Belmont Says Bye to Belle the Cat
- Nolan Russell
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Dozens of students gathered around outside the Foutch Alumni House waiting to catch a glimpse of Belmont's feline icon Belle.
Ryan Baird a Belmont alumnus showcased her gratitude to those who stopped to see the campus cat one last time.
Belle the cat was brought to her old stomping grounds for one final appearance on March 28.
Belle had been a fixture in the Belmont community since 2019 when she and her four siblings appeared outside of the Hillside dorms. While the rest of Belle’s siblings got adopted she stayed at the Alumni house opting for a more outdoor lifestyle.
For the past year, she’d been battling polycystic kidney disease, and her visit to campus was her last stop before going to the vet to be euthanized, said Baird, a former student who’d helped take care of Belle since her medical issues caused her to leave campus last March.
Though the event was scheduled for 1:30 p.m., a large crowd of students gathered well before then to say goodbye to their favorite feline.
“She’s become a nice slice of peace and happiness for so many people,” said Baird.
Since Belle’s departure from campus, the Cat’s Club at Belmont University regularly posted updates on its Instagram to keep students informed on Belle’s condition. They also held fundraisers to cover Belle’s medical expenses, but unfortunately her health continued to decline.
“In the past week or so she’s let us know it’s time to go,” Baird told the crowd of students gathered around the alumni house.
After an infected tooth flared up, Belle rather than being her usual social self began hiding more often, a sign that she was in pain. She was put on antibiotics and painkillers, but the pain showed little sign of subsiding.
“We didn’t want to have her live in this state of either in pain or drugged out,” Baird said.
Baird, along with Belle’s other caretakers, Lauren Brown and Allie Bennett, decided that the best option was to let Belle pass peacefully. However, they knew the Belmont community deserved a chance to say goodbye, Baird said.
“She is Belmont, she was born and raised here,” said alumni AJ Jordan.
Students watched as Belle wandered around on a star and moon patterned leash, exploring her territory one last time.
They treated her with respect, gently rubbing their hands through her gray and black fur, while her eyes remained only slightly open. She was frail, but patient as people took turns saying their goodbyes.
“When I first met her, she was the most antisocial little girl, and I’m so proud of how she’d grown,” Baird said.
Some students wiped away tears as they shared the memories they had with Belle.
Grace McNamara, a junior, had a rough transition into her freshman year and found solace in Belle, she said.
“A lot of evenings I’d spend sitting on the swing and Belle would sit in my lap,” she said.
Several stories centered around freshman year experiences with Belle, as she became a source of relief for many weathering the transition.
“Freshmen can’t have pets, so she was like having a pet for everyone,” Baird said.
For most on campus though, Belle was simply there as a constant presence in the ups and downs of college life.
“I would just walk by here all the time and just see Belle sitting. She was just a little slice of peace,” said former SGA president Carter Barnett.
After the event ended, Belle’s three “moms” took her to Belmont Animal Hospital for her last veterinary appointment.
They took turns saying their goodbyes, as Belle rested on her favorite pillow from home.
“It was the most perfect sendoff Belle could’ve possibly had,” Baird said.
A third of Belle’s ashes will be left at the alumni house for a memorial, as well as a shadow box with a picture of Belle and prints of her paws.
Printouts of Belle’s paws will also be available for the student body, as a way to remember Belle, Baird said.
“She’s not just one person’s cat, she’s everyone’s cat,” she said.
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This article was written by Nolan Russell with contributory reporting by Braden Simmons
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