Wildcat statue-Sarvini's four steps

When I first walked up to the wildcat statue I noticed a lot of things. The first was that I realized the figure was in the north part of campus; which can be popular at some times, but during the day when classes are in session is actually quite deserted. I also noticed that the statue looks very traditional and you can tell was meant to represent school pride. The statue stands tall and proud symbolizing ideals that the University of Kentucky represents. It occurred to me that the cat is also usually covered in some sort of decoration in the UK colors.

To refer to what I mentioned above, it was clear to me that even though many people walk past the wildcat statue everyday not many actually stop to appreciate it. The wildcat is surrounded by stone seating that is meant for people to sit down and enjoy the scenery but not many use it. It's disappointing to see such a great piece of artwork ignored most of the time.

These problems make me consider why the school decided to place the sculpture where they did? Why wasn't it placed in the heart of campus? Immediately when someone asks where I think the middle of campus is I think Willy T. library...why did they not place the wildcat there? I feel like it would have a lot more foot traffic, and be respected by all of the University of Kentucky's students.

That being said, there was probably a lot at stake when they were considering where to put the Wildcat. Money was a big factor I am sure. There might have been a different in price values of placing it in north campus versus placing it in the center. The work that went into creating the artwork could have also been a distraction to students heading to the library or classes, where as Bowman's den and Memorial Coliseum are the only main buildings near the statue now that are not as academic.