The weaning of kittens generally started when the mother felt the time was right. But kittens who were being brought up in the garden had full access to food bowls, so potentially could start eating solid food earlier – like Pippin who took herself to the food bowl at 3 weeks old. On the other hand, Pippin’s mother Flora did not express any interest in solid food until she was over 6 weeks old.

Once weaning was well under way, mothers would start spending longer away, forcing the kittens to become more self-sufficient and independent, and, in most cases, mothers and their offspring went their separate ways and lived separate lives soon after that.

But of course there were exceptions, and sometimes relationships blossomed into more adult friendships with mother choosing to spend time with their adult offspring.

The first time we saw this with The Cat was in her continuing close bond with her son Ana. He had grown into a fine alpha-male, roaming the fields and increasing the size of his domain. Unsurprisingly, he returned regularly to the garden for food and water but what was more surprising was that, on his return, he and his mother would seek each other out and spend time together. Sometimes they ate together, sometimes they groomed, and sometimes they napped. They were comfortable together, relaxed and peaceful.

A few years later, The Cat was still regularly washing and grooming her six-month-old offspring Pedal and daughter Sprocket. Earlier kittens had gone their own ways at the age of only a few months, but for some reason The Cat continued mothering Pedal and Sprocket well into their time as young adults.

In fact, her relationship with Sprocket continued into the next year when they raised their families together, forming a joint colony. Their mothering styles were very different, but they made an excellent team and, on those long summer afternoons when the kittens were peacefully asleep in the shade, The Cat and Sprocket would take themselves away for some private time, some peace and quiet on the windowsill in the driveway.

What made Ana, Pedal and Sprocket different from The Cat’s other offspring is impossible to know, but obviously there was some mutual bond at work.