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Colleges Adding Meow to Mix

MIT among higher-ed bastions allowing students to keep cats in dorms

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 9, 2008 2:38 PM CDT

(Newser) – Colleges around the country are warming up to furry friends, the Boston Globe reports. MIT is in the vanguard, offering as an example its 8-year-old program that allows student-vetted felines to live in certain dorms. "They can really lighten the mood,” one senior says, “especially when students have been working many, many hours on problem sets"—though not all administrators are on board.

“Sometimes the custodian will hear it crying or scratching to get someone's attention because they're hungry,” said an official of a school that provisionally allows pets, but not cats or dogs. “At that point, we vote it off because they are being abused.” But MIT students are happy with the arrangement. “It's just great to have somebody who's happy to see you,” one said.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

A friendly face. ((c) viki3412)

"I never thought I'd be able to bring a cat to college," one MIT freshman said. "I've grown up with them my entire life. They're playful and cuddly and they make me happy." ((c) hisashi_0822)

"They can really lighten the mood around MIT, especially when students have been working many hours on problem sets," one student said. "Play with a cat for a couple of minutes and just de-stress." ((c) cthe)

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I don't think there's a school in the city that doesn't have them. They may have a no-pets policy, but I guarantee you that someone's hiding one in their dorm room. Before you know it, you have a gerbil colony. - Karen Nilsson, MIT dean

They can really lighten the mood around MIT, especially when students have been working many, many hours on problem sets. They can play with a cat for a couple of minutes and just de-stress. - Sarah Wikman, MIT pet chair

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Colleges Adding Meow to Mix