The Cat enjoyed motherhood. She was a confident and relaxed mother, neither overly neurotic nor one to cramp her kittens’ style, but the sort of mother who thought that giving her kittens extra freedom would help them to learn the basics of feral life more quickly. Effective though that method was, it was one that sometimes made the humans very nervous for the welfare of the kittens. But there was nothing we could do to change things, and of course, in the end the kittens all grew up perfectly well. They remained loyal to their mother, she never pushed them away even later in life, and those early days relaxing together as a family provided a firm foundation for the later months and years.

The Cat in the field with Fickle, Fred, Fleckle and Drip. This was before The Cat was friendly, but all the same she brought her family to the drive and the garden for weaning because it was much easier than having to hunt for four hungry kittens, and for herself too.

The Cat in the garden with Ratchet, Sprocket and Pedal. By now, The Cat was accustomed to having the humans around, so she brought the kittens to the garden quite early on.

The Cat on the terrace with her and Sprocket’s kittens Little Bang, Orangiboom, Tippex, Big Bang, Snopake, Prince and Early Lately. This was the year when The Cat and Sprocket raised their families together. Orangiboom, Tippex, Big Bang and Prince were The Cat’s kittens; Little Bang, Early Lately and Snopake were Sprocket’s. You might have to look carefully to find Snopake’s profile squashed in between Big Bang and Prince, and one paw sticking out from under Big Bang.

The Cat in the garden with Whitefur, Greyfur and Blackfur. This was the second (and last) time that The Cat chose to give birth to her kittens in the garden. They were friendly, and all grew up into find adults.

The Cat in the garden with Furrileesa and Flora. They were her last kittens; born in the fields, she brought them back to the garden for a fortnight before taking them back to the fields until it was time for weaning. Flora was never comfortable around humans, but all the same made the garden her home and took over the mantle of matriarch when The Cat passed away.