A cat has been roaming Castleton’s campus, and it is unknowingly bringing the campus and community together.

The brown cat, which  started visiting campus around the beginning of fall, pops out from the bushes while students are walking to class, looking for head scratches and tummy pats.

But people don’t necessarily know who the cat is or where he comes from.

“I don’t think anyone actually knows,” said sophomore Mara Bailey. “I’ve heard he lives near admissions, but I’ve seen him sleeping under cars at the hockey house.”

The cat also goes by many names, such as Blakely, Campus Cat, Meow Meow and more.

Many students have joked about bringing the cat back to their dorms or to their homes. One student actually did.

Mackenzie Kuban, a junior, brought the cat home for a bit to see if he was microchipped.

“I had noticed it wandering around campus for a while and I’d heard some people say it had ticks and fleas and was sleeping under cars,” Kuban said. “So, I thought I may as well make sure he’s okay and see if maybe he is just lost.”

Kuban says the cat is not microchipped, but he is free of fleas and ticks and is rather healthy.

Students on campus have nothing but positive things to say about the campus cat, who also turns out to be a boy.

“He is very sweet, very lovable, very cuddly,” said Tess Webber, a senior. “He will always come running up to you and cuddle you and rub up against you and purr.”

Many people also think he is a stress reliever for many students, and is bringing the campus together, in a way.

“There’s groups on campus, like within the majors and within friend groups and things like that, but the second you say to anybody ‘oh, the cat,’ they know exactly what you’re talking about,” Webber said.

“And even people who don’t necessarily like cats are starting to like this one because it’s so calm and so cuddly. It’s definitely been a way to get our community together in a very unusual way.”

Bailey also said that the cat gives students something to look forward to throughout the day.

“I know for a fact I look for him on my way to class and it completely makes my day when he comes running up to me for pets.”

With that being said, there is a widespread concern for the cat from many students.

“It’s kinda sad to see him all alone and I do worry about him on weekends. You never know what people might do, which is hard to think about,” Kuban said.

Other students are concerned about the decrease in temperature, garnering ticks, and that he is not vaccinated.

Nevertheless, the cat has brought a sense have happiness throughout students during this stressful time in the semester. They may not know who he is or where he comes from, but he is exactly what they needed.