I so rarely get to come on campus nowadays that when I do it’s a bit exciting. It’s weird to think that something so mundane as driving to campus would be something that I would find some happiness in, but its a reminder for me to stop and enjoy the world a bit.

Stanislaus is and has been one of the most beautiful places in Turlock for a long time now, so after filling out my COVID self-screening, putting on my mask, and driving to campus, I parked a little bit further away from my destination than I needed to and took to strolling campus just for the sake of it. And I’m rather glad, because if I hadn’t I may not have made the friend that I did!

This is Tony! (And yes, the pandemic has made it so that meeting a cat does constitute in my mind as making a new friend!) Tony was regally sunbathing atop his trashcan throne when I saw him and so I was faced with having to make the decision: Do I approach, or do I respectfully keep my distance?

I made the universal sign of cat-affection by pressing my lips together and making the sound: “pss pss” and Tony perked up and came right up to me, giving me permission to pet.

I gave him a good scratching and petting and was mindful not to expose my hand to his claws or anywhere that he wouldn’t like, and then afterwards I bid him good day and left to wash my hands. It was honestly a lovely experience 🙂

There’s actually quite a bit of protocol surrounding Tony and his fellow feline companions on Stanislaus, and while there’s a lot of lovable furrballs around, there is something vitally important about it all:

Respect the Cats.

You see, Tony is actually cared for in part by the AdvoCats, a group of students, faculty, and staff that love and care for the animals on campus and provide them with food, shelter, and occasionally even medicine. But the biggest message the AdvoCats seem to present is that the cats need to be respected.

Stanislaus is not a refuge for cats. And the cats that do live on campus have likely been neglected, abandoned, or run away from poor living situations to end up here. Cats are territorial in general, which means that the cats that already exist on campus will fight to keep their territory, and it’s unknown whether or not they will take kindly to new introductions.

The very reason the AdvoCats were founded, as you can read on their official Q&A document, is that the cats needed a voice and needed to be cared for. Unleashed dogs, people with malicious intentions, and general outdoor living can make for a dangerous life for innocent animals, so a little bit of organization is an excellent thing.

In fact, the AdvoCats explicitly state that they want people to know that the “campus fur babies are well cared for”, and that encouraging compassion for the creatures is vital.

In respect of the AdvoCats wishes, I don’t want to disclose the location of where I found Tony, but their official page does say that in trying to foster a community involved effort to care for the kitties they will accept volunteer or fiscal support, so I will say that if you find yourself encountering Tony or one of his companions, asking within the nearby building of how you too can help the cats would be well-received 🙂

But! What I can say and do, is leave everyone with a little bit of general cat-related wisdom:

• Respect the cat’s boundaries. Approach slowly, give them plenty of space to run away if they want to. Hold out your hand in case they want to sniff you.
• Don’t pet what they don’t want pet. Be mindful and responsive! To avoid getting a retaliatory claw or bite, let the kitty rub up against you and show you where it wants to be pet. And as a general rule, be careful with belly rubs!
• Don’t touch your hair or face. Even with well-tended cats like Stanislaus’s, make sure that you still keep yourself safe and clean as well! Be sure to wash your hands after petting unfamiliar felines.

If you follow those tips, and are generally being respectful, caring, and lucky enough to find yourself with a friendly kitty at Stan State, then I hope you get to have as good of an experience as I did with Tony 🙂