The Cat was essentially a loner. Most feral cats are; they have to be self-sufficient and able to exist on their own, independent of other felines and of humans. That being said, she was a good mother who earned the lifelong respect of her offspring and, despite not being outwardly affectionate or particularly demonstrative, obviously felt bonded to both her own kittens and ‘her’ humans.

As the matriarch, The Cat took priority at feeding time in the garden, unless there were unwell cats or kittens who needed attention first. She would be the recipient of the first bowl of food, and the other cats respected her position enough to know not to barge in, and to wait another few seconds for their own bowl.

It was rare that The Cat shared a bowl with anyone else; she was a always a slow and delicate eater, and her FOPS condition which she developed later in life meant that she managed better with peace and quiet and some space around her at mealtimes.

There are very few photos of The Cat sharing a bowl, but these seven shots give a picture of those times when she was happy to share; some photos are obviously from when she was weaning kittens, and all photos show The Cat with other members of her own family.

Firstly, sharing a bowl with Ana, Number One Son. Ana Half-Tail, Warrior Cat, King of the Culvert roamed far and wide but returned to eat as often as he could. He and his mother were always happy to see each other and spend time together (although there were times when you could imagine The Cat thinking ‘how did his head get that big?’ when there was hardly room for her at the feeding bowl).

The Cat sharing a bowl with her kittens Fickle, Fleckle, Drip and Fred. Weaning was vital for the sake of The Cat’s future independence, and she would lead the kittens solemnly to the bowl to introduce them to solid food, and then eat with them for some time afterwards.

The Cat sharing a bowl with her daughter Sprocket and their kittens Snopake and Orangiboom. The Cat and Sprocket’s litters were born within a few days of each other and they brought their families up together in one colony. Snopake was the runt of Sprocket’s litter, and Orangiboom was The Cat’s biggest kitten.

The Cat sharing a bowl with her adult children, Pedal and Sprocket. Kittens apart, The Cat would occasionally share with her adult children. She remained closely bonded to Sprocket even after the kittens were weaned and they spent a lot of time together.

The Cat sharing a bowl with Snopake who, as Sprocket’s daughter, was technically The Cat’s grand-daughter (but was being brought up in the same colony as The Cat’s own kittens). Snopake’s will to survive was enormous; she was the last of the seven kittens to emerge from the nest, noticeably smaller than the others, but so feisty and determined.

The Cat sharing a bowl with her kittens Furrileesa and Flora. The Fourpaws were The Cat’s last kittens, and, after the demise of The Cat, Flora became the matriarch of the garden. As a kitten, Flora was late weaning, but maybe that was because she was very close to her mother, and would rather have spent time cuddled up feeding from her than at the food bowl.

The header photo shows The Cat with her son, Pedal – sharing a bowl was important for bonding and showed that The Cat had times when feline company was important to her, despite her strong, independent exterior.