When Alex reached out to share how an abandoned cat helped her survive grad school, I knew I had to share it with all of you. It’s a beautiful reminder of how cats have their own way of finding exactly who needs them most.
Alex’s story began during her first semester of grad school, when her roommate moved out and, unbelievably, left their cat Oliver behind. As a new grad student barely managing to take care of herself, Alex was devastated – both for Oliver and herself. Little did she know that this orange tabby would become her guardian angel through the most stressful two years of her life.
Meet Oliver
Age: 5 years
Favorite treat: Rotisserie chicken
Best toy: Hair ties (especially Alex’s!)
Nap spot: On top of laptops
Special skill: Study break enforcement
Personality: Gentle boss
Major: Purr-fessor of Procrastination
Their first week together was awkward, Alex tells me. Oliver kept his distance, confused about where his human had gone, while Alex drowned in assignments and coffee. But everything changed one night at 3 AM, when Alex had her first thesis-related anxiety attack. There she was, surrounded by papers and tears, when Oliver jumped onto her desk, knocked over her cold coffee, and just… started purring. It was his way of saying she needed a break.
From that moment on, they developed a routine. Two hours of study, followed by mandatory pet breaks when Oliver would sit on her books. He never took no for an answer. Surprisingly, Alex found these breaks made her more productive, not less.
Oliver didn’t just help with studying – he taught valuable life lessons too. Like how sometimes you need to knock things off the table and start fresh (though Alex wishes he’d stop demonstrating this with her water glasses!). Or how power naps are essential for productivity.
When thesis defense day finally arrived, Oliver had his own chair during Alex’s Zoom presentation. Her advisor never knew that every practice run had been critiqued by a cat who would meow whenever she talked too fast.
Two years later, Alex has her degree and the best companion she could have asked for. Oliver still enforces breaks and reminds her that no spreadsheet is more important than dinner time – his dinner time, specifically.
They say cats choose their humans, and while Alex isn’t sure if Oliver chose her or they just got stuck together, she knows that sometimes the best support comes with four paws and an attitude. He might not understand statistics, but he understood exactly what she needed: unconditional love and forced relaxation breaks.
As Alex told me in her email: “To my former roommate: I’m not even sorry I kept your cat. He’s better at spreadsheets than you anyway. And to Oliver: thanks for being the best accidental study partner ever. Even if you did eat my first thesis draft.”
Stories like Alex’s remind us that sometimes life’s biggest challenges bring unexpected gifts – especially when those gifts come with fur and purrs.
Share Your Story!
Has a special cat changed your life like Oliver changed Alex’s? I’d love to feature your story! Send me your heartwarming adoption tales and photos at [email protected]. Whether you chose the shy one, the senior, or the cat that everyone else overlooked – every rescue story deserves to be told.
With purrs and gratitude,
Lucy
Photos shared by Alex Chen, proud cat parent and grateful grad school survivor
