These cats are living the high life
Read time: 2 min
Ever dreamed of living in a palace? With your every need met, plenty of space, and a posse of adoring fans? For 19 feral cats in Mexico’s presidential palace, that dream has become a reality.
While nobody is sure when they appeared – or how they got there – palace staff report cats living on the grounds as far back as 50 years ago.
But now? These cats aren’t just getting scraps from the kitchen and stalking pigeons in the garden. They’ve been declared “living fixed assets”. And are the first animals in Mexico to receive the title.
Which means Bowie, Zeus, Coco, Yema and Balam (to name a few) are staying put. For good. And the country’s treasury is obligated to feed and care for them. For the rest of their lives. Even after president López Obrador leaves office in October 2024.
“The cats are now a symbol of the National Palace. Just as we understand this world, I wouldn’t understand the National Palace without the presence of these cats,” said Adriana Castillo Román, general director of the National Palace and Cultural Heritage Conservancy. “We have to make sure the cats are taken care of.”
The president himself has said that the cats “dominate” the building. Often making cameos in press briefings. And walking ahead of him in official ceremonies.
So if you’re ever travelling in Mexico City? Bring a Chicken Nibble for Nube – who enjoys greeting visitors at the palace gates.