The Washington Post

Max the cat has hitched rides on top of students’ backpacks, participated in campus tours and more than once has sauntered into a psychology lecture at Vermont State University’s Castleton campus. The 5-year-old tabby is even listed on the staff roster at the university, where he has his own email address. So it seemed like an obvious next step when the university bestowed an honorary doctor of ‘litter-ature’ degree upon him, making him officially part of the graduating class of 2024, in addition to being a staff member. Max wears many hats, said Rob Franklin, a photographer and social media manager for Vermont State University. Max lives down the street from the main entrance to campus with Ashley Dow and her family, but he rarely hangs out at home, Dow said. “He’ll let anyone pick him up, and everyone loves to love on him,” she said. “You can see the stress melt off the faces of the students when they see Max running toward them to be held and petted.” Read the full story by tapping the link in our bio.