Ten years ago, a feral cat also gained a better life style by “going to school.”

In 1997, two feral cats lived under Tsakopoulos Hall, former middle-school building. One was a domineering white tom and the other a small black female.

Lauren LaMay, middle-school English teacher, recalls how her relationship with these cats started.

“The white tomcat would always bully the black one,” LaMay said. “That’s why I decided to start leaving food for it.”

But to LaMay’s disappointment the food didn’t tame the little black cat.

When LaMay spotted oozing sores on the little cat, she decided to try and capture it.

So LaMay bought a humane trap, caught the cat, and had it fixed.

But because the cat was feral, LaMay was told she had to release her back to where she had been found.

Almost as soon as LaMay released her, the white tomcat was back to his abusive actions.

“I think she would have died,” said LaMay. “I had to get her out of there.”

Catching the black cat for a second time proved much trickier than the first.

Barbara Johnson, assistant to the head of middle school, volunteered to help LaMay. They thought the best time would be late on a Friday night.

Setting up the trap outside, they sat in an empty classroom with the lights off to wait for the cat.

As they were sitting there, the cleaning crew showed up. “They must have thought we were insane!” exclaimed LaMay.

Because the little cat would not fall for the humane trap again, Johnson lent her a dog crate. The next day, LaMay lured the cat in with some tuna.

She has been one of LaMay’s three cats ever since. Her name is Angie, short for Evangeline, the heroine of a Longfellow poem, who is also a wondering woman.

LaMay’s other two cats get along very well with Angie; they all rough house and play together.

“She had had enough of life in the streets. Now she is fat, sassy and playful,” LaMay said.