A fluffy cat named Isambard Kitten Brunel — better known as Issy — has become something of a celebrity at Oxford University, where he accompanies his owner to work and charms nearly everyone he meets.
Issy, a large Siberian forest cat, travels by bus with his owner, Jamie Fishwick-Ford, to Lady Margaret Hall, one of Oxford’s colleges. Jamie works there as a librarian and has been bringing Issy along for the past six years.
Most of the day, Issy can be found lounging in Jamie’s office. He usually stays there unless someone comes by hoping to pet him or Jamie takes him outside for a bit of exercise.
Now 6 years old, Issy has become extremely popular with students and staff alike. Over time, he has earned an unofficial role as a mascot for the college. Jamie said that students often bring visiting friends or family members specifically to meet him, and he has even appeared on stickers made by the college’s outreach team.
Jamie, who has worked at Lady Margaret Hall for a decade, explained that Issy is not allowed to wander freely around campus, but the college permits him to be in her office and on the lawns.
She got Issy in September 2019 and began taking him to work almost immediately, either on a leash or perched on her shoulders. At the time, she said, the college already had a strong dog culture.
According to Jamie, staff were allowed to bring dogs to work as long as they mostly stayed in private offices and permission was given before visiting others. She noted that dogs are even part of the college’s coat of arms, and several people at the college, including the principal, had brought dogs in. But Jamie has always preferred cats.
The daily commute is also part of Issy’s appeal. He rides the bus to campus and usually attracts attention from passengers. In fact, Jamie said he will sometimes start meowing if he feels he is not getting enough of it.
Students especially enjoy spending time with him, particularly those who are missing pets from home. Jamie said being away at university for the first time can be difficult, and while it is easy to call your parents when you miss them, it is not quite so simple to call your cat.
She added that Issy has a particularly gentle presence when people are upset. He has comforted students who were in tears, including some who had panicked after accidentally deleting important work like dissertations.
His popularity has spread so widely that other colleges have occasionally invited him to visit, giving even more students a chance to meet the famous library cat.