Academics With Cats 2016: the winning photographs

Cats and academia have a rich history. From writing papers and urinating on books, to providing the wonderful fodder for procrastination that is #AcademicsWithCats, we academics love cats (OK, perhaps not all academics). 

The Third Annual Academics with Cats Awards, organised by Academia Obscura, celebrates academic cats and injects a bit of fun into the pre-Christmas panic.

Almost 2,000 people voted this year, from a shortlist drawn from 500 entries. 

The votes have been tallied and we are pleased to announce Best in Show and the winners from the four CATegories (Academics and their Cats, Bookish Cats, Cats on Computers and Research Assistants). 

And the winner is…

“What? A laptop is a type of lap. Now pat me, dammit.” #AcademicsWithCats pic.twitter.com/45NeBgdlL6

— Mike Jones (@mikejonesmelb) November 19, 2016

Mike Jones from the University of Melbourne takes the award for Best in Show (and the Cats on Computers category) this year, with his candid photo of his cheeky kitty taking over his laptop. Photos of cats on computers were particularly popular, perhaps unsurprising given how long we spend on our laptops. 

Category winners this year were:

“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” - Hippolyte Taine #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/RS02colpZJ

— klugman (@klugman) November 30, 2016

@Klugman, a “junior postdoc with butterfingers”, won the Academics and their Cats section with this excellent shot of some relaxing reading.

Flavia reads my newly-published article #academicswithcats #medievaltwitter pic.twitter.com/3RPa1aLu1K

— Katie Hodges-Kluck (@KLHKhistorian) November 21, 2016

Katie Hodges-Kluck, a medieval historian at the Marco Institute, with her cat Flavia, still focused after six chapters, won the Bookish Cats section.

Just trying to take some notes. #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/BIDX6g2Myl

— Lia Dykstra (@lidykstra) November 28, 2016

Grad student Lia Dykstra’s cute research “assistant” (who doesn’t appear to be helping very much) won the Research Assistants category.     

The runners-up this year were:

Another hard day at work with my research assistants Spike and Drusilla. #AcademicsWithCats pic.twitter.com/9nVAEZTGKj

— Sam Ferguson (@SJFresearch) November 26, 2016

French literature researcher Sam Ferguson with his research assistants Spike and Drusilla.

Anxiously waiting for research grant...@dawnbazely #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/HvPeiEJvK3

— Min Seok Kim (@JohnGoesToClass) November 24, 2016

Min Seok Kim’s cat, anxiously waiting for news on that research grant.

My entry for the 2016 Academics with Cats awards #AcademicsWithCats @AcademiaObscura @catsofacademia @AcademicsSay #cutestresearchassistant pic.twitter.com/wFxot6z45t

— Dana Gold (@Gold_Dana) November 29, 2016

Western University PhD candidate Dana Gold, whose cat is trying to find the right cable.

Keeping up with the literature is hard work! #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/bJsXrHpoo4

— Fredric Bauer (@Kreml) November 21, 2016

Fredric Bauer’s fluffy moggy taking a break from reviewing drafts.

Finally, in case you missed it, last year’s winner was Kirsty Liddard with her serially tweeted cat, Scholar Ted.

#ScholarTed is unhappy with his his latest draft of ‘Posthuman Politics: The Role of the Feline’ #AcademicsWithCats pic.twitter.com/bz3wiuBZBJ

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— Dr Kirsty Liddiard (@KirstyLiddiard1) November 18, 2015

Glen Wright runs the @AcademiaObscura Twitter feed, covering the quirky side of academia.