diff --git a/spec/models/category_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
index a7352d106..cb05c1ee8 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
@@ -1,240 +1,90 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Category, type: :model do
-  before(:each) do
-    @category = FactoryGirl.build(:category)
+  describe 'basic validations' do
+    subject(:category) { FactoryGirl.build(:category) }
+    it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:name) }
+    it { is_expected.to validate_uniqueness_of(:name) }
+    it { is_expected.to have_many(:equipment_models) }
   end
 
-  it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:name) }
-  it { is_expected.to validate_uniqueness_of(:name) }
-
-  it { is_expected.to have_many(:equipment_models) }
-
-  # validate numericality for :max_renewal_length, :max_renewal_times,
-  # :renewal_days_before_due, :max_per_user, :sort_order, :max_checkout_length
-  # this includes integer_only, and greater_than_or_equal_to => 0
-
-  # :max_renewal_length
-  it 'validates max_renewal_length must be non-negative' do
-    @category.max_renewal_length = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_renewal_length = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_renewal_length can be nil' do
-    @category.max_renewal_length = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_renewal_length must be an integer' do
-    @category.max_renewal_length = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_renewal_length = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # :max_renewal_times
-  it 'validates max_renewal_times must be non-negative' do
-    @category.max_renewal_times = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_renewal_times = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_renewal_times can be nil' do
-    @category.max_renewal_times = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_renewal_times must be an integer' do
-    @category.max_renewal_times = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_renewal_times = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # :renewal_days_before_due
-  it 'validates renewal_days_before_due must be non-negative' do
-    @category.renewal_days_before_due = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.renewal_days_before_due = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates renewal_days_before_due can be nil' do
-    @category.renewal_days_before_due = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates renewal_days_before_due must be an integer' do
-    @category.renewal_days_before_due = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.renewal_days_before_due = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # :sort_order
-  it 'validates sort_order must be non-negative' do
-    @category.sort_order = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.sort_order = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates sort_order can be nil' do
-    @category.sort_order = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates sort_order must be an integer' do
-    @category.sort_order = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.sort_order = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # :max_per_user
-  it 'validates max_per_user must be non-negative' do
-    @category.max_per_user = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_per_user = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_per_user can be nil' do
-    @category.max_per_user = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_per_user must be an integer' do
-    @category.max_per_user = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_per_user = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # :max_checkout_length
-  it 'validates max_checkout_length must be non-negative' do
-    @category.max_checkout_length = -1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_checkout_length = 0
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_checkout_length can be nil' do
-    @category.max_checkout_length = nil
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-  it 'validates max_checkout_length must be an integer' do
-    @category.max_checkout_length = 'not_an_integer'
-    expect(@category.save).to be_falsey
-    @category.max_checkout_length = 1
-    expect(@category.save).to be_truthy
-  end
-
-  # custom scope to return active categories
-  describe '.active' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @deactivated = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                        deleted_at: '2013-01-01 00:00:00')
-      @category.save
-    end
-
-    it 'Should return all active categories' do
-      expect(Category.active).to include(@category)
-    end
-
-    it 'Should not return inactive categories' do
-      expect(Category.active).not_to include(@deactivated)
-    end
-  end
-
-  describe '#maximum_per_user' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.max_per_user = 1
-      @category.save
-      @unrestrected_category = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                                  max_per_user: nil)
-    end
-    it 'Should return maximum_per_user if defined' do
-      expect(@category.maximum_per_user).to eq(1)
-    end
-    it 'Should return Float::INFINITY if not defined' do
-      expect(@unrestrected_category.maximum_per_user).to eq(Float::INFINITY)
+  shared_examples 'integer attribute' do |attr|
+    it "is valid when #{attr} is an integer >= 0" do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => 0)
+      expect(category.valid?).to be_truthy
     end
-  end
-
-  describe '#maximum_renewal_length' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.max_renewal_length = 5
-      @category.save
-      @unrestrected_category = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                                  max_renewal_length: nil)
+    it "is valid when #{attr} is nil" do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => nil)
+      expect(category.valid?).to be_truthy
     end
-    it 'Should return maximum_renewal_length if defined' do
-      expect(@category.maximum_renewal_length).to eq(5)
+    it "is invalid when #{attr} is not an integer" do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => 'not an int')
+      expect(category.valid?).to be_falsey
     end
-    it 'Default to 0 if not defined' do
-      expect(@unrestrected_category.maximum_renewal_length).to eq(0)
+    it "is invalid when #{attr} is < 0 " do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => -1)
+      expect(category.valid?).to be_falsey
     end
   end
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :max_renewal_length
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :max_renewal_times
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :renewal_days_before_due
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :sort_order
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :max_per_user
+  it_behaves_like 'integer attribute', :max_checkout_length
 
-  describe '#maximum_renewal_times' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.max_renewal_times = 1
-      @category.save
-      @unrestrected_category = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                                  max_renewal_times: nil)
-    end
-    it 'Should return maximum_renewal_times if defined' do
-      expect(@category.maximum_renewal_times).to eq(1)
+  shared_examples 'attribute methods' do |attr, method, default|
+    it "#{method} returns #{attr} when defined" do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => 1)
+      expect(category.send(method)).to eq(1)
     end
-    it 'Default to infinity if not defined' do
-      expect(@unrestrected_category.maximum_renewal_times).to\
-        eq(Float::INFINITY)
+    it "#{method} returns appropriate default when #{attr} is not defined" do
+      category = FactoryGirl.build_stubbed(:category, attr => nil)
+      expect(category.send(method)).to eq(default)
     end
   end
+  it_behaves_like 'attribute methods', :max_renewal_length,
+                  :maximum_renewal_length, 0
+  it_behaves_like 'attribute methods', :max_renewal_times,
+                  :maximum_renewal_times, Float::INFINITY
+  it_behaves_like 'attribute methods', :renewal_days_before_due,
+                  :maximum_renewal_days_before_due, Float::INFINITY
+  it_behaves_like 'attribute methods', :max_per_user,
+                  :maximum_per_user, Float::INFINITY
+  it_behaves_like 'attribute methods', :max_checkout_length,
+                  :maximum_checkout_length, Float::INFINITY
 
-  describe '#maximum_renewal_days_before_due' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.renewal_days_before_due = 1
-      @category.save
-      @unrestrected_category = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                                  renewal_days_before_due: nil)
+  describe '#active' do
+    it 'returns active categories' do
+      category = FactoryGirl.create(:category)
+      expect(Category.active).to include(category)
     end
-    it 'Should return maximum_renewal_days_before_due if defined' do
-      expect(@category.maximum_renewal_days_before_due).to eq(1)
-    end
-    it 'Default to infinity if not defined' do
-      expect(@unrestrected_category.maximum_renewal_days_before_due).to\
-        eq(Float::INFINITY)
+    it 'does not return inactive categories' do
+      deactivated = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
+                                       deleted_at: '2013-01-01 00:00:00')
+      expect(Category.active).not_to include(deactivated)
     end
   end
 
-  describe '#maximum_checkout_length' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.max_checkout_length = 5
-      @category.save
-      @unrestrected_category = FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                                                  max_checkout_length: nil)
-    end
-    it 'Should return maximum_checkout_length if defined' do
-      expect(@category.maximum_checkout_length).to eq(5)
-    end
-    it 'Default to infinity if not defined' do
-      expect(@unrestrected_category.maximum_checkout_length).to\
-        eq(Float::INFINITY)
+  describe 'catalog_search' do
+    let!(:category) do
+      FactoryGirl.create(:category,
+                         name: 'Tumblr hipster instagram sustainable')
     end
-  end
-
-  describe '.catalog_search' do
-    before(:each) do
-      @category.name = 'Tumblr hipster instagram sustainable'
-      @category.save
-      @hipster =
-        FactoryGirl.create(:category,
-                           name: 'Tumblr starbucks PBR slackline music hipster')
+    let!(:hipster) do
+      FactoryGirl.create(:category,
+                         name: 'Tumblr starbucks PBR slackline music hipster')
     end
     it 'Should return names matching all of the query words' do
-      expect(Category.catalog_search('Tumblr')).to eq([@category, @hipster])
+      expect(Category.catalog_search('Tumblr')).to eq([category, hipster])
       expect(Category.catalog_search('Tumblr hipster')).to\
-        eq([@category, @hipster])
+        eq([category, hipster])
     end
     it 'Should not return any categories without every query word in the '\
       'name' do
-      expect(Category.catalog_search('starbucks')).to eq([@hipster])
+      expect(Category.catalog_search('starbucks')).to eq([hipster])
       expect(Category.catalog_search('Tumblr instagram sustainable')).to\
-        eq([@category])
+        eq([category])
     end
   end
 end