Morfi and Tiku

The two cats are the same age and arrived together, though from different litters. Morfi came first, out of the dry riverbed down in Alforja, where Katri nearly ran him over — a kitten small enough to miss. A notice went up days later about a found cat looking for a home, and that was Tiku. She was timid to begin with. The first time she was picked up she seemed to work out what was happening, and she has been devoted ever since.

They could not be less alike about strangers. Tiku is the brave one and usually the first to come and greet a new arrival; she is convinced she rules over any dog she meets. Morfi would rather watch a while, and his trust takes earning — he is the warier of the two. Both are clingy in the way rescued cats often are: once they know you, they are around constantly, on a lap, purring without pause.

They live outdoors and know the place completely, with hideouts for bad weather, but they love company indoors and will slip through any door or window left open to find a sofa or a bed. A look round before locking up and heading out is the one thing to remember, especially on the morning you leave.

Feeding them is welcome and much appreciated, and entirely optional — they have people who look after them, so nothing about their day depends on a guest. Animals are kept out of the guesthouse, which makes it the building to sleep in if someone in the group reacts to cats.