Nearly 12,000 students graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) this year, but as Austin FOX affiliate KTBC reported, a young cat is a member of the class as well.
According to KTBC, Francesca Bourdier finished her undergraduate education at UT alongside Suki, her one-and-a-half-year-old cat, whom her owner deemed an honorary graduate.
"Yes, my cat attended every zoom lecture I had so we will BOTH be graduating from THE University of Texas at Austin together," Bourdier tweeted before participating in the university's 139th commencement ceremony at the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium last month.
KTBC reported that when UT shifted to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bourdier attended Zoom lectures with her feline friend at her side.
"I was pretty much at my apartment for most of the time and I had my cat next to me," she told the station. "Whenever I would have my Zoom lecture on, it's like she almost wanted to listen in on it, and she would always just sit by my laptop."
For Bourdier, when the time came to be conferred her degree, she just had to include Suki as part of the milestone, KTBC reported.
Bourdier recalled to the station how she searched online for a cap and gown for her cat buddy.
She was able to find one that was almost similar to hers, KTBC reported.
Though Suki doesn't have a UT diploma with her name on it, her human is grateful to have had her along for her educational journey, according to the station.
"A lot of people relate to having their pet with them, you know, attending their Zoom lectures because everyone was pretty much at home. She's just kind of my special graduate," Bourdier told KTBC.
The newly certified UT alumna owns and operates a small clothing business, as well as sells matching clothes for pets and their owners, the station reported.