A celebratory day on the działka today, with five birthdays; Scrapper, Arcturus, Pacyfik, Czester and Céleste are all one year old, born on 14 June 2025. Scrapper celebrated by killing and eating a squirrel. Meanwhile, back in the same birthing box in which she was born a year go, Céleste continues to feed her five kittens, who are now approaching three weeks old. Wenus, now a grandmother, pops by every now and then, but tends to hiss and growl at the new kittens. And let's not forget Hipek the stray, who's become a permanent fixture. Big, white with black patches, and unflappably gently, even when Wenus swipes at him and Pacyfik hisses.
My działka is a wonderland for the cats. It's the place for cats. As safe as can be; motorised traffic along the top end of my lane is no more than an average of four or five movements a day - this is not Jeziorki where an endless stream of cars bomb down ulica Karczunkowska. An acre of garden, a forest next door, kindly neighbours who'll happily serve up ham and milk, and the knowledge that there are three square meals a day plus treats at my place. And my cats have the best company - they have each other, whom they have known since birth. They live, eat and sleep in the place where they were born. Attachment to place, to their siblings, and to their human guardian - very important factors in a stable and happy feline life.
Left: year-old brothers taking a snooze. Notice that Czester still has his anti-tick collar; Scrapper has lost his, as have Arcturus and Pacyfik. I found one on my drive, which I fitted to Hipek, as the old fella was plagued with ticks when he started showing up; now with the collar on he is clear of the pests. I check the three collarless cats for ticks every day. Ticks suck.
Meanwhile, back in the birthing box, the ever-gorgeous Céleste is doing well. Like Wenusia when she was breastfeeding, Céleste has an enormous appetite. However, unlike Wenusia, Céleste faces fraternal competition at the feeding station, so I ensure that she has priority over her brothers."Lady Madonna, babies at your breast/Wonder how you manage to feed the rest". All are putting on weight at an exemplary manner, ranging between 272g and 342g at three weeks.
Like her mother, Céleste will be taken to the vet for sterilisation once she stops breastfeeding. In the case of Wenus, this was at an astonishing 14 weeks. Sadly, once weaned, the mother-kitten relationship soon evaporates. Post-sterilisation, Wenusia's character changed; I could sense a resentment towards me, towards her kittens, towards fate, etc. She has become distant, introverted.
Below: here are all the new kittens – all male – on my duvet while I change their bedding (Céleste is losing a lot of fur from her underside).
So far, two kittens are showing behavioural characteristics that mark them out from the rest – here they are, the last born (left), this is grey tabby Quinto (Kwinto or Kwintuś in Polish), the fifth and last born, and Wiktor (right), the first born. These are the first two to venture outside of their birthing box. They are also the lightest and heaviest of the five. Grey-and-white Wiktor will be a longhair like his mother. More names to follow as characters develop.
Left: the Squirrel Hunter. The entire animal was devoured within an hour and half by Scrapper, assisted by his brother Pacyfik. I feel sad at the death of any animal, but then this is cats doing what cats do. An occasional dead thrush or mole appears on the drive from time to time, but I cannot speak of any sort of local 'wildlife apocalypse' brought on by my cats.
Below: Arcturus (left) and Pacyfik (right), woken up abruptly to have their picture taken. These two are identical twins. Arcturus, who uses his paws to eat and signal with, is the only son of Wenus not to have been castrated. He doesn't do smelly wees, nor is he aggressive. His dexterity should be allowed to evolve further into new generations... should there be an unspayed female in the vicinity.
Below: Ol' Mistah Heaps (Hipek). In old age he has found sanctuary; a warm, safe place with food and love. Wenusia and Pacyfik hiss and growl at Hipek, but everyone else is fine with him, and he is gentle with everyone, including those that hiss at him – he does not retaliate; he radiates gratitude, and has a lovely snore (like a human baby).
Below: portrait of Wenusia, the matriarch. Mother of five, grandmother of five, and she's not two years old yet. Great-grandmotherhood not on the cards, as Céleste will be sterilised, and she only has male kittens. Unless Arcturus gets lucky, but that's not something we'll know about.
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