Pudge was invited to hold a meet-and-greet at The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) International Cat Show and EXPO and his gameday veterinarian was his handler for the show.
Jim Carlson, the father of George Carlson, Bowling Green State University (BGSU) football’s long snapper and Pudge’s owner, was in charge of Pudge while at the EXPO.
“We had a special invitation because of Pudge’s fame that they wanted to include him in this huge international cat show with all of these wonderful cats, so it’s like cat heaven,” Carlson said.
Carlson has been a veterinarian for over 27 years. On BGSU football gameday, Carlson is at Doyt L. Perry Stadium making sure Pudge stays healthy and happy during the games.
“I’ve been a veterinarian for 27 years, so it seemed natural to have an exotic pet, especially exotic shorthairs,” Carlson said.
Pudge is an exotic shorthair, which commonly have breathing issues, an issue that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) reached out to George Carlson about. Jim Carlson wants fans of Pudge to know that he has helped Pudge minimize the risk of future issues.
“I was able to do just a small nasal plasty to help him breathe a little easier, but also to be able to take care of him in case he has any sickness,” Carlson said.
Pudge wasn’t always in the hands of George Carlson. At first, he was the pet of Jim Carlson and his wife.
“My wife and I purchased Pudge about two and a half years ago when he was about eight months old,” Carlson said. “George was in college here at Bowling Green State University and so he wanted to have a cat; he loved the smushy-faced cats and Pudge was a great choice for him.”
Pudge also helped George Carlson when his mom passed away last year. He provided emotional support, which is why Carlson brought him to the locker room.
“After his mom passed away last year, he provided a lot of emotional support during that time as well. So that’s how it kind of all started,” Carlson said. “During fall camp, there was an injury to a player and George felt it was important to share him [Pudge] with his teammates and bring their spirits up.”
As Carlson said, “the rest is history,” and now Pudge is a familiar face that students and fans see on BGSU football gameday. He said the joy Pudge brings to fans is what George Carlson has always dreamed of.
“The really neat thing about Pudge and his fame is George always wanted to make people happy, so the support and joy from the BGSU community, the city of Bowling Green, really upper northern Ohio and everything, it’s just been an amazing ride for sure,” Jim Carlson said.
