Some call him Jovi or Chaplin others may call him Kitler. But whatever name he answered to, the loss of the black-and-white cat has been felt all over campus.
His body was found by Del Mar College staff on the morning of Sept. 23 next to the Harvin Center.
His death is not the first, as two other cats were found dead on campus in recent weeks. That included the black cat commonly known as Panther, whose body was found the weekend of Sept. 14 and another unnamed gray-and-white cat in August.
The cause of death for each cat was most likely an attack by another animal, a stray dog or another cat, based on the cats’ remains.
“Campus Security supports the theory that these cats were killed by stray dogs,” said David Hibbs, Security Director of Del Mar College.
There has been an unsubstantiated rumor around campus that the manner of death was intentionally done by a human. However, after consulting with custodial staff, faculty and campus security, who saw the cats’ remains, it became clear that the manner of death was an attack by another animal.
The two cats were deeply loved by students on campus, as a memorial for them went up within an hour of the news of their death on Monday. A vase of flowers, painted rocks, drawings and even a 3D printed cat face were placed under the staircase in Anzaldua Plaza. Handwritten notes memorialized the two, thanking them for their calm and friendly demeanors.
“I was so stressed at orientation and just wanted to go home,” one note read. “That’s when I met you. You were the first friendly face I saw, and you gave me a reason to want to come back.”
“You were loved by many, you lovely soul,” another note memorialized.
Mona Palmer, library campus assistant, fondly remembers Chaplin for sneaking into General Academic Building D. “We would see him running around the office and go ‘Oh! How’d you get in here!”
The Foghorn News Staff deeply feels the loss of the cats, particularly the sneaky Chaplin. He was a frequent surprise lounger on the newsroom couch and avid hider under the desks.