Ana (and his brother Pea Cat) were the first of The Cat’s offspring that we know of. Having defeated Pea Cat in a hormone-fuelled fight one evening, Ana, who was a handsome young orange-and-white cat, took over the mantle of protector of his mother and guardian of the garden. As a young adult with ambitions to become one of the alpha-males of the neighbourhood, defeating his brother was a good start.

The Cat was always very fond of Ana (as, apart from their familial relationship, she had a soft spot for orange gentlemen) and she would seek out her Number One Son to share a nap or spend time together. The windowsill in the drive was a favourite spot for a siesta on a hot afternoon; with their backs against the glass and in the shade of the olive tree, mother and son napped contentedly, side-by-side.

At mealtimes (or maybe that should read ‘when they thought it should be mealtimes’), they would come to the path or drive together and Ana would start meowing persistently; The Cat didn’t need to do anything – just wait for the humans to magically appear with food.

The Cat had found that having a son who liked singing was a useful thing, and fitted in well with her plan to train the humans. And, apart from that, he had a sweet and melodious voice which was pleasing to the ear.

Another favourite spot for a nap was the top of an old water tank. The Cat and Ana were willing to forgive the lumpy garlic drying in the sun to enjoy the soft, old towels spread over the tank.

With regular food and water available, Ana blossomed. He not only patrolled the garden, but extended his territory to the neighbouring fields – of course this meant that he crossed paths with other alpha-males and this led to confrontations and fights, but Ana was smart and he may not always have won, but he emerged relatively unscathed and earned the suffix ‘Warrior Cat’.

Feral cats grow up more slowly than housecats, and Ana was maturing, making his mark on the neighbourhood and asserting his authority in The Cat’s Garden. He started to stay away for a day or two here and there as his adventures took him further afield. And when he returned, he was always assured a warm welcome from his mother, a good feed, and a nap in safety.

(These photos cover the period before The Tail Incident – more of Ana’s later life in the next post.)