“My name is Nestor: I am not lost.”
If you walk around the University of Chicago long enough, chances are you’ll run into a beloved orange tabby cat with these words dangling from his collar. Nestor typically roams around the southern end of campus, winning the hearts of students and professors alike. If you don’t spot him on the Midway, you can always check up on Nestor’s adventures through his fan-made Instagram page, @nestorthemidwaycat.
It’s a presence like Nestor’s that helps make students feel at home in the UChicago community. Full of curiosity and a love of adventure, Nestor will approach many students for pets and attention, providing a bit of feline friendship between classes. We sat down with Nestor’s owners, Thalia and Rik (both PhD candidates in the Humanities), and the Instagram account creator, second-year Devon Wenzel, to learn more about Nestor’s story and what led to his Insta-fame. Thalia had this to say:
Tell us the story of when you got Nestor and why he roams freely around campus.
We got Nestor when we were living in Amsterdam.
As a newborn kitten, Nestor grew up having access to a forest, where he ventured outside with his mom and his brothers and sister. He has always been an adventurer and a so-called ‘inside-outside’ cat. In the Netherlands, most cats are ‘inside-outside’ cats and it is considered a form of maltreatment to not let your cat outside. When we moved to Chicago to do our PhDs, Nestor of course came with us. He has his own cat door, so he can come home and enjoy his food and warm sleep spots whenever he likes.
How did Nestor get his name?
I’ve always been interested -some might say obsessed- with Bronze-age Greece, specifically the Mycenaean Kingdom of Pylos. King Nestor was the king of Pylos, according to the Homeric epics. We first thought we were going to get an orange tabby female kitten but, when we found out he was a boy, I was overjoyed – because then I could name him Nestor! Let’s hope he will reach an age as respectable as his namesake’s.
What’s your favorite thing about Nestor?
I love Nestor’s independence and eagerness to explore, especially since it brings other people so much joy. He loves wandering around on his own to his favorite spots, and he loves being pet by students, security guards, anyone! So many students around campus know him now. My phone number is on his collar, and so sometimes I’ll get sent a cute picture of him from a random number. Rik and I often go for a walk and Nestor will follow us like a dog. He loves exploring together.
Should students feed him when they see him?
No. Because he has his own door, Nestor always has access to food and water in our apartment, and it’s important that this remains his only source of food because it’s how we keep track of him. When Nestor comes home to eat, we can check up on him to make sure that he’s healthy and doing okay.
So, how should students interact with him?
Pet him, love him, take pictures of him! He loves to be pet or scratched on his head, but not on his back near his tail, or on his tail or belly. He likes strings on sticks, and he goes nuts for hair ties. Feel free to leave water out for him but, again, please don’t leave out any food.
Now with some questions for Devon, who created the account.
Devon, why did you start the Instagram?
Well, on the first day I came to UChicago for my pre-orientation program, I saw an orange streak run into a bush. A week later, when I moved into my dorm, the same orange streak appeared as I was moving in. It was fate! I knew I had to make an Instagram for him because I simply loved taking photos of the adorable orange pirate.
How do you come up with what you post?
I usually just go with whatever I’m feeling like for the day. I scroll through my camera roll –which at this point mostly consists of Nestor photos – select a photo, and then just think about what would make sense, or, sometimes, what wouldn’t make sense at all, and let that be my caption. Occasionally my friends come up with captions when I’m not feeling particularly creative on a given day, and those are always a blast!
Why do you like Nestor so much?
Every cat has their own idiosyncrasies, and Nestor has a little more than others. He’s really quite the individual. His meow is less cat-like than you would think, he will sometimes fist-bump you by placing his paw on your hand, and he’s incredibly expressive.