By Piper Rutherford | Staff Writer

As winter brings cold and freezing temperatures to Waco, faculty and staff are taking part in keeping campus cats warm and fed — and students can too.

According to a 2021 Lariat article, campus cats’ caretakers said around 100 cats reside on campus.

Dr. John Cunningham, senior lecturer in the department of education, said he treats Shadow of Castellaw Communications Center as one of his own, and the cold weather is no exception. He said her two houses are lined with blankets, since blocking the wind is crucial to keeping her warm.

“Shadow is super resourceful,” Cunningham said. “She will go down the gutter in weather like this by the engineering building, since the pipes are insulated and help her stay warm.”

According to Brooke Farrell, director of community relations at Waco’s Humane Society, students who are inspired by Cunningham’s relationship with Shadow can donate blankets to campus cats or grab food from the pet food pantry at the Humane Society to feed them.

Farrell also shared her tips on making outdoor shelters comfortable for campus cats.

“This can be as simple as using a cardboard box with a tarp around it, in which we encourage students to use straw for insulation rather than hay, since straw is more water-repellant,” Farrell said. “Also, it is important to note that hot water freezes faster than cold water, so we recommend using colder water when caring for the cats to extend the amount of time before the water freezes.”

Farrell said to be cognizant of cats that are experiencing an extreme or life-threatening response to the cold weather. She said there are several signs a cat is ill or injured.

“One of the biggest tells is that a cat is unresponsive, which is not a normal behavior, regardless of whether a cat has a feral or friendly personality,” Farrell said. “When approaching a cat, they should either run away or come closer to you, so if they are not moving, not even shivering, then it is time to bring them into the Waco community shelter.”