Nobody knows exactly where this red-haired cutie came from, but there is no doubt that he found his home. In January, a cat named Tomby appeared on the grounds of a high school in Izmir, Turkey. Unlike most stray animals, Tomby was extremely sociable and friendly – walking among children and demanding attention. But the fluffy did not stop there and decided to take up his education. Being quite smart he decided that the third grade would be a perfect place to start.

“Tomby just walked into the classroom and the kids immediately liked the animal,” says teacher Ozlem Pinar Ivashku.

The teacher thought that a cat roaming the classroom should distract students, but no – Tomby had the opposite effect on academic performance.

Seeing that even a cat is interested in learning, pupils became more attentive and assiduous. And they even stopped being late for classes!

Naturally, Tomby was sent to the veterinarian to check his health and get all the necessary vaccinations.

Despite this, the parents of one of their students filed a complaint against the cat, as it could pose a danger to the children’s health. So Tomby had to look for a new home.

“We found a new home for Tomby, but he didn’t like it there – he refused to eat. Then I had to take him to me, but even here he was not happy,” says teacher Ozlem Pinar Ivashku.

The story of Tomby caused a wide public outcry. The cat was supported by a huge number of people. Even the parent who was against the cat at school changed her anger to mercy.

As a result, the school administration allowed Tomby to return to school, which made all 33 pupils incredibly happy.

After this story many educational institutions also want to have “pets” in their classrooms.