Where some colleges say hello with an intimidating growl, friendly Catz - as St Catharine’s is known by the hipsters - purrs good-naturedly and rolls over for you to tickle its tummy. Set back from the beginning of King’s Parade opposite Corpus Christi, Catz bears witness to more than five centuries of building – much of it pretty impressive. It’s big enough to be diverse but small enough to be intimate. The kidz at Catz complement their strong academic record with lots of sporty and musical pursuits, but reserve some of their energies sustaining the traditional rivalry with Queens' College next door... Although they enjoy one another’s company, their love of uni-wide competitions and ents means that they don’t ignore the rest of the University altogether. Like so much of Cambridge, Catz is mobbed by tourists in the summer, although most are more interested in King’s next door and the porters do their best to fight off the camera-toting hordes.
| Sex ratio (M:F): 51:49 |
Founded: 1473 |
| Full-time u’grads: 467 |
Part-time: 0 |
| Postgrads: 154 |
Mature: n/a |
| State:private school: 55:45 |
Disabled: n/a |
| Academic ranking: 5 |
International: 6% |
Bar (the beating social heart for most of the college); bops a few times a term, including the cross-dressing-tastic Miss Catz night; tired JCR building, with shiny replacement on its way for 2010; Octagon theatre (cap. 150) and chapel (100) used for concerts; biennial ball. ‘Catzeyes’ magazine. Two libraries open 24 hours a day (45,000 books, as well as a record library and a collection of classical CDs); 30 computers and internet access in all rooms; wifi in the library. CofE chapel. Sports fields (three acres and a pavilion) 1,200m away, including the only Astroturf pitch in a Cambridge college. All students can live in CCTV-watched premises (second years in the octagonal St Chad’s building), at around £50–£87 a week. Students eat in the cafeteria; self-catering is on the limited side; formal dinner three times a week (£6). Green, target and equal opps officers. Nurse; sick bay. Wheelchair access is generally good, and arrangements can be made to get to any college facilities. Some financial support; academic scholarships and prizes available.
FAMOUS ALUMNI
Peter Boizot (founded Pizza Express); Kevin Greening (XFM); Sir Peter Hall (theatre director and RSC founder); Joanne Harris (author); Malcolm Lowry (booze-hound writer); Sir Ian McKellen (actor); Jeremy Paxman (BBC bulldog).