As twilight descends on the Georgia Tech campus, strollers might notice a few friendly faces peering out from tucked-away corners: the resident stray cats, beloved unofficial mascots of the Institute.
These charming felines, with their curious whiskers and playful demeanor, have found cozy spots in various hidden locations on campus. Whether lounging in the shade of trees or enjoying a meal at designated feeding stations, these cats have become ingrained in the lives of students, who capture their antics on camera.
At the heart of this feline community is the Campus Cats organization, which has garnered significant attention and support from the student body. Known for their enthusiastic presence at the Club Organization Fair, Campus Cats has left its mark—evident in the stickers adorning many student notebooks and laptops.
To delve deeper into the mission of Campus Cats, the Technique spoke with Caroline Hatcher, the club’s president and a fourth-year ARCH student.
Campus Cats is dedicated to the care of over 50 stray cats that have made Georgia Tech their home. Their responsibilities include providing food, housing, and neutering the cats to ensure their health and well-being. Kittens found on campus are fostered by club members until they can be adopted into loving homes.
Interestingly, many of the adopters are current students, alumni, or staff members at the Institute. The club maintains 14 feeding stations around campus to aid in the care of feral cats. Recently, after winter storms swept the area, these cats were able to find refuge in insulated shelters built by the organization.
Although the club is primarily student-led, ongoing support from faculty and external shelters has been crucial to their success. The faculty advisor has been a staple of the organization for over three decades, while the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) routinely informs the club about sightings of stray cats.
“I get calls from GTPD multiple times about stray cats. Two or three weeks ago, we got a call about a three-week-old kitten they found,” Hatcher recounted.
Central to the club’s mission is the trap-neuter-release (TNR) program, which aims to control the growing population of cats. By humanely trapping, neutering, and then returning the cats to their original environment, the club hopes to prevent an unsustainable increase in the stray cat population without endangering those cats that are not adoptable.
For TNR, Campus Cats collaborates with organizations like the Atlanta Humane Society and occasionally Lifeline, which operates animal shelters in Fulton and DeKalb counties. During TNR procedures, veterinarians not only neuter the cats but also administer essential vaccines, including deworming and flea treatments.
“We’re trying to reduce the overpopulation of stray and feral cats because then there would just be massive amounts of cats on campus with a super short life span,” Hatcher emphasized.
The club also focuses on socializing cats that are under 12 weeks old, making them more amenable to adoption. After this age, socializing becomes significantly more challenging, and it’s less safe for both the cat and potential adopters. Hatcher often fosters these kittens, which she has done again recently.
“I have four fosters right now,” she laughed.
In the last two years, Campus Cats has seen notable growth, with 12 kittens and seven or eight friendly adult cats successfully adopted into homes, according to Hatcher.
Despite the club’s efforts in caring for stray and feral cats, it has faced criticism from various quarters. Some detractors argue that the provisions made for cat feeding do not deter other wildlife, such as raccoons and squirrels, from scavenging. Additionally, concerns have been raised about students encroaching on the cats’ space, often attempting to approach too closely or take photos, potentially alarming the animals.
While it is common to see students excitedly trying to get close to one of the campus cats, it is essential for them to respect the animals’ space. As Hatcher pointed out, students should consider how the cats might react to larger creatures pursuing them.
Criticism has also been aimed at the club’s focus on cat conservation, with suggestions that it neglects the welfare of other campus animals. Bird conservation groups, in particular, cite domestic cats as a leading human-related threat to bird populations. This assertion is rooted in the understanding that these cats are considered invasive species that disrupt local ecosystems.
Given the Institute’s wooded and biodiverse environment, a rich variety of bird species thrives on campus, playing a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem. It can be easier for students to empathize with cats, as their behaviors are more relatable than those of birds, complicating the conversation around animal welfare.
As students engage with Campus Cats, it is imperative that they also educate themselves about the potential ecological impacts of stray cats on native wildlife. The path forward may involve finding methods for both stray cats and native wildlife to coexist on campus.
There are numerous ways for students to contribute to the efforts of Campus Cats without disrupting the cats’ routines. The organization organizes workdays for students, allowing them to assist in cleaning and maintaining feeding stations and shelters, as well as constructing new shelters. These workdays typically occur twice per semester and last around three to four hours. Additionally, feeding stations are regularly replenished once a week.
The club has also developed its own app, thanks to a computer science Capstone group, which enables students to report cat sightings and provides information on all cats on campus, including details about their TNR status, if they are in foster care, or if they have been adopted.
For those wishing to provide further assistance, Campus Cats welcomes donations, whether financial or in the form of food and supplies necessary for the cats’ care. Students considering adoption are encouraged to reach out via email at [email protected] for more information. For additional updates, followers can also check out the club’s Instagram page at @gtcampuscats.
image source from：nique
