The tree that is incorporated into the San Jose State University library is rumored to be haunted. Published entries state that before the San Jose State University library was built, a cat was once stuck in its limbs and was too scared to jump, so he never did. The furry black cat with bright yellow eyes went up there chasing squirrels one night. His owner never found him even after searching for years until he died of old age in 1855. When the library was built, the library preserved the tree on which the furry black cat was never retrieved from and built to be part of the building which can still be seen today. The librarians will show you and tell you about the tree that was not torn down to have the library built in their library tours.
It has been said that the furry black cat with the bright yellow eyes now haunts the tree, and by haunting meaning that the spirit of the cat stays with the tree. Students have reported numerous cases stating that they are just studying in the library when they feel a cat walking by their legs and feet and when they look there is nothing. Students who stay studying until midnight during finals time say they frequently hear a cat purring around them. Recently I was in the library studying for a midterm when I, too, felt the cat at my feet and heard him purr. According to haunting experts, spirits only stay looking for where they belong and the cat is only looking for his owner, possibly looking for a new owner.
Yenith Garcia