If you paid any attention to Gannon University’s Facebook page during winter break, you would have found something that would make many people on campus very thankful: the black cat on A.J.’s Way has found a home.

The university posted a picture of the cat, with a caption that read, “she is loving life indoors thanks to Debbie Parks from the Office of International Admissions. Now named Ava Jane, the little black cat is fast becoming best friends with Debbie’s other cats and dog.”

The original post received 358 likes and 46 shares, which probably led to more likes and shares.

One of the editors at The Gannon Knight recalled living near campus over the summer and seeing the cat as a kitten running around near Waldron Campus Center, so the cat might have been a stray since it was born.

It quickly became popular with most of the campus, with people seeing it on their way to class, leaving out food for it and trying to catch it.

Pretty much everyone was concerned about what would happen to it once the brutal Erie winters finally hit. Stray cats aren’t a new thing, but most people can’t stand the lake effect wind chill, let alone animals.

This post not only let the Gannon community know that the cat is a female, but that she will be safe inside during the harsh, extended winters of Lake Erie.

It’s safe to say that Ava’s presence around Gannon definitely affected the community; news about it being around A.J.’s Way dominated Yik Yak posts, Facebook statuses and tweets.

The post on the Facebook page had more interactions that any other individual post in the past year.  This little cat has managed to leave a big mark at Gannon University.