by Adam West
The Nevin Cat passed away after being hit by a car on April 14th. With the tragic passing of this campus icon, beloved by many for its good nature, it felt like something had to be said about the contribution of animals to a college campus.
Many animals on a college campus contribute to the overall happiness of the campus. Stress and homesickness are mainstays at college, especially at a place like Centre where most of the students live on campus, many of whom can’t simply go home whatever weekend they want to. Bowling Green State University (BGSU) started the PAWS program, where dogs come in to comfort students during study hours. Ashley Hartman, the staff manager of the PAWS program, cites that some of the health benefits of interacting with animals include “lower cortisol levels, lower stress response, can lower blood pressure and heart rate, increase relief of Oxytocin, stimulate dopamine in the brain, lower pain intensity,” as well as “decreasing anxiety levels, decreased feelings of depression, and even better executive functioning” (Rooney).
At Northern Kentucky University, there is a group of stray cats that live around a building called Landrum Academic Center. These cats, known as the Landrum Cats, were going to be removed due to “health and safety concerns” earlier this year. In response to this threat of removing the Landrum Cats, the NKU community came together to fight back. A petition on change.org was launched, and an instagram known as The Cats of NKU was created to update people about the Landrum Cats. This even led to, one February Thursday, “dozens of students and staff protest[ing], calling for the cats to stay” (Null). NKU ultimately had to back down and let the cats remain.
The passing of the Nevin Cat led to an outpouring of grief and mourning for the cat, beloved for its sweet nature. Many people had wanted to help the cat, with a Tyler Lamotte resident leaving food and water out for the Nevin Cat. A professor had offered, if someone could catch the Nevin Cat, to get it spayed at their own expense.
Centre College has a long history of animals on campus, not just the Nevin Cat. Centre brings in comfort dogs during finals to help relieve stress, and many of the facility and staff bring their pets to campus. Because of how small Danville is, many dog walkers walk through the campus, allowing students to see and sometimes even meet and mingle with several dogs, including Dean Goldey’s dog Mocha. As well, Campus icons Teddy and Blue are well known and beloved by the students, staff, and faculty.
Every time I bring up the Nevin Cat, I am met with sympathy. I live in Breck, and have petted the cat several times. You will be missed, my friend.
Rooney, Grace. “Spending time with animals provides multiple benefits to students.” BG Falcon Media. https://bgfalconmedia.com/168203/lifestyle/spending-time-with-animals-provides-multiple-benefits-to-students/. April 5, 2025.
Null, Alex. “NKU students protest to keep beloved campus cat colony as university looks to relocate them.” WCPO 9 Cincinnati. https://www.wcpo.com/news/education/higher-education/nku-news/nku-students-protest-to-keep-beloved-campus-cat-colony-as-university-looks-to-relocate-them. February 26, 2026.
Dedicated to the Nevin Cat