"Even if they were capable of conscious thought, they have lots of kittens. They won't miss one."

She shrugged, and the kitten mewed in protest.

"It's female, as far as I can tell. I didn't give it a name." It hadn't seemed necessary, out in the wild. It occurred to her that Gabriel had no idea what the kitten looked like, and she added, "It's spotted black on brown, and it has a heavy crest of fur down its back. Its ears are tufted, and its tail is rounded at the tip."