The cat's name is apparently Pebbles, although that sounds to me as if it was decided by a committee. Everyone calls it Campus Cat when they want to refer to the bad-natured, unfriendly, feral beast. Quite why we suddenly had a Campus Cat Day when previously we didn't was not made clear. I'd normally have expected the university to publicise some obscure-but-worthy cause instead (yesterday was also Disociative Identity Disorder Day) and for students to publicise some obscure-but-cooler-sounding cause (it was also National Absinthe Day), but no, we got Campus Cat Day.
Today, I found out why.
Apparently, someone thought it a worthwhile investment of university funds to raise a monument to the entitled, aloof, malign animal. The plate reads: "In celebration of CAMPUS CAT aka Pebbles, who brings joy to the lives of thousands of University of Essex students and staff".
Not if they don't wash their hands after petting him, he doesn't.