A hefty long-haired Siberian forest cat has found an unusual calling at one of Oxford University's most prestigious colleges, where he serves as an unofficial mascot and source of comfort for students navigating the pressures of academic life.
Isambard Kitten Brunel, known as Issy for short, makes a bus commute to Lady Margaret Hall alongside his owner Jamie Fishwick-Ford, a librarian at the college. The cat, named after the famous British industrialist, has been accompanying Jamie to work for six years, having started the routine in September 2019 when Jamie first acquired him.
The arrangement represents an unusual adaptation of college policy. When Jamie arrived at Lady Margaret Hall, where she has worked for ten years, she discovered it was a "very dog-orientated college" with an established policy allowing staff to bring dogs to work. The college's coat of arms features two dogs, a reference to founder Bishop Talbot, whose surname corresponds to a type of medieval hunting dog. The Principal of the college Alan Rusbridger had two dogs, and several staff members brought their canine companions to campus.
"College had a policy allowing you to bring dogs to work, as long as they mostly stayed in your office and you got permission of anyone else whose office they visited," Jamie explained. "But I prefer cats."
College officials have permitted Issy's presence in Jamie's office and on the lawns, though the cat is not allowed to roam freely. The now six-year-old feline spends most of his time relaxing in the librarian's office, only venturing out when people want to pet him or when he is taken outside for exercise.
The daily commute itself has become part of Issy's routine. Jamie brings him to work either on a leash or perched on her shoulders, and the cat travels by bus to reach the college. Onboard, Issy enjoys the attention he almost inevitably receives from fellow passengers and will meow if he does not receive any.
Issy has quickly become a hit with students, gaining a loyal following that extends beyond casual encounters. "Lots of people bring friends and family to meet him, and he's become a bit of an unofficial mascot. He even appears on some of our outreach team's stickers," Jamie said.
The cat's presence serves a deeper purpose than mere entertainment. Students who miss their pets while away from home find particular comfort in Issy's company. Jamie noted the unique challenge facing students separated from their animals: "It can be really tough being away from home for the first time and away from pets you've known all your life, and it's a lot easier to phone up your parents if you miss them than to phone up your cats."
Issy demonstrates a remarkable sensitivity to emotional distress. "He's always very friendly and calm, but he's even more so when someone is upset or crying, he's had several people come to him in tears after they've accidentally deleted their dissertations or so on," Jamie observed.
The library cat's reputation has spread beyond Lady Margaret Hall. Other colleges at Oxford sometimes request visits from the famous feline, providing their own students with opportunities to meet him. These inter-college visits have further cemented Issy's status as a beloved figure within the broader Oxford University community.
The arrangement demonstrates how institutions can adapt traditional policies to accommodate the well-being of their communities. What began as a personal preference for cats over dogs has evolved into a widely appreciated program that addresses student mental health and homesickness in an unconventional yet effective manner. For Issy, the hefty Siberian forest cat who craves attention, no amount of affection from his admirers seems to be enough.