I’m often asked about Rum’s population. How many people are there now? How many kids are in the school? Does it ever get political, or awkward, or… intense?

But there’s an all-important island population that doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves - and it perhaps has the most drama of them all.

For an island with fewer than 30 adults, it’s the 18 cats that really keep things interesting.

Each house has, on average, two cats – I think there are maybe only two or three households that don’t. This means that, proportionally speaking, cats outnumber us, and like any small community, they come with alliances, feuds, misunderstandings, and the occasional scandal.

When you live on a Scottish island, even a simple MoT can become a four-day ordeal

'My heart has never felt as full. Motherhood is more than I could have ever hoped'

Living on a Scottish island has taught me you have to rely on people - not systems

Elle Duffy: Out here on Rum, a granny’s visit is special

There are the established residents, those who have roamed the village roads for years and have seen it all. They know the best routes, the best doorsteps,........

© Herald Scotland