BISMARCK — Walking into the Senate chamber at the North Dakota Capitol, one might notice a stuffed animal, a cat, on top of a senator’s desk.
Introduced this legislative session by Sen. Scott Meyer, R-Grand Forks, the cat will make its way to the desk of a senator who has had a bad day, has a prominent bill being heard on the floor, or has just experienced a significant life event.
The cat will “mysteriously” appear on the desk of a senator accompanied by a note or poem. For example, when a bill relating to free school lunches was heard on the Senate floor, the cat made its way to a senator’s desk with the note, “Give me liberty, or give me school lunch.”
Kittens were added to the mix when Sen. Jordan Kannianen, R-Stanley, welcomed his 12th child in March.
The litter was placed on his desk with the poem, “I have enough milk now with some to spare. So, I had a litter and I know you care. Because you have a litter of your own, so I am sharing mine with you alone. The diaper tax should help you out.”
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The diaper tax comment was a reference to HB 1177, a bill that exempts sales tax on diapers that passed the Senate on March 20.
Kim Schneider and Sonja King, clerks working in the Senate chamber, said the “therapy cat” has been a fun addition to the Legislature.
King said that the cat is a way to “lighten the mood” during the longer days in the session.
King and Schneider agreed that the cat is also a fun way to bring everyone together, on either side of the political aisle. King said, “You never know who’s going to get it next.”
Isabelle Ballalatak is a reporting intern with the North Dakota Newspaper Association.
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