Students can no longer see the friendly feral cat, Bisbee, lurking in the grass by the Biological Sciences Building East, BSBE, after the cherished campus pet died mid-July. But friends of the beloved cat have the opportunity to establish a memorial in remembrance of Bisbee.
A group of Texas A&M staff members who grew fond of Bisbee during his time on campus are planning for a memorial to be placed outside BSBE.
Were looking at a local artist who will hopefully do a life-size statue in bronze, said Evans electronic resources librarian Eugenia Beh. That way wed have a more permanent way to remember Bisbee. Right now there is still an informal memorial with a little tree and cat toys.
Before the plans for the statue are set in stone, student input about the memorial is wanted.
When Bisbee passed away a lot of students expressed interest in a memorial, said BSBE greenhouse manager Ginger Stuessy. There were so many students that he had an impact on. We just need their input. We need the students to help us decide what to do.
The statue of Bisbee would be placed so students could walk by BSBE and pet their campus confidant.
Many people on campus found Bisbee to be a symbol that brought joy to them each day they saw him at BSBE.
I think theres something special about there being this cute, furry creature outside who was such a fixture in the area that people could just go up to and get some comfort and loving, Beh said. Its just a nice break in a really stressful time.
Angela Moreno, junior nutritional sciences major, said she used to dread going to classes and labs in Heldenfels, but seeing Bisbee always made it better.
I have a cat back at home that I couldnt bring to school, so being able to pet or see Bisbee brought me some relief, Moreno said.
Although Bisbee was just a stray, he still managed to find a way into the hearts of those on campus, much like the Universitys official mascot Reveille.
That cat was just so amazing, Stuessy said. He touched so many people. We just want to keep his memory going.
The Aggie Feral Cat Alliance of Texas helped make Bisbee comfortable during his time on campus. They took care of his health when he was first discovered on campus. AFCAT is a volunteer group of students, staff and faculty from the University whose goal is to provide care and long-term management of feral cats on campus.
AFCAT is trying to care for a new group of cats that has migrated onto Bisbees old territory. They are attempting to find foster homes or students who can adopt the kittens and other feral cats on campus.
Students can visit Bisbees Facebook page or tweet @AggieBisbee to voice their opinion on the memorial. Donations for the memorial will also be accepted.