Lundagård is not only the name of the large park surrounding the University main building and the AF-building. It is also the name of a student magazine written by and for Lund University students since the 1920’s.
The first edition, a 12-page-long magazine created by editor Gunnar Aspelin, saw daylight on 26 March 1920. A few years later, in 1924, the editoral staff was joined by their mascot, “Quatten”, a white plaster cat. A cat was considered a good representative for the new magazine: a cat is independent, has sharp claws and is not afraid to bite its master’s hand.
The white cat had been around a few years before it moved into the Lundagård editorial office. During the Lundakarneval parade in 1920, one of the parade floats was filled with white plaster cats. After the carnival, the cats went searching for a new home and moved in with Lundagård magazine four years later.
Throughout Lundagård history, alumni editors have received a white plaster cat when they leave their position.
On a side note, during the magazine’s 70th Jubilee in 1990, the cat was temporarily accompanied by five plaster dogs, which served as jubilee presents to previous editors and devoted fans.