure he had a shelter he could fit into – but I still like to think of him as everyone’s first friend.

While students can sprint past Cow Cat and he’ll barely blink an eye, some of the cats are more timid. A small, skinny version of Cow Cat (who we call Skinny Cow, although that’s just his name along my dorm’s residents) is my personal favorite. I learned during a club meeting that he doesn’t like a lot of people. Given that he willingly comes out of the bushes when I approach, I was about ready to make the other club members bow down to their newly-appointed “cat queen,” but it may be a little early to take that step. I’m waiting until I have fully bought Skinny Cow’s love with the cat treats I bought yesterday.

Skinny Cow hides in the bushes while he waits for the rain to pass

Among my hall, a small black kitty named Wednesday (after Wednesday Addams) is a crowd-pleaser. She climbed her way up to the second floor today and I lost count of all the snapchat stories she featured in. While my friends at home hate receiving the pictures I send of the cats (they’re obviously jealous), my Tulane friends love receiving them, since it alerts them of where one of the cats is. Usually, Wednesday and Skinny Cow hang around together, and one of my friends, Bronte, told me a long story about the two being separated and desperately trying to find each other. After hearing the heart-wrenching tale, I was willing to forgive the tiny tots for meowing loudly enough to wake me before my morning alarm went off.

And just to put all those parents at ease, I should mention that these cats aren’t frothing at the mouth. From what I’ve heard, they came from homes that flooded, and ran to Tulane to escape the water. Here, they’re well fed by some secret organization – I looked at the page for clubs at Tulane, and while I’ve heard of the Cat Club that goes around feeding my babies, it seems to be underground. Anyone who knows any information, hit me up.

A text from my dad, who had apparently forgotten how excited I was about the cats after visiting

No, Dad, they’re not just random feral cats who get fed by the students. They’re my best friends. Show some respect.

So why actually did I choose Tulane? Well, we’re ranked one of the happiest campuses… And I think I know why.