A tongue-in-cheek take on Cinco de Mayo (which commemorates Mexico’s victory against France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862), Cinco de Meow is a party with a purr-pose. This pet holiday shines a spotlight on cat adoption, with many animal shelters and rescue organizations holding cat adoption specials to celebrate!
When is Cinco de Meow?
Like the holiday for humans that acted as its inspiration, Cinco de Meow takes place each year on May 5th.
Facts about Mexico’s Bond with Cats
Here are a few interesting facts about Mexico’s Love of our feline friends.
A colony of cats have been a fixture at the National Palace in Mexico City since the 1970’s, and in April 2024 Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declared that the 19 friendly feral cats who presently live on the prestigious premises are “living fixed assets” of the government, which makes them fixed for life! The cats are cared for by the treasury, receive care from their very own veterinarian, and are considered a symbol of the historic edifice.
If you travel to Mexico you might hear a cat referred to as “Michi.” This is due to the fact that “mishi” was a word that the Inca Indians heard Spaniards use when calling to a cat.
Created by Mexican artist Pedro Linares Lopez in the 1940s, alebrije (spirit animals) carvings have become a beloved part of Mexican culture. Each spirit animal guards its person from evil, and each holds a spiritual meaning. The cat alebrije symbolizes wisdom, freedom and independence.
Although known as the Mexican Hairless Cat, this breed of feline actually originated in New Mexico.
Although made in America, the 1960s cartoon Top Cat has long been popular in Mexico. The former Saturday morning show would go on to have its own feature film made in Mexico (Don Gato y Su Pandilla— or Top Cat and His Gang) which had the highest-grossing opening weekend ever for any Mexican-made movie in Mexico.
While a cat’s meow may sound the same throughout the world, did you know that the word for “meow” is different in other countries? The Spanish word for a cat’s utterance is “miau.”
Travelers who are fortunate enough to book a stay at the El Dorado Royale in Mexico’s Riviera Maya have the opportunity to meet the five-star resort’s purr-manent residents, a clowder of 15 community cats who dine at their own “cat cafe” and live on the grounds in cat bungalows specially-made to mirror the look of the resort!