24. Frida Kahlo’s deer

Renowned artist Frida Kahlo had a menagerie of pets that could rival a zoo, but among them all, a certain fawn named Granizo held a special place in her heart. Granizo was not just any ordinary pet; this elegant creature served as a muse for one of Kahlo’s most poignant artworks, “The Wounded Deer.” Now, if you’ve got a picture of Kahlo living a quiet, idyllic life with her gentle deer, hold on to your seats, because the tale of Kahlo’s pets is anything but tame.

Sure, Granizo might have been the quiet one, but Kahlo’s household was a merry chaos of feathered and furred residents, each one more characterful than the next. Imagine an array of spider monkeys frolicking around, parrots squawking non-stop, doves cooing, two proud turkeys strutting, an osprey known rather humorously as Gertrudis Caca Blanca (thanks to its habit of white-shitting the stairs), and a pack of noble Mexican hairless dogs, standing as silent sentinels, embodying the Mesoamerican tradition that Kahlo was so passionate about.

The party animal among Kahlo’s pets, however, was undoubtedly one of her parrots. This fine feathered friend was known for its affinity for beer and tequila. The phrase “party animal” took on a literal meaning with this parrot, who was known to belt out, “No me pasa la cruda!” after indulging. For those who don’t speak parrot (or Spanish), that translates to “I’m not going to survive this hangover!” Now, that’s a bird who knew how to party! Frida Kahlo’s house, with its colourful and comical assortment of pets, surely must have been a sight to behold, reflecting the vibrant eccentricity of the artist herself.