My current housemates here in Mazatlan are extremely different from my other housemates I’ve had previously in Mexico. Five of them are cats. I share a condo with a woman from Alberta who also happens to rescue cats, have them neutered and then finds homes for them. Occasionally she fosters felines as well.

I’ve never really been a cat lover although I did have one for a brief time when I lived in Winnipeg. Dogs have always been my loves, but my lifestyle here in Mexico is really not conducive to having a dog as a pet. And these are Wanda’s cats, so she is the primary caregiver. I feed them occasionally, but Wanda is in charge of litter boxes and everything else.

Our condo is a spacious three bedroom two-story with a yard on the main level and a huge outdoor terrace on the second level. The cats are able to come and go as they please and always have access to the outdoors. However the cats are not welcome in my bedroom. They are far too mischievous.

Actually there were only supposed to be four, but at my request Elvis, one of the fostered felines, has not been put up for adoption. He has become my favorite. He sleeps on the table when I am on my laptop and sleeps in the hallway upstairs right outside my bedroom door. He also follows me outside when I sit on the wing on the terrace. And whenever I venture into the kitchen he is at my side meowing for food.

Willy is the baby and is extremely mischievous. His specialties include clawing the leather furniture and batting the sheets down from off the clothesline. He also does his best to sneak into the fridge when the door is open. Willy is playful and delights in wrestling around with the other cats.

Boots is another hellion. This little ninja is fearless and constantly escapes from the terrace upstairs and then comes to the front door when he gets hungry. He also loves to sit on top of Wanda’s truck and gaze at the activity on our street.

Bonny is Boots’s sister. This little girl has only one eye and would have been put down had Wanda not taken her in. She’s a little mischief as well, but also can be very affectionate. She often cuddles with me when I watch TV.

Cleo is a sweetheart who loves to cuddle but does not want to share me with the other cats. She will shove them out of the way in order to get my undivided attention. Cleo doesn’t really play with the others and is rather standoffish.

Oh yes! There is a sixth cat. Red is kind of a part-timer. He’s a feral cat who prefers to run wild, sometimes for days on end, but returns when he gets hungry. He is neither cute nor cuddly and has nothing to do with the others.

While these cats are affectionate and entertaining, I miss the unconditional love of a dog. I was blessed to have Koal and Kelsey in my life for many years when I lived in Canada. But for now, cats will have to do.