Famed University of Essex campus cat Pebbles dies as students pay tribute
- Pebbles, the unofficial feline mascot of the University of Essex’s Colchester campus, has died at approximately 18 years old following a brief illness.
- The black-and-white cat first arrived on campus in 2010 and kept returning, so his owner agreed he could stay.
- Pebbles inspired official merchandise, a Campus Cat Day, a poetry competition, and a bronze statue unveiled in 2024.
- He retired from campus life two years ago and moved in with Essex Students’ Union chief executive Craig Stephens.
- Students, staff, and alumni have been invited to pay tribute by leaving flowers, messages, and photographs at his campus statue.
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