‘Emotional Support’ Cat Gets Honorary Degree from Vermont College: 'Congratulations, Dr. Max Dow!'
The cat’s degree will come “complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities”
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A stock image of a cat wearing a graduation capA cat in Vermont is receiving an honorary degree — even without having to take any classes from purr-fessors.
Vermont State University revealed ahead of its May 18 commencement at its Castleton campus that a feline named Max will be one of this year’s honorary degree recipients.
“Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years,” the college wrote in a Facebook post filled with cat puns.
“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,” the post continued.
“While his adventures may have slowed, Max exemplifies the #CastletonWay and we are honored to have him as a member of VTSU’s,” the post concluded. “Congratulations, Dr. Max Dow!”
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Max’s owner Ashley Dow told local news station WCAX that Max is “the emotional support animal” to students and faculty.
“He likes to be carried around on backpacks,” Dow told the outlet. “Students pick him up and he crawls up on their backs.”
Dow also explained that Max gets confused at the end of school years when students aren’t around to pick him up.
“He’ll go looking and then come back, kind of disappointed, kind of sad, and he’ll stick around the house more,” Dow said.
She added that when students come back in the fall, Max will “be gone for three days, and we’ll have to go looking for him and he’s up there up on campus hanging out waiting for his people.”
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