Upon arriving in Athens, some might think Ohio University’s iconic mascot, Rufus, is the only cat that represents the city. However, the truth is, Athens is big enough for two famous felines.
In 2012, the Athens County Board of Elections office adopted Pumpkin, a then-stray orange cat. Staff at the office consider Pumpkin to be grumpy and impossible not to love.
Pumpkin can be seen in the window of the Board of Elections office on 15 S. Court St. Most frequently, he is spotted basking in the sun, taking a nap while surrounded by his shrine of fan art.
On Court Street, people can be seen stopping to peek through the window in hopes of seeing the orange cat. Many will even snap photos of him, as spotting him is rare these days, given Pumpkin is not as young as he used to be.
In addition to paintings and gifts from visiting artists, Pumpkin has a line of merchandise at a local business, Ohio is Home.
Fans of the furry friend can purchase tote bags, T-shirts and more featuring his face for anywhere from $3 to $32. Heather Raubenstraw, store manager and creative director for Ohio is Home, said the census originally reached out to the store to make tees that would encourage people to participate.
The business created a design of Pumpkin that read “everyone counts.” The shirts were such a hit that Ohio is Home decided to continue using Pumpkin's face to promote election positivity with various designs and products.
“A lot of people who are looking for something small go for a pin, a sticker or a magnet,” Raubenstraw said. “But as of lately, our biggest seller is actually our Pumpkin totes. Those have gone really well.”
“Vote for Pumpkin for pawsitivity” is a design by Ohio is Home created for the election season. This line features yard signs promoting the importance of voting.
“We had a lot of friends and patrons come in to purchase them and put them in their yard, and they said they even had people stopping by their yard to actually take a photo of the sign,” Raubenstraw said.
Pumpkin not only serves as an adorable design but as a greater symbol of unity and positivity year-round, especially during election season.
Ohio is Home even features a slide on the screens in their business and website, giving some background about Pumpkin and his impact on Athens, because many people enter and ask about the cat merchandise.
Raubenstraw, who has been in Athens for 15 years, saw Pumpkin in the window soon after he was first adopted.
“I think he’s a spot of sunshine in the area,” she said. “People don’t necessarily expect him to be there, so when you walk by, it kind of takes you by surprise.”
Many believe Pumpkin makes the Board of Elections’ office a more relaxed environment.
“It makes it more welcoming and less official, political,” said Sophia Dussault, a freshman studying classics. “It probably drives more people (to) go over and stop by than they usually would.”
Pumpkin is not just loved locally; he is an online celebrity.
Over five years ago, a Reddit user uploaded a picture of Pumpkin sitting in his window. The post has since received over 18,000 reactions. Various social media posts have been made of Pumpkin, and he has gained a large fan base.
Notably, an Instagram account, @pumpkin_the_cat_fanpage, has been anonymously posting photos and memes of the local celebrity since 2018.
As students and residents navigate voting for the first time, Pumpkin serves as a calming figure who makes the process less daunting.
Cate Fleckenstein, a sophomore studying information systems, recently registered to vote at the Board of Elections.
“I was looking for him, trying to see if he was there and I got a little postcard,” Fleckenstein said. “It makes it a little bit more fun to make the trip down there, because it feels like kind of a chore to go to the Board of Elections usually.”
When making her plan to visit the office, Fleckenstein said she encouraged her roommate to join her on the trip, hoping to see Pumpkin.
“Come with me, maybe we’ll see the cat,” she said.
