It wasn’t just The Cat who was kept busy with a new family as Visitor was also looking after kittens, in the neighbouring field. We named them collectively The Nearbys as the closest we could get was to peer over the high wall and watch them across the fields. We could see there were four little ones who seemed bonded in two pairs – two very similar black kittens made one pair, and the tuxedo and an orange kitten made the other. We named the black kittens Cheese and Cracker, the tuxedo T and the orange kitten Biscuit.

Their first few weeks, while they were dependent on Visitor, were spent in the field. They learnt to climb in the prickly pear bushes and followed their mother on adventures further afield. But sadly one day tragedy struck when they were exploring a farm on the other side of the watercourse, and Biscuit was killed by dogs.

Once again, Visitor turned to The Cat and her garden in her hour of need and, without delay, the remaining three kittens were brought into the garden where they could continue living their lives in safety.

It seemed that the black kittens, Cheese and Cracker, were identical twin girls, and T the tuxedo was a boy whose job was to look after his mother and sisters.

The Cat and Flora seemed unbothered by the new arrivals; there was plenty of room for everyone, and there was always food and water available. Once again, it seemed that The Cat’s Garden had become a haven for refugees.