Below: in order of age, rather than how long the cat's been with me, we start with Hipek (aka Ol' Mr. Heaps). I'd estimate his age as being around eight to ten; he has been living rough for a while – his clipped left ear a sign that he's been trapped, neutered and returned. Hipek turned up one day in March this year, so before the new kittens were conceived; to them he's as much a part of the colony as their uncles and grandmother. He dotes on the kittens, and will happily engage in mutual grooming, and constantly displays gratitude for being taken in and offered a comfortable alternative to the feral life.
Below: looking through the kitchen window and wanting to be let in, here's Wenusia, the cat-colony starter kit, mother of five, grandmother of five. Has become a bit standoffish since she was neutered, but still comes home a couple of times a day to feed. And a regular at several of my neighbours' kitchens.
Below: Scrapper, aka Skrapcio, Inspector Scrapper of the Yard, or, you know, El Scrapperino, if you're not into the whole brevity thing. Firstborn son of Wenusia. A real character who knows what he wants and what he doesn't want. He doesn't send solicitors' letters. He applies a bit of – pressure.
Below: Arcturus (aka Arkcio, Turo), the only cat that can use his front paws as proto-hands; he can grab food, move things and signal. This facility has ensured that he remains uncastrated (unlike his less skilled brothers). Should any kitten in the neighbourhood ever be born able to pick up food with its paws and bring it to the mouth, the gene will have passed on. A well-balanced, mature character, not easily fazed, but not one for socialising within the colony. If human, he'd be smoking his pipe quietly in a quiet corner of the snug bar, reading the Times, bothering no one.
Below: Pacyfik, or Pacio. Arcturus's identical twin, has slightly less white on the underside. A contradictory character, on the one hand he is the friendliest when it comes to humans, on the other, he is hostile when in the company of Hipek, hissing, growling and swiping at the older cat. He'd give me a friendly head-butt, blink at me with both eyes, and do a lot of purring in my presence. But he doesn't tolerate Ol' Mr. Heaps.
Right: there was much joy when Czester was born. It was a few hours after the first three kittens were born that at last an orange cat emerged, naturally named Czester after our cat run over by a car in Jeziorki several years ago. Czestuś (or Czenek or Czen-czen-czen) is as warm a personality as the colour of his coat, a lazy seeker of comfort, food and cuddles, as befits a cat of his colour.
Below: fifth and last of Wenusia's litter, Céleste. The Most Beautiful Cat In The World. Not only that – she breastfed her five kittens for five months and is an absolute wizard up in the treetops, and a superb mouse-catcher. Since high summer, her fur, which had been falling out copiously because of the heat and post-natal hormones, has grown back. She has regained her youthful beauty. Sterilised two months after giving birth, she coped with that procedure better than her mother, whom it altered psychologically in a negative way. Céleste responds to her name and shows high levels of emotional intelligence for a cat.
Below: Céleste's first-born kitten, Dorian (the Gray), suffers from cerebellar hyperplasia (CH), or 'wobbly kitten syndrome'. Having joined the Facebook group for owners of CH cats and kittens, I'd assess Dorian's condition as 'mild to moderate'. To add to Dorian's mobility woes, he has a short stumpy tail that further handicaps his balancing He won't eat wet cat food, only dry cat food, treats, snacks and plain, Greek-style yogurt. And he drinks milk (either lactose-free or 0.6% fat). CH does not progress nor does the condition improve; having said that, I feel that sibling support, five months of mother's milk, and supervised access to the outdoors have all been valuable to Dorian.
Below, left: Wiktor (aka Wiktol) the identical twin of Dorian, grey, but with white undersides and an entirely normal tail. Wiktor has the slightest unsteadiness of pose, suggesting an insignificant touch of CH. Born soon after Dorian. In this photo, he is with his sister Kwincia, about whom more below.
Below: Memphis (also known as Fisia), third-born, and first daughter to Céleste. A gentle and loving kitten, friendly and playful. Memphis has a tail of almost regular length, but it has two kinks along its length.
Below: the second set of identical twins, Marss (with a double 's') and Kwintesencja (aka Kwincia). Once again, Marss has the kinked, stumpy tail associated with his mother, uncles Scrapper, Pacio and Arkcio and brother Dorian. Kwincia has a normal tail, and a more pronounced dark stripe down the middle of her nose. Kwincia bonds closely with Marss, as well as with her sister Memphis. Marss, sadly, has been caught twice urinating on my bed. Kwincia, on the other hand, is good as gold.
Twelve cats – I love each one and would be unable to give a single one away. Each is a character, a personality, enjoying full personhood, conscious, and at the centre of their own universe. I am glad of the opportunity to give them a good home.
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