Some of Hillsdale’s feral cats.
Maddy Welsh | Collegian
It took Bean three seconds to jump from my arms in the passenger seat to the nook behind the gas pedal. As my sister and I tried to yank the cat’s tail so he wouldn’t seal all three of our fates, I came to one distinct conclusion: college kids shouldn’t own pets.
My sister adopted Bean at half price on Halloween a year prior — the local humane society capitalized off of people’s superstitions about black cats. My sister, like many college students, saw an animal in need and thought she had the resources to provide for it. But after a lease change, Bean had to live in a shelter before we were able to drive him home to our parents’ house.
A walk down Manning Street will reveal as many feral cats as crushed beer cans. As much you may have the urge to swoop one up, give it the care it needs, and start the next phase of pseudo-adulthood: leave the cat alone.
Every other week, and especially between semesters when leases are being signed, another cat horror story strikes conversations and group messages alike. Whether it’s one left locked in a bedroom all summer because the owner’s parents don’t know about it, or snuck into a dorm and kept hidden in a closet, the epidemic of bad cat ownership is almost as bad as the feral cat problem itself. Pee-stained drywall after the cat was locked in a room and parties scaring cats into the box springs of mattresses would make even the staunchest cat haters cringe.
Animals make wonderful additions to people’s lives. They’re loving companions, they help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and they allow owners to build skills of responsibility and care. But college is not the time to take on such a big commitment.
All too often, eager owners-to-be say things like “Well, it’s not a dog,” because cats generally require less maintenance and exercise than dogs. But cats are not toys. Unless you’re going to be living in a place where you can safely care for a cat for at least a few years, adoption is not a viable plan.
There are plenty of ways to reap the benefits of animal companionship without owning them during these tumultuous years. Local shelters and humane societies are always looking for volunteers to help socialize and take care of the animals. So until all your ducks are in a row, try not to add a cat to the mix.
