Two are better than one
By Beverly Russell

Every Wednesday afternoon when choir members meet at their director Liz Stone’s house, the back-row tenor section nearly always has an extra chair for Alba. Her contribution is a quiet purring as the group rehearses.

Alba’s feline housemate Gabriel passes up choir practice, but he can be found hidden in the Steinway grand piano when unexpected guests or workmen show up. Liz explains, “That’s where he feels totally safe.”

The two cats look related with their Siamese blue eyes, fluffy white coats and brown masks, but are two years apart: Alba, 4 and Gabriel, 2. Liz, who will be celebrating her 48th wedding anniversary with her husband Mike later this year, explained the family history. “We are animal lovers. We’ve always had cats and dogs, sometimes more than one. Just before we came to San Miguel, our dog died, so we waited until we got here to find a replacement. We found a Belgian shepherd, but it was just too much for us. Our vet took it back after it jumped on the bed and almost put one of Mike’s eyes out with its paw.”

Then Alba and her sister Luna moved in. At six weeks old, they were adorable snow-white kittens, but Luna, sadly, died after two years, “We loved having two cats; they amuse each other and amuse us,” said Liz. “We went to the SPA to find a playmate for Alba. Mike sat on a stool in the kitten area and Gabriel, a little white ball, went straight to him. He climbed up his leg, twice. We knew this was the one we had to have.”

Getting Alba used to a new kitten took some careful handling. The ideal situation is to keep them apart at first and let the kitten live in a separate room with the door closed. This suggestion did not work at the Stones’ house because it is an open, airy place with very few doors. “In any case, Alba was used to having the run of the whole house as her territory,” Liz pointed out. At first, Alba was a bit put out. At night she guarded her position at the bottom of the Stones’ king-size bed and Gabriel slept on Liz’ pillow. But in about week, Gabriel was nuzzling Alba, and she was grooming the new kitten. Today they groom each other, sleep together, eat from the same bowl and use the same litter box. They are the best of friends, although they sometimes get into a friendly fight. Yet, truth must be told: Alba still maintains her position of superiority. When the Stones are watching TV, Alba sits between them on the couch. Gabriel has to make do with a pillow on the floor.

The SPA at Los Pinos 7, off Calzada de la Estación, is open daily 11am–2pm to anyone looking for a cat or two, 250 pesos each (dogs 300 pesos).


Beverly Russell is author of several books and numerous articles for international publications, including The New York Times. After hearing “two are better,” she is considering getting a playmate for her lonesome, handsome former SPA cat Felipe.