Over that summer, Blackfur continued to recover from his accident. He was still active and was not confined to the garden, but we didn’t see him cross the road again.

His littermates Whitefur and Greyfur were also growing up and spent more time exploring the neighbourhood, but they all gravitated back to the garden to eat and relax together and spend time with The Cat and their younger siblings, the Fourpaws. The Garden and the terrace were their safe places, the places where they could completely relax and recharge their batteries after a busy day exploring in the fields.

As a small kitten, Flora had been very friendly, but Furrileesa less so. However, during the time they spent in the fields with The Cat before weaning, something happened to change Flora’s character and when they returned to the garden, it was Flora who was the wary kitten and Furrileesa the affectionate one.

And now it was the summer, and, although Flora was thriving, Furrileesa had stopped growing after a few months and sadly passed away during the summer. Naturally he was hugely missed by his mother and sister, and by the humans – he was such a sweet boy – but The Cat and her daughter carried on, and their bond was ever closer.

Female cats tend not to roam as far as the males, staying closer to their food source to which any future new families will be introduced. So Flora and her mother spent a lot of their time in the garden and the drive, venturing out into the fields in the evening and at night, but always returning at mealtimes.