Mamma:

I moved to the Riverland in December 2014. Over the next few months I saw a black cat in the backyard, just sitting and watching me. At first I thought she must belong to someone in the neighbourhood. Then I began to get some work done outside including a cat run for Fami and Zeus.

My cats loved their new run. The black cat began to hang around even more, watching what was going on. I realised she had probably  lived here before when the house was rented out as there had been a cat door in the laundry.

The Itties:

Then on my birthday in April 2015 after having a lovely lunch with my daughter, I returned home to see this.

The black cat had returned with three beautiful pure black kittens. They became known as the Itties. At first I didn’t give them names as being all black and skittish I was unable to determine their sex. Mamma was very friendly and would smooch and come up for pats when I fed them all, but I was never able to pick her up or trap her or her babies.

One day she took them with her to explore the neighbourhood. When she returned she only had two with her. She became agitated, ran up and down the back fence, jumping up and peering over. She left the two kitties here and went looking and after some time returned with the missing kitty. I somehow feel I know which one it was because he has never left the yard in over 4 years. Mamma would often go wandering around the streets, but the kittens remained in the  yard. She always returned to feed them and care for them.

This little family were absolutely gorgeous and should have had a furrever home, but I couldn’t catch them. They allowed me near them, but not to pick them up.

Then Mamma became pregnant again……………………..

To be continued: