Our first month in a condo with a very opinionated cat

Moving into a condo in Rawai with a cat was never going to be simple. Matcha is a Khao Manee, which means he is white, elegant and entirely convinced that every room belongs to him. The building manager handed me the pet rules on my first day, and I read them twice, once for the rules and once to make sure there was no clause about cats who sit on the reception desk.

The first real challenge was the lift. Matcha hates the carrier, so I had him in a soft bag, and at the fifth floor the doors opened to a neighbour walking in with a very large dog. There was a long silence. Matcha stared at the dog, the dog stared at Matcha, and I stood there apologising in a voice far too polite for a lift. Since then I wait for the lift to be empty, or take the stairs when it's busy. The neighbours are kind about it, though one older lady now waves at him every morning.

Honestly, he has settled in better than I have. He's claimed the sunny spot by the balcony door, and he watches the sea while I unpack boxes. Give it a few weeks and I think the building will be his. I'm just the one who pays the rent.