August was one of the hottest months and the cats were often at their least active, resting during the day and heading off into the fields in the evening, after tea or supper.

It was especially hard for mothers who had young families to keep them cool and sufficiently nourished. Luckily, The Cat’s litters were born mostly at the end of March or beginning of April and the kittens, even if they were not independent, would at least be weaned by the time the hottest weather arrived.

Today, here are some photos showing The Cat with her sons and daughters (and grandkittens) of various sizes, all pictured in August.

The Cat and her son Ana (in the days before he was Ana Half-Tail) relaxing in the shade of the citrus trees in the garden. Ana’s brother Pea Cat had left the garden and moved off to the next village.

The Cat with kittens Blackie, Splodge and Ginge (Tabby was adventuring off-camera). The kittens were being raised in the fields, but The Cat introduced them to the garden as well.

The Cat with kittens Drip, Fred (standing up), Fleckle and Fickle (hidden). Again, The Cat chose to raise her family in the fields, but this year brought them to the garden for weaning.

The Cat and her daughter Sprocket with some of their combined family. The Cat was grooming her adult daughter Sprocket while she groomed her own daughter Snopake, and The Cat’s youngest daughter Big Bang pushed her face up into the mix. This was the year that The Cat and Sprocket raised their kittens together in a colony setting.

The Cat and Flora – Flora and her brother Furrileesa were The Cat’s final litter.

The Cat and her first grandkitten (Flora’s oldest daughter), Souci. Souci was always close to her grandmother.