This Adorable Cat Recently Graduated College

Honorary doctorates are often given out by Universities to honor peoples life achievements and work and one of these degrees has recently been given to a very important member of the community in a Vermont college according to GoodNet. However, this honoree isn’t a person at all, it’s a cat!

The honorary degree of “doctor of litter-ature” was recently given to a cat named Max by Vermont State University’s Castleton. This degree was given to Max for his friendliness and how social he has been the past few years with both students and staff members.

“Commencement is this weekend! To celebrate, we’re announcing a very special honorary degree recipient. Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years,” the school wrote in a post on Facebook. 

They then went on to write “with a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Cat-leges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it.”

Max lives in a house on the same street as the main campus entrance. His human mom, Ashley Dow, says that he loves going to the campus and just began hanging out with the students one day.

“He’s been socializing on campus for about four years, and students get excited when they see him. They pick him up and take selfies with him, and he even likes to go on tours with prospective students that meet at a building across from the family’s house,” she said.

Max is an unofficial emotional support cat for many campus members and can often be seen getting a ride around campus in students' backpacks. One time Max disappeared from the campus for a while and the students created a shrine for him, says Dow. “It had candles and everything. And the picture of Max that they had printed out and put in a frame.”

Are you looking to have some fun with animals? Well, I have been contemplating fun things to do and for some reason, a petting zoo has been on my mind. It's probably because I recently went to Disney World and Animal Kingdom was my absolute favorite place. From The Lion King being my favorite movie to the Safari Tour at Animal Kingdom, I have been thinking about animals like crazy. But, there is no Animal Kingdom here in Charlotte for me to enjoy, right? So, I have to think of somewhere else.

Of course, I decided to take matters into my own hands. That means I am looking into petting zoos, zoos, and all types of animal parks in the state. Why not have some animal-friendly fun? Let's enjoy some time with the animals and see what you can do here in North Carolina. Can't wait!

Lazy 5 Ranch is a drive through ranch experience. Whether you are sitting in your car or riding on the back of a wagon, you can ride through the ranch to check out some great animals. Not only will you sight see, but you can also feed them along the way. The ranch is open 7 days a week and has tons of animals like cattle, deer, goats, antelope, and other exotic animals. Doesn't that sound fun?

Of course, we're naming a pretty big one - the obvious, the North Carolina Zoo. The state zoo is located in Asheboro, NC and your chance to see tons of different animals. Explore different animals and plants throughout the zoo during your time there. You can see up close and personal, lions, elephants, river otter, giraffes, zebras, and more! Sounds like a place I need to go for sure.

Want to visit a tiger rescue? Personally, I have never thought of it but it looks pretty cool to me! So, head to the Carolina Tiger Rescue and check out some wild cats. The rescue is your chance to learn more about and see tigers that have found sanctuary at this rescue spot.

Are you a fan of birds? Well, this might be the perfect spot for you. The Carolina Raptor Center is for the  exploration and rehabilitation of birds of prey. Visit and walk a trail to explore the different species that are in house. There are more than 30 birds of prey for you to see up close and personal. Cool, right?