We show that given infinite sets $X,Y$ and a function $f:X\to Y$ which is onto and $n$-to-one for some $n\in \mathbb{N}$, the preimage of any ultrafilter $ℱ$ of $Y$ under $f$ extends to an ultrafilter. We prove that the latter result is, in some sense, the best possible by constructing a permutation model $ℳ$ with a set of atoms $A$ and a finite-to-one onto function $f:A\to \omega$ such that for each free ultrafilter of $\omega$ its preimage under $f$ does not extend to an ultrafilter. In addition, we show that in $ℳ$ there exists an ultrafilter compact pseudometric...