No one was more surprised than the humans when Visitor Cat and her kitten Tiger appeared in the garden one morning. After all, The Cat had made her feelings about Visitor very clear and chased her out of the garden on more than one occasion. But obviously there was some special arrangement of which we knew nothing, and Tiger and Visitor remained in the garden until Tiger was safely weaned, when Visitor returned to the fields.

Tiger, however, remained in the garden and could well have found himself isolated at this point except for Stardust, who had taken on the role of protector of Visitor and Tiger. Stardust was a father figure for Tiger, and they were often spotted snuggled up together. At this time, it was just what Tiger needed as his mother was no longer at his side, and for Stardust too, having lost his sister earlier in the year.

As Tiger entered adulthood, he started to shadow Whitefur, Greyfur and Blackfur. For them, it must have been like having a little brother following you around everywhere. The cats would come to the terrace in the afternoon, hurrying the humans up for tea in the garden, and Tiger would follow them.

In the following weeks and months, Blackfur and Tiger became best friends and started adventuring together. It was coming back from one of their adventures in the fields opposite that that Blackfur was hit by a car on the road and disappeared into the fields. Tiger was inconsolable. He sat in the drive for hours, for days, waiting and hoping and, when Blackfur returned a few days later, the relief was palpable for felines and humans alike.

For a while after that, Blackfur confined himself to the garden as he recuperated, but Tiger’s lust for adventure had been awakened and he was not happy to spend all his time in the garden. He discovered the front path, and there he was in his element. Tiger was a very sociable cat and being somewhere where there were other cats in and out all day suited him well. He stationed himself outside the front door so no cats could come unnoticed into the path, and no humans could likewise leave the house without his knowledge.

One of the cats who came to the front path to eat was Tiger’s mother, Visitor who was still avoiding the garden (very wisely, as The Cat had a long memory).

It was good to see Visitor and Tiger once again spending their mealtimes together; her son had grown into a fine young cat and she was a proud mamma.