Meet the Mascat Taking Over College Football: 'People Just Really Love Pudge' (Exclusive) Anna Lazarus CaplanOctober 29, 2025 at 3:00 AM 0 BGSU Athletics Pudge the cat Pudge the cat has won fans over The scrunchyfaced exotic shorthair Persian is a new fixture along the sidelines at Bowling Green foo...
- - Meet the Mas-cat Taking Over College Football: 'People Just Really Love Pudge' (Exclusive)
Anna Lazarus CaplanOctober 29, 2025 at 3:00 AM
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BGSU Athletics
Pudge the cat -
Pudge the cat has won fans over
The scrunchy-faced exotic shorthair Persian is a new fixture along the sidelines at Bowling Green football games
Pudge's owner George Carlson credits the cat for helping to inspire, and guiding him through his own personal loss
Pudge the cat was taking a nap when PEOPLE tried to reach him on a recent Zoom call.
The 3-year-old exotic shorthair Persian has good reason for being tired — he's the new (scrunched-up) face of Bowling Green State University football thanks to his owner, long snapper George Carlson.
The furry fellow made his preseason debut in the locker room at the Ohio university over the summer, Carlson tells PEOPLE, and things haven't been the same since.
"We were about halfway through fall camp, we had a scrimmage practice and a player went down," the senior player, 22, says. "So everyone was kind of down at that point. Practice had ended early that day, so we kind of had some off time to think and I thought, you know, maybe I should bring my cat in. I think that would be kind of funny and would help brighten everyone's day."
Shortly after Pudge's first day at camp, Carlson's teammate posted a couple of TikToks featuring the feline — and interest in Bowling Green football soon skyrocketed.
Purina
Pudge the cat
Attendance is up nearly 60% over last year at the Mid-American Conference school's games, the university says, as fans of cats and pigskin unite to cheer on the team and the new mascot.
Or is it mas-cat?
Even the team's new coach this year — Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL star Eddie George, who's allergic to cats — has warmed up to the newest honorary player on the squad, Carlson says, thanks in part to his NIL deal with Purina ONE LiveClear, the first and only cat food that is "scientifically proven to reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander," the company says.
"When I'm going up to people, especially hearing stories of people who are allergic to cats, they have responded really well to being around Pudge and their allergies really haven't flared up at all," Carlson shares. "So I think Purina LiveClear is doing really well with Pudge to reduce the allergens and cat dander."
As he makes new friends and watches a lot of football from his carrier and in the stands, Pudge is riding a wave of fandom that rivals another famous college football pet: ESPN College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit's golden retriever, Peter.
Carlson is hoping that the two might meet at a future date — not only for the cute factor, but because he thinks the two pets have a lot in common.
"I think it would be great," Carlson says. "I think it would be a terrific experience if I could meet with Kirk and his dog. We, we use [Pudge and Peter] for kind of the same types of reasons, you know? Support."
He adds, "Having something on the road with you, it's nice. And being on the road or being at home while you're in football and in sports, it's so much pressure to be perfect, especially in my position, long snapping. It's nice to have something to come home to and get an out from football because it, if you're doing football all the time, it's just a big pressure-cooker."
Carlson also credits his cat for helping him get through last year, after his mother, Cristen, died of ovarian cancer.
"Our bond is really close, it's transformed my life and the bond that we have," Carlson tells PEOPLE about Pudge. "It just gets even closer because I'm with him all the time. But now he knows every time I'm with him, he's safe. He knows that I'm going to handle him through all the situations with all the people. So he really enjoys hanging out with me."
And as the team finds its footing on the field this season, Pudge has found legions of fans, both in and outside of the locker room.
"His sticking his tongue out is, that's his claim to fame," Carlson says. "I think everybody really loves that part about him and his face. The mushy face people don't see that a lot. And I think that's also kind of the draw to it is, 'What is that, why does he look like that? Why doesn't he look like a normal cat?' People really just love Pudge."
on People
Source: "AOL Sports"
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