Pepe Basura Diablo Del Toro: Panamanian Superhero

Pepe was one of a litter of kittens who lived outside, eating scraps and was full of fleas. He was missing big chunks of fur and was so dirty! One day soon after I had moved to Panama, a friend came over with a burlap bag. He opened it up and inside was the tiniest kitten I had ever seen. He was the last one in a litter and no one wanted him.

He had lived outside his whole short life which was obvious because he was filthy and covered with fleas. I loved him instantly. I didn't have to think very long before his name came to me, Pepe.

This little creature became the centre of my life in this strange new country, and we were inseparable. I was in a country where I didn't know anyone and didn't speak spanish so he was my constant companion. I gave him baths (which he hated and yoweled all the way through), and gently blow dried him so he wouldn't get cold. At night he slept curled up in my neck or right next to my face with his paws touching my cheek. I learned never to move in my sleep for fear that I would crush him. He was about the size of an orange.

Right away I could tell he was sassy. He had such a huge personality and was so playful! He was so small he could fit into one of my hands and all the neighbours knew him by name.

Outside my front door was the garbage bin where vultures would perch eating scraps. In the morning when I took Pepe out to pee I had to watch him as the vultures had their eye on him, I am sure they thought he would make a tasty snack.

Outside my kitchen door lived a huge cockroach that Pepe liked to chase around. It seemed like they were almost the same size. It was his favourite toy.

There was no kitten food you could buy in the tiny place where I lived so I bought little Pepe jars of baby food and gave him a spoonful a couple of times a day. He loved it. My next door neighbours saw me coming home one day with a bag full of baby food and asked if I was pregnant! I said no, it is for Pepe. I think they thought I was crazy.

But, the neighbours loved Pepe. When he got a little bigger (than a mouthful for a vulture) I would leave the front door open and he would sneak over to the neighbours house and they would feed him and play with him. I found out that Rolando, the quiet older man who lived next door with his wife and daughter would pick him up and cuddle with him, and they would often be found sleeping curled up together in the afternoon.

Everyone in the little strip of houses where I lived knew Pepe. No one knew my name, but they all knew Pepe's. They would see me and ask how he was in spanish and I got good at saying that he was well. Everybody loved him. He was the cutest baby cat in the world.

Now, I have moved to a different place in Panama, a tiny village up in the mountains. Pepe has a huge dog to play with (he loves to wrestle with her), and he has a huge yard to explore. He spends his days climbing trees, chasing gecko's and stalking beasts in the foliage. He is a very happy animal. At night he comes inside and sleeps curled up with my boyfriend and I, but before sleeps there is always some vigorous play which he loves. I always used to play with him in the bed, under the covers when he was a kitten. He has always been a very saucy boy.