Founded in 1943, the Yale Alley Cats are one of the country’s oldest and most renowned a cappella groups. It all began at the top of Saybrook Tower, where four first-years joined together in song late one autumn night. So beautiful was their singing that the Head of Saybrook College, awoken by the noise, praised the performance as sounding like “a bunch of screeching alley cats”—and so the group was born. Now, 82 years later, the Alley Cats have grown into a close-knit family of over 500 alumni. From jazz standards to Motown classics, the Cats sing it all. The Alley Cats have received their share of accolades, including a Grammy Award shortlist entry, and continue to release a new studio album every two years.

As Yale’s first internationally-touring a cappella group, the Alley Cats travel the world three times a year at no cost to their members. In the past two years, they’ve toured countries such as China, South Africa, Sweden, Qatar, and Singapore, as well as the hometowns of each of their members. The Cats have had the privilege of performing for a wide variety of audiences, from friends and family at sold-out hometown concerts, to celebrities and world leaders such as Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Hollywood legend Michael Douglas.  

Coming off their most-attended Champagne Jamboree in history (their big jam in April), the Cats are ready to keep pushing the envelope for their 82nd season. While the group is known for its musical excellence and unforgettable tours, the heart of the Alley Cat experience is the tight-knit family they’ve built over the past 80+ years. Being a Cat means having a home away from home, a built-in support system, and best friends for life. As the Alley Cats get ready for one of the biggest years in their history—a new album release and international tours to the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and the UK—there’s never been a better time to be a Cat.