Statue's whiskers mysteriously disappear

November 14, 2007 — Source: Naperville Sun, The (IL) — Author: Kate R. Houlihan

Although the feisty feline that serves as the title character of Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat" was always up for a little mischief, even he might not have approved of the following.

A bronze likeness of the Seuss character, complete with umbrella, was placed outside the Jackson Avenue entrance of the Nichols Library a few months ago. Part of the Century Walk public art project, it was formally dedicated late Monday afternoon.

However, a few of the cat's whiskers weren't present, despite a sign that has been installed to keep both young and old from climbing on top of the statue or otherwise hanging from or defacing it.

"We haven't really decided what to do," said Brand Bobosky, president of the Century Walk Corp. He added that an option could be to remove the remaining whiskers.

"To us, it's a minor point," he said.
       
John Knobloch, president of the Naperville Public Library Board of Trustees, said the library was happy to give the cat his temporary home. Eventually the statue will be relocated to a planned green space plaza at the northwest corner of Eagle Street and Jefferson Avenue, outside the new parking deck at the library site.
       
"As a library board, when we agreed to the placement of the statue outside Nichols, it's Century Walk's risk," Knobloch said. "It has a nice placement outside the children's area. He's walking as though he's going into the library for story time."
       
If nothing else, the correlation between the cat's famous literary tale and the inkling of mischievousness surrounding the bronze whiskers' demise is reason to take notice.
       
"I think it's an interesting vent on it, that the cat was mischievous," Bobosky said.
       
Contact Kate Houlihan  at khoulihan@scn1.com  or 630-416-5224.
     
Sue Kleinwachter of Warrenville, dressed as Dr. Suess's Cat in the Hat, looks Tuesday at the statue of the same character outside the Nichols Library in Naperville. Three whiskers recently were torn off the statue. Officials say they might just remove the rest of them. Kleinwachter had been reading to children for book week at the library.
         
Jonathan Miano / Staff photographer
       

Section: AROUND TOWN — Page: 21