One frigid January night, around 3 a.m., UW research program assistant Elizabeth Albert heard a persistent meowing. After searching for the source, they found a six-month-old kitten sitting at their apartment door and brought her inside to keep her warm for the night. The next day, Albert began posting signs and talking to neighbors, and they had the kitten checked for a microchip. Nobody claimed her. Later, during a Zoom call with Jenny Higgins, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity, the spunky, orange-and-white cat climbed up on Alberts’s shoulder. Something about this cat made Higgins think, “Oh, this is going to be a good one.” So, she adopted her.
Name: TacoCat (A palindrome, but also one of the cards in the Exploding Kittens card game.)
Age: Three
Personality: Zany, nutty, adventurous, and very social
Pet sibling: Rhubarb, a.k.a. Ruby, a calico kitten adopted from Underdog Pet Rescue of Wisconsin last June. Her family is still getting to know her, but “I’m sure she’ll never do anything naughty,” Higgins jokes.
Likes: Everything: people, adventure, and food. Salty snacks such as chips or pork rinds are a particular favorite.
Dislikes: “Unfortunately, she has very few pet peeves, which makes it hard to discourage certain behaviors,” Higgins says. The family once got a spray bottle of water to try to dissuade her from jumping on the dining table. She didn’t care; she ended up soaking wet and still happily hanging out on the table.
Favorite spot: Wherever her people are. During the winter, she especially likes rolling around in front of the heating grate under the kitchen sink while the family sings to her.
Favorite activities: Exploration, climbing the laundry rack, family meditation time, rolling on the treadmill while Higgins is trying to walk on it, lurking in empty grocery bags.
Criminal charges: Grand theft snack. Her family must be careful not to leave any leftovers unattended, or TacoCat will strike. She’s been known to chew through popcorn and chip bags to get to the goods.
Favorite UW club: “She’d be in the Hoofers Club because she just wants to go exploring,” Higgins says.
