As the pandemic progressed, some of the new Visiting Cats returned to their original feeders. But some stayed – some of the males continued to visit the food bowls as they patrolled the fields, and some of the females brought their kittens for weaning.

And so it was that Twilight brought her new family. The Sundowners were three boys who we named Buttermilk (peach), Caramel (orange/white) and Syllabub (grey/white).

They were healthy youngsters but completely feral and never came close to us. They lived in the surrounding fields, coming only for food and water and doing their best to avoid human contact; Twilight, who was a conscientious and disciplined mother, was bringing them up to be self-assured, confident feral cats and they embraced their freedom to roam while remaining loyal and close to their mother.

Roma also brought her new family for weaning – two kittens who we named Kushti (a calico girl) and Savvi (an orange-and-white boy). Like Twilight’s kittens, they were feral and not approachable.

Roma was a highly-strung and feisty lady and had decided that the regular supply of food and water gave her family a better chance than life out in the fields. We made a shelter for them in the front path and they stayed there for a few weeks while they were weaning.

Gypsy, who had taken to spending a lot of her time in the front path and drive and hated to miss anything which was happening, was especially delighted with the newcomers.

She would nap on the wall by the front door with Kiwi and watch the comings and goings in the front path as kittens and cats came to the food and water bowls. She loved to be in the middle of everything – a truly busy cat.