IT’S ALWAYS A delightful experience to come across our furry feline friends while strolling on your college campus. Fortunately, San Beda University – Collective Action Towards Strays (SBU-CATS), one of the College of Arts and Sciences’ (CAS) youngest student organizations, is proactively taking measures to offer guidance and support to Bedan students for interacting with our adorable campus cats.
Witnessing such considerate and empathetic initiatives being taken towards the welfare of our feline companions is truly heartwarming and commendable.
In an interview with Yzabella Gayanelo, the President of SBU-CATS, she shared with us the organization’s recent project, “How to Make Bedan Strays Love You,” which seeks to establish guidelines for a better and safer way of interacting with the Bedan strays on campus.
Promoting coexistence
The primary goal of “How to Make Bedan Strays Love You” is to “foster and protect” the sense of coexistence between the Bedan community and the campus cats. Gayanelo emphasized the importance of understanding and respecting the boundaries between humans and animals to create a harmonious environment, stating, “We are all aware naman po na maraming nga talagang cats dito na present sa [San] Beda and we coexist with them. And it is something na we want to protect sana…’yung coexistence na ‘yun.”
Protecting animal welfare
Admittedly, problems have since arisen, including campus cats displaying aggression, leading to bites and scratches. Moreover, reports were received regarding some individuals intentionally leading the campus cats astray. The proposed project seeks to address concerns about the well-being of the cats and the community by introducing guidelines on responsible interactions.
The SBU-CATS hopes to achieve this by displaying informative publication materials on campus and online. By educating the Bedan community on proper conduct, the organization aims to reduce instances of students, faculty, and staff getting scratched or bitten, promoting the overall welfare and amicable environmental conditions of humans and animals.
“We want to be able to create a community within the Bedan community. We want to create a safe space na, alam niyo ‘yun, nagkakaintindihan tayo as ‘furdads’ and ‘furmoms,’ ‘furparents’ na it is our moral duty to protect the welfare of these animals,” Gayanelo expressed.
Navigating administration approval
While rooted in compassion, gaining approval from the administration has presented challenges. The project faced hurdles as the administration discouraged the physical display of publication materials around the campus. Understanding these concerns, the organization remains committed to sharing the guidelines through its social media account to align the project with the University’s policies.
The felines of San Beda
Last December, the organization conducted a census to determine the number of cats living on campus. According to Gayanelo, there were 15 cats at the time of the census, including Brus and Jumong which were named by one “Tatay Amor,” the cats’ caretaker. However, the organization was informed that some cats gave birth while others were caught—which was a common occurrence last year. Additionally, the organization are still deciding on what name will they gave to the other cats.
Because of the incidents occuring in the cats, the organization wants to implement a project that revolved around making an ID for the cats. “So now, we want ‘yung by implementing sana ‘yung mga projects namin na mapa-ID-han ‘yung cats, we want na… maging.. parang… tulong na lang rin namin siya sa Bedan community na ayun nga, since okay unti-unti natin subukan na ma-pet sila, ganun. It’s some sort of parang comfort din na,” Gayanelo emphasized. Nonetheless, this project would create a safe space for the Bedan community, especially for the ‘furparents’ who are morally responsible for protecting their cats’ welfare.
Gayanelo also mentioned that the cats can be found in the dark alleyway behind the nursing building. They are also seen in Tatay Amor’s office.
“D’un kasi sila nagtatago kasi nga di’ba, before nga may nangyayaring mga hulihan and meron kasing mga spots doon na pwedeng pagtaguan,” Gayanelo shared.
So, how do you make Bedan strays love you?
The next time you see a cat on campus, follow these simple yet effective steps to make them love you: Avoid touching the cats even if they approach you first. This includes hand feeding or giving them food anywhere near you or a friend. “Only authorized personnel are allowed to feed the cats,” Gayanelo shared.
Refrain from harming and startling the cats and playing “friendly” pranks on these furbabies. This includes lifting, scaring, or kicking the cats, as such behaviors can induce stress and anxiety, potentially resulting in aggressive reactions.
Always remember to maintain your distance and learn to admire them from afar. Gayanelo emphasized how “perfectly fine it is” to observe them, but the decision to touch them is entirely up to your discretion. Gayanelo mentioned, “Pwede mo naman silang tignan ganun. If you want to touch, to your discretion nga. Just make sure na-vaccinan ka na ganun.”
Only authorized personnel are permitted to handle the strays. The SBU-CATS and other maintenance staff like, Tatay Amor, are the only ones allowed to handle the trays and are responsible for their food, upkeep, and health.
As we embark on this journey to make Bedan strays feel loved, let’s remember to follow the outlined guidelines and contribute to a campus culture that respects and cares for our furry friends. Together, we can create a community within the Bedan community that values the welfare of these animals and celebrates the unique bond we share with them.
(with Jennifer Gwyneth Fabros)
Photos courtesy of SBU-CATS