The survival instincts of cats are strong and, when threatened by non-feline predators, cats will often automatically seek height, putting as much distance between them and the aggressor as possible.

Madam Kiwi was one of the first cats we saw cornered by dogs in the fields. She was a CH (cerebellar hypoplasia) cat and was not as able when it came to jumping and climbing, but as the dogs came closer, her basic inistincts told her to climb – which she did, straight up an almond tree to which she clung, despite strong winds, until the dogs lost interest and dispersed. Her dismount was shaky and uncertain, but nevertheless, she was safe.

Here Kiwi is pictured sitting on the wall which separated the drive from the fields.

Once in a safe place, cats would remain there until they were absolutely sure it was safe to come down, and kittens Snopake and Prince (who used the flattened leaves of the prickly pear like a staircase to escape the dogs) remained sitting on their prickly pear leaves for nearly half an hour, long after the dogs had returned to their fields.

The photo shows Prince and Snopake heading off on one of their great adventures.

Cats, being more nimble than dogs, also turned to the tops of the walls when it came to escaping, which is what Whitefur did when she was spotted by dogs in the culvert in the middle of the night. Fortunately there was a narrow ledge inside the road wall running the whole length of the wall which meant that Whitefur could run all the way from the culvert to the wall separating the fields from the driveway, from where she went straight to the garden.To say that she ran like the wind that night would not be an understatement and the dogs, who had run through the fields, were left standing on the other side of the wall, wondering where Whitefur had gone.

In the photo you can see the ledge which ran the length of the road wall – in places it was a ledge built of stone blocks and in others, the remains of a previous wall. Either way, it formed an emergency exit route for Whitefur (guest appearance by her brother, Blackfur).

Of course, once back in the garden a hearty breakfast was called for the following morning.

Access to safe places at a higher level was important to the cats and, however young or old, able or less able they were, these instincts served them well.