Cheeto is frequently referenced in UC Davis communications and student media. The UC Davis Admissions blog identifies him as a campus “fixture” and notes that he began appearing around 2011. UC Davis Magazine reported on “Animals on Campus” in 2019, highlighting Cheeto’s role as a campus fixture outside the Physics Building. The article described efforts by community caretakers and department staff to manage his health and explained that signs were posted asking people not to feed him due to weight concerns. Similar notices drew broader attention in local media. In 2019,
The Sacramento Bee covered the physics department’s “Please don’t feed” sign regarding Cheeto’s weight. In 2023, after Cheeto and his weight had again gone viral on the social media platform
TikTok,
Newsweek reported that Cheeto’s weight issues had improved since the university posted the signs in 2019. A UC Davis spokesperson and described Cheeto as “a particular favorite with students.” Cheeto is currently listed as a faculty member on the UC Davis Physics building directory located in the lobby and he has a satirical rate my professor page with a perfect rating. == See also ==