Whether it be a walk up Cardiac Hill with Jett or getting a snack outside of Einstein Bros Bagels with Felix, the Trinicats were always around to say, “hello.” The construction, though, has shaken up their world.
The Murchison station cats, Felix and Tigger, have been the Trinicats most directly affected by the busy construction that has taken over the Coates Esplanade. With the closure of Cardiac Hill, located between Murchison Hall and Calvert Hall, the cats have not had their usual levels of socialization. However, members of Cat Alliance Trinity have been making sure that the cats are not too disturbed.
Emma Pitre, sophomore psychology major, is currently serving as the station captain for Dick and Peggy Prassel Hall. Station captains are members of Cat Alliance Trinity (CAT), who take care of feeding and checking in on the Trinicats. Recently, Pitre has gotten to spend some one-on-one time with resident Cardiac Hill cat, Felix. She said that he has seemed sad recently with the lack of student interaction, however, he stays around the same area despite the construction and patiently anticipates visitors to his station.
“You won’t find [Felix] on the esplanade anymore… but you will still find him at the bottom of the stairs.” Pitre said.
Maggie Enriquez is a senior environmental studies major and the current acting president of Cat Alliance Trinity (CAT). When asked about Felix, Enriquez spoke to the change of pace for him as well as the other Murchison cats here on campus.
“The other day I went up there just to hang out with him,” Enriquez said. “I walked away and he was all alone — and usually he’s never alone. He just looked so sad.”
While Felix does not see his frequent visitors with Cardiac Hill under construction, he has enjoyed the company of the CAT members, as Enriquez told us that the Murchison station captains still visit him regularly.
Petting a Trinicat on the way to class is an integral part of campus life. Pitre spoke not only to the importance of students in Felix’s life, but also to Felix’s role in student life.
“My first year Felix was a source of comfort. I liked the way he was always there,” Pitre said.
Many students have echoed this sentiment of finding comfort from the Trinicats. Tigger, on the other hand, has been rather unbothered. Enriquez said that Tigger is a sweetheart, but not a people cat. He has enjoyed his solitude amongst all of the noise around Murchison, and while he has not particularly missed seeing students, he has filled his time by making a new friend.
Enriquez spoke of a new orange cat who Tigger was seen being rather friendly with. While it is unclear where this new cat came from, it seems to have taken up residence with the other Murchison cats, unaffected by the construction. This mystery cat has become a priority for the CAT, and is one of many factors that serves to assure us that cat life continues to thrive on campus — even despite the change happening in their home. In the face of change, the CAT continues to ensure that our famed campus cats are taken care of.
