Adult Scottish Wildcat Hybrid at food bowls, glaring at photographer. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

"Wha daur meddle wi me?"

Adult Scottish Wildcat Hybrid at food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

Adult Scottish Wildcat Hybrid at food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

Instinct tells me that's not Torquil. He's confident when he visits the shed and knows exactly where/how to position himself to keep an eye out for potential threats. I think this must be the kittens' mum.

Adult Wildcat Hybrid examining bowls at the shed. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

When I got back inside and went to check from the kitchen window this is the sight that confronted me:

I had to go to make more coffee and water plants, before everything* wilted, so I left food in the bowls at the shed, enough for all members of the wildcat tribe, as well as for my original tribe of black cats, who are all extremely aggrieved at the territory encroachment.
[*me and pansies etc.]

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten sitting beside food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

I spent an inordinate amount of time examining pics of the two of them to see if I could spot distinguishing features so I can tell them apart. Gave myself a stoonin headache in the process. It's incredibly difficult. 🤷‍♀️

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten sitting in long grass. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

I think the second kitten is a boy but that's just a guess based on posture and way he carries his tail... plus he has enormous feet.

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten sitting in long grass, looking sleepy. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

Here's her sibling:

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten called Teasag sitting beside food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 16 August 2025.

Here's wee Teasag:

Yesterday, at times, the garden got so busy with the constant traffic of feral kittens, it reminded me of Piccadilly Circus. 🙄

Aye, I think new one is a boy but have no proof. They're the pair I caught a glimpse of recently in the middle of the night, hunting in long grass, accompanied by an adult parent (who I assumed would be mummy rather than Torquil, since we know what feckless tomcats are like). More pics soon.

Two Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kittens at food bowls outside shed. Aberdeenshire, 14 August 2025.

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kittens. The second one (left of pic) came to the shed in daylight for the first time, and was VERY hungry. I haven't picked a name yet. Teasag (right) is trying to help. @lightacandle.bsky.social

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten called Teasag peering over a basket of pansies. Aberdeenshire, 6 August 2025.

Butter wouldn't melt...

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten, called Teasag, sitting beside food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 5 August 2025.

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten, called Teasag, licking her whiskers. Aberdeenshire, 5 August 2025.

Scottish Wildcat Hybrid kitten. 🤎

Teasag, feral kitten. Her father is a Scottish Wildcat hybrid. Aberdeenshire, 5 August 2025.

Thank you, Teasag. 🤎

Teasag, feral kitten. Aberdeenshire, 5 August 2025.

Me [to kitten]: "Teasag, do you think you could let me get a picture of your lovely wildcat tail?"

Teasag, feral kitten. Offspring of Scottish Wildcat Hybrid called Torquil. Aberdeenshire, 5 August 2025.

Apex predator. 🤎

Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire. Pic taken 18 April 2023.

Post a castle if you see this.

My pics don't do them justice - they're *really* bonny. They're very fast sprinters too!

Scottish Wildcat hybrid (adult), hears a sound and looks up from food bowl. Aberdeenshire, 2 August 2025.

Foolish birds. Don't dare disturb dinner.

Adult Scottish Wildcat Hybrid eating from assortment of food bowls outside shed. Aberdeenshire, 2 August 2025.

Unsure whether this is daddy Torquil or if it's the elusive mother cat.

Adult Scottish Wildcat Hybrid examines food bowls outside shed. Aberdeenshire, 2 August 2025.

A couple of hours later, when it was cloudier and cooler, I was visited by a parent. Luckily food was readily available.

Feral kitten beside food bowls. Aberdeenshire, 2 August 2025.

@lightacandle.bsky.social It was very bright yesterday afternoon and uncomfortably hot. Wee wildcat hybrid kitten wasn't impressed.

Donny, young black feral cat, in one of his boxes in the greenhouse. May 2025.

When summer pansies are over, they'll be replaced by winter-flowering ones. I used to raise everything from seed but that's too much for me now. In any case, various members of the tribe use the greenhouses to sleep in. Got plug plants from Parker's & Donny guarded them from mice overnight.

Hanging basket with Pansy 'CanCan'. June 2025.

Pansy 'CanCan' June 2025

Petnia 'Superstar' June 2025

Some of Kinch's flowers. I bit off more than I could chew, given my worsening health. Balance is really bad but, ach, at least I can still move about. The amount of times I've fallen on my arse though, while dragging the hose all round the house, is bloody ridiculous. 🤣

I want to have something growing/blooming there for her all year round, so I started with primroses & forget-me-nots. I'll swap the containers as the seasons change, so I've brought in a mass of lobelia now. Hanging baskets on shed behind her are full of pansies. It's a lot of effort but I try.

Flapjack misses her twin terribly and I thought she might accept Erika. We were ready to try anyway, and get a catflap fitted next door. I wouldn't have let them fraternise until Erika got full vet-check & de-flea-ed! But Clay disapproved of how friendly the kittens were getting with their waitress.

Kinch's grave with forget-me-nots and primroses. Aberdeenshire, 27 April 2025.

This is the exact reason Erika isn't still here & living inside. Kinch would never have put up with it, tho Flapjack might've accepted her. It became obvious Kinch wasn't well. Couldn't get her to eat. Took her to vet: inoperable tumour, so we had to let her go. Devastated. She's buried in garden:

Black feral cat called Donny, sitting on chair in conservatory. Aberdeenshire, May 2025.

Feral kitten called Erika on doorstep. Aberdeenshire, May 2025.

Two young feral cats at food bowls on doorstep. Donny (black) and Erika (stripy). Aberdeenshire, May 2025.

Three black feral cats: Kavalier, Clay, and Nerissa. Aberdeenshire, 3 July 2025.

Clay sent Kavalier into exile. She's really not keen on tomcats. He sneaks in from time to time, much like Torquil & Daddy Long Legs. Clay tolerates the boys up to a point but she's v.protective of Nerissa. It's all very tribal with Clay: Erika & Donny had the 'wrong' daddy. Nerissa's Kavalier's.

I still have Clay & Nerissa visiting every day. Donny was trotting at my heels like a daft wee dog & coming into ma's conservatory. Clay lost patience with him & drove him away. Erika vanished a couple of weeks later - she may have gone to look for poor Donny. It upsets me immensely when they leave.