<p>After receiving the acceptance email, I've been looking into Caltech's pet policy a bit, and found their whole spiel about the Cat Application (someone must have had fun typing up that document ;) ). As a potential freshman from out of state, I'd like to ask some of you current students: how does administration choose the dorm cats from the various applicants, and how's the probability of approval for a first-year student and cat? Moreover, how is life with the dorm pets in general?
I feel a bit silly typing all of this, but it's one of those little intangible factors that could make a difference in the decision process. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I believe only cats that were grandfathered in are still allowed to live on campus.</p>
<p>A lot of this is due to students adopting a cat, then letting it run wild over campus for the summer. Or, when they graduate, for some reason they can’t take it with them, and then they just let it loose on campus. Or, they don’t want to keep a cat box in their dorm room, so they just let it run wild around campus.</p>
<p>There are actually a couple of rescue operations I’ve talked with that won’t give cats to Caltech undergrads (and non-citizen grad students) because of the problems in the past they’ve had where students have adopted the cat while they’re in undergrad, then try to bring it back when they graduate.</p>
<p>Actually you <em>can</em> bring in new cats, you just have to submit an application and get approval.</p>
<p>So, whether or not you can own a cat really depends on which house you get rotated into once you get here. The maximum number of cats per house is 2. If you happen to get into a house that already has 2 cats, you’re out of luck. =/ However, of the 7 houses that allow cats, I think only 2-3 of them have the maximum 2 cats, and for one of the houses, the RAs own both. (and they are leaving/graduating after this summer).</p>
<p>Also, I don’t believe (others correct me if I’m wrong) that there are a ton of cat applications each year. Ie, I haven’t heard anyone complaining that 2 cats per house is too small of a quota.</p>
<p>One requirement of still allowing us to have cats, is that they can only live in a designated “cat alley” in the house, case any other members of the house are allergic. As RacinReaver mentioned, they should not be allowed to roam freely about the house. If they are on a leash/harness (and away from people who are allergic), it’s fine to walk them around.</p>
<p>Otherwise, there are a varying number and types of dorm pets. Other than cats, as long as they fit within a 20 gallon aquarium/terrarium, etc… So in my house we have at least 2 guinea pigs, 2 turtles, 6 hamsters, various fish (all scattered among different people’s rooms). Residents in other houses also have snakes, gerbils, etc… There haven’t been many problems other than the occasional hamster running away or untimely deaths.</p>
<p>My best advice would be not to worry about <em>not</em> being able to eventually have a cat live with you in the houses.</p>
<p>Looks like they changed the policies differently for grads and undergrads then. From what I’ve heard from my friends with pets, we’re no longer allowed to have them in graduate housing. :(</p>
<p>Just got an email from the host student that he has a pet snake in the room. Has not mentioned if it is a python, cobra or big mamba. Do students also carry snake like other pets e.g. walking them in the morning and evening? It will really make caltech a fun place to watch.</p>