A recent article from the American Library Association reported on the decline of library cats. A documentary 20 years ago cited 201 cats living the dream in American libraries, including such famous felines as Dewey and Browser. However, a recount in 2016 found only 39 library cats.

While the Digitization Centre certainly can’t have a pet on the premises (that hair would do no good for all our photography and scanning!), we do have a number in our digital collections. There’s even record of a couple cool cats with library ties: UBC librarian and artist Evelyn Roth—a cool cat in her own right—was known for her two pets and their many kittens.

“Biblos” the UBC Library newsletter features librarian Evelyn Roth

Croquet kitties from the Tremaine Arkley Croquet Collection

Fireside companion from the Thomas Murray bookplate collection

Mrs. Bryan’s tree-climbing cat in the Chung Collection

This little black cat is one of many in the Uno Langmann family photos

The WWI British Press photograph collection documents a few feline sailors