October 27 is the day for pets. It is the first day of Día de Muertos. From October 27 to November 2, each day is set aside for a different group of the dead, and the season opens with the animals.

Arturo, who teaches with us at Speak Better Spanish and lives in Monterrey, walked us through the days. The rest comes from Mexican press coverage of the custom, linked below.

Where October 27 fits

Most explanations in English only mention November 1 and 2. The full sequence is longer, and pets come first. This is how Arturo describes it:

Date	Who is remembered
October 27	Pets
October 28	People who died in tragic circumstances
October 29	People who drowned
October 30	Forgotten souls (las ánimas olvidadas)
October 31	Children who died before being baptized
November 1	Children who died
November 2 (Día de los Fieles Difuntos)	Adults

The rest of the week, and where the tradition comes from, is in our Día de Muertos guide.

Why pets have their own day

Arturo sees the day for pets as relatively recent. In his view it comes from the way people live with animals now: a pet is no longer just an animal in the house, but a member of the family.

Mexican press says the same. The Saltillo newspaper Vanguardia notes that the date is not part of the official tradition and does not appear in the original calendar, but that many families in Mexico have adopted October 27 to remember their pets.

What goes on a pet’s ofrenda

A pet ofrenda follows the same idea as one for a person: it welcomes them back with the things they loved. According to Vanguardia, Time Out México and El Financiero, families usually put out:

• A photo of the pet
• Their favorite food: croquetas (kibble) or treats
• Water, for the thirst of the journey
• A favorite toy, or their blanket
• Candles
• Cempasúchil flowers

Expansión adds the urn with their ashes, for families who have one.

The words you will hear

The everyday word for a pet is mascota, but in Mexico you will often hear warmer words. Mexican newspapers write about altars for “michis y lomitos” (El Financiero) and offerings for “lomitos” and “michis” (Milenio).

• Lomito is an affectionate Mexican word for a dog. We explain it in Why Mexicans Call Dogs “Lomitos”.
• Michi is the affectionate Mexican word for a cat. More in Why Do Mexicans Call Cats “Michis”?.

Is it the same everywhere in Mexico?

Arturo confirmed that this sequence, with pets on October 27, is the same in Monterrey and the north of Mexico.

Customs change from one part of the country to another, so if you are spending these days somewhere specific, ask the people around you how they do it there.

Practice Spanish with a Native Mexican Teacher

Knowing what a tradition means changes what you can talk about. If you want to practice conversations like this one with a native Mexican teacher, we run live small-group Spanish conversation classes throughout the year: Spanish Group Conversation Classes.

For the full picture of the holiday, read our Día de Muertos guide.

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