After completing an exam at Barton College, nursing students Leah Noble and Kristen Howard stepped outside Hardy Alumni Hall to greet their furry friend.

A black and white cat seemed to have been waiting for them.  

Noble and Howard offered the feline a Cheese Puff and crackers. 

“Miss Fancy,” as the cat has come to be known, showed no interest in devouring the dorm delights. The cat apparently opted for higher-quality sustenance.

Miss Fancy isn’t officially enrolled at Barton, but she’s still majoring in good humor and affection.

Jan Arnold, who works in the college’s business office, said Miss Fancy will frequently stretch out on her back on the sun-baked concrete by the business office door at Harper Hall.

“It stays warm and she just stretches out there,” Arnold said. “People will come by and pet her and feed her.”

Arnold said Miss Fancy loves all the students. 

“I’m surprised she’s not fatter,” Arnold said. “All the students feed her.”

Ken Dozier, director of digital and social media at Barton College, said Miss Fancy loves attention.

“Sometimes when I come out, she’ll be lurking by this door,” Dozier said.

Kathy Daughety, director of public relations at Barton College, said the Barton family adopted Miss Fancy some time ago.

“She is lovingly cared for by several members of the campus community,” Daughety said. “She seems to love the campus environment with all the activity.”

Miss Fancy seems at home swishing her tail on the college’s ivory columns, climbing through wrought iron fences and rolling around on her back on the red brick walkways around campus.

“She watches for the students coming out of classes each day, and they keep a keen watch for her,” Daughety said. “The students love to hold her and Miss Fancy thoroughly enjoys all the attention.”

Arnold said Miss Fancy seems to spend most of her time around Harper and Hardy halls between the Centennial Alumni Bell Tower and the Hamlin Student Center and Dining Hall.

“She stays here. We feed her. She’s the campus cat,” Arnold said. “She’s been here for a couple of years. She hangs out with us.” 

Miss Fancy takes no offense that Barton College is home of the Bulldogs. The only one she’s encountered is big, bronze and never barks, never bites and couldn’t possibly be fast enough to catch a cat.

Miss Fancy still steers clear, just to be on the safe side.

“She loves people and she’s very friendly. She’s a doll baby,” Arnold said. “It is a sincere, honest love. If you are having a bad day, just walk out and see the kitty. She makes everybody happy.”