University Awards Cat Doctorate in Litter-ature

Max is a frequent, and affectionate, visitor to Vermont State University's Castleton campus
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 11, 2024 4:16 PM CDT
University Awards Cat Doctorate in Litter-ature
In this photo provided by Vermont State University, students pet Max the Cat in front of Leavenworth Hall at Vermont State University Castleton.   (Rob Franklin/Vermont State University via AP)

Max, a recent graduate of Vermont State University, is different from other members of the Class of 2024 in two main ways: He's only 6 years old, and he's a cat. The frequent visitor to the university's Castleton campus has earned a "Doctorate of Litter-ature," CNN reports. His owner, Ashley Dow, lives down the street from the university's main entrance, and she says he has been spending most of his time on campus for years. "He usually goes over in the morning about 8 when I go to work, and he'll come home in time for dinner, or one of the students will come over and drop him off," she tells the Washington Post.

Maurice Oiumet, the school's dean of admissions and enrollment services, tells CNN that the "very affectionate" cat tends to park himself outside a main academic building to get attention from students coming and going from classes. He says the doctorate was meant to "be kind of a joke," but also to recognize "that this cat did conjure up real feelings and real emotions and was a real support to a lot of people on our campuses during a difficult time." He notes that the university doesn't award doctorates to humans.

  • The diploma awarded last month states: "With a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Cat-leges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it."
  • Max has a university email address and a page in its directory. "A native Vermonter, Max brings his passion for connection and relaxation to the Castleton campus," it states.
(More Vermont State University stories.)

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