Home of the Stray Cat

Santiago is the home of the stray dog, and Lima is the home of the stray cat. In the centre of Miraflores, there is a park (the John F Kennedy Park) filled with flower beds, shoe shiners, seats, trees etc.

There were stray cats in the trees, garden beds, sleeping on the grass, or just walking around.

I just googled the cats and courtesy of wiki travel, the following explanation is offered.

Parque John. F. Kennedy.  The park is located in the heart of the Miraflores district. To it's northwest you will find the artisan markets and to it's southeast the "Calle de los pizzas". It is also bordered by various hostels, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, a Cathedral and more. It often hosts public exhibitions on the weekends ranging from artesan crafts to paintings and live performances. Perhaps one of the most curious features of the park is it's large population of cats. Legend holds that the cats were introduced to help fight off rats. Whether true or not everywhere you look in the park you will see them. The cats are well cared for by volunteers and are generally friendly. The volunteers provide food and medical care.