Vermont State University, in the United States of America, had its graduation ceremony on Saturday, and among those in the Class of 2024 who earned high degrees was Max Dow — henceforth, to be known as Dr Max Dow.
The beloved tabby cat, a regular on the campus, has been awarded an honorary doctorate in ‘litter-ature’. In an article about him, The Guardian described Max as a skilled napper, a mouse hunter, and an emotional support figure for Vermont State students.
While he did not throw his hat in the air like students usually do at graduation, the kitty will receive his honorary degree from the university authorities after the ceremony. The degree will be handed over to his human, Ashley Dow of Castleton.
A May 18 Facebook post by Vermont State University said: “Max’s ability to make people smile has expanded beyond Castleton and even Vermont. We’re so happy for our little buddy and his family!”
Before that, on May 13, the university page had announced: “5 days! Commencement is this weekend! To celebrate, we’re announcing a very special honorary degree recipient. Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years. He lives with his wonderful owners on Seminary Street and loves socializing with friends outside Leavenworth. While his adventures may have slowed, Max exemplifies the #CastletonWay and we are honored to have him as a member of VTSU’s #firstclass.”
The Vermont State University post added: “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. Congratulations Dr. Max Dow! #VermontStateUniversity #CATSleton #Classof2024.”
News of this worthy feline recipient of the high degree has been covered extensively by the media. The Guardian reported, quoting a Vermont daily, that campus students kept an eye on Max Dow for his safety, and made sure that the kitty got home by about 5pm — they did so by either taking Max to Ashley, or by calling up Ashley if they spotted Max out and about. This was a precaution to protect the tabby from feral cats.
Ashley told the Vermont daily that once, when Max was away from the campus for some time, the students had built a shrine to him: “It had candles and everything — and the picture of Max that they had printed out and put in a frame. So, yeah, it’s been pretty interesting to be Max’s mom.”
