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.

IN FULL

University of Essex mourns death of beloved campus cat Pebbles