Talking to some friends I realized that most languages, etc. have picked somewhat uncommon animals as mascots – camels, gophers, etc. Ideas for Haskell mascots have followed suit.
But we don’t have to accept this state of affairs. The above means that the most common animals are wide open. In particular, no language has just said yet “our mascot is a cat.” Not like an especially interesting or exotic cat, or a particular cat with a particular name belonging to a particular person. Just, a cat, like, in general. See any cat? That’s our mascot!
Haskell is a great language, it deserves a top tier mascot, common, recognizable, widely loved. Let’s take cats. Literally nothing is stopping us. (Also we get cat theory puns as a bonus). See a cat anywhere in the world? Think Haskell! Now that’s branding.