Late February and early March in The Cat’s garden could be damp and cold, but they could also be mild and sunny, and the cats were expert at making the most of the sun when it came out.

They knew that the water tank on the verandah was one of the first places to get the sun in the morning; The Cat had priority here and usually took the back corner spot where the sun came first. This is a rare photo of her (in her latter years) and her daughter Flora together; Flora must have been napping as she would usually disappear the moment a human approached her, and definitely at the first sign of a phone or camera.

The cats knew that, once the warmth of the sun had dried the dew from the grass, they could snuggle down and absorb those rays; Whitefur had her belly turned to the sun and was soundly asleep.

The Cats knew that our neighbours’ aviary roof got the sun all day long; in the cooler months they lay on this board, but in the heat of the summer they knew that it was better to lie directly on the chicken-wire as the air would be circulating all around their bodies.

And, if you were The Cat’s son Greyfur, you knew that, at this time of the year. you could stretch out, put your paws up, relax, and soak up the warmth of the sun.

Spring was on the way, and hope was in the air.