The Cat was starting to show her age, and the next spring she became a grandmother for the first time when Flora gave birth in the garden. As The Cat had chosen Flora’s name, Flora chose her daughter’s, continuing the floral tradition and naming her Souci (which in French meant both marigold and trouble, which seemed to conveniently cover all eventualities). Flora was very protective of her little one; Souci was her firstborn, after all.

A few weeks previously, Visitor Cat’s twin daughter Cracker had also had kittens which she now brought to the garden from the fields for weaning.

There were three, but none of them seemed strong – a brindle tortoiseshell girl who we called Daisy, and two boys.

Little Souci chose the name Dandelion for one of the boys as she sweetly said that a weak kitten should have a strong name. We named the third kitten Clover, and sadly it was only Clover who made it through their first three months.

Flora was an attentive mother to her daughter at first, but once Souci reached the age of twelve weeks, Flora felt her job was done and picked up her independent life where it had left off, before motherhood. Souci was weaned, but she still needed her mother, so we were relieved when Cracker, who was more maternally minded, ‘adopted’ Souci as a companion for Clover who was only a few weeks older.

They were perfect for each other, spending their active hours playing together and their inactive hours cuddled up with Cracker.