The young lean tom Bosco has been captured and has had more than an ear clipped but as small kittens he and Catty Patty were close, both with play and eating together.
With food platters out by me Catty Patty will come to eat and take a petting. Bosco won't come near a human being at my house or get close to a food platter until all humans are inside the house and the side door is closed.
This afternoon Catty Patty was laid up on the deck to stay close to her kitten in the garage. Bosco showed up. His tail was straight up and he noodged Catty Patty's head with his own before flopping down next to her to share the guard duty.
Cats are strange creatures but they have a code they live by and it's the damndest thing to see up close. Toms with testicles or without look out for females and kittens. Females "in season" with intact males nearby can cause an uproar but we're working hard to stop that here at my house.