March 22, 1968 ~He’s a She! by Marian Johnson Waldo the Wildcat is a girl?! !! The Wildcat that Weber State College used for a mascot for many years was a female. The history of ‘*Waldo’’ starts in a trap near the Dugway Proving grounds. Mr.David Terry, assistant professor of microbiology, and some friends were out in the woods when they found a wildcat in a trap. They took the cat back to the camp and put itinacage. In the morning they found that the cat had a litter of three cubs. Since the cat was in captivity, she had killed two of the cubs but the omen managed to get the third away..from the» mother. They fed the new-born wildcat milk from a bottle until she was old enough to have solid foods and then they fed her different kinds of rodents. The cat found a home with Mr. Terry until she was about 9 months old when she was given to the college. The head cheerleader at that time, Lewis May,,. was given charge of ‘*Waldo.’’ Lewis said that ‘*Waldo’’ was about 6 months old when he had her. The first night be brought her home, be brought her into the house....She. sat down on the floor and watched his dad eating dinner. As soon as he was finished, the wildcat jumped on the table and sat right in his platef -At least she waited until he was finished. From this rough beginning, Mr. May wasn’t too hot on having a wildcat living with them, but they soon settled their differences and became riding in the back of the Mays’ station wagon. Lewis thought that she was tame enough to get out of her cage and just ride in the back. They came up to a light and a lady in the next car rolled up her windows and started to scream and point. Another time, ‘*Waldo’’ was on a Chain in the back yard of the Mays’ home and a big dog came through the yard to tease the cat. It seems that the dog knew that **Waldo’’? was onachain. But this time when she came running it with the dog, great force This chain broke. she did that the sent the dog running down the street, yelping and howling with ‘*Waldo’’ about three feet behind him. Lewis used to take her down to the grocery store ona chain to give people a thrill. I can imagine what kind of a thrill it gave the people! May said that the cat was very friendly, and -good natured. She used to jump on peoples shoulders and stick her nose in their ear. ‘‘Waldo’’ would get nervous and irritable at the games withso “many people around so that she was put under sedation after the first few times. She was also ‘ drugged’’ for parades... ‘‘Waldo’’, like most wildcats, could jump very high. She used to jump up into the rafters of the garage where the May’s kept her and prowl around. ‘*Waldo’’ was. also very playful. Mr. May would be reading the. newspaper and would friends. ‘¢Waldo’’? had many interesting experiences. One time, she was toward such . be rustling it a little bit. She would ‘¢rouch down, wriggle her behind, make a flying leap and crash right through the paper onto Mr. Mays chest. **Waldo’’ wasalso friendly with children. | After Lewis May had ‘*Waldo”’ she was given to Bob Brangonje who lives in Eden. She is still living there and_is.pretty good-— natured unless there are too many _ people around her. That-is why she hasn’t been to the games recently. ‘‘Waldo” is full grown now, weighing in at about. 25 pounds. The natural coloring of a wildcat is a light brown color with darker spots. They are found in the mountains and desserts of Utah and other surrounding states. They are different from a bobcat - they have more of a tail, but not as long as a Mountain Lions’. ‘¢Waldo’’ was just recently given to Bob by the college and she is another has, a now keeping company with Wildcat that Brangonje male weighing 52 pounds.