Before we got Zip, we were warned that he might be a needy cat. That gave us pause. We love our dogs and cats but don’t want them hanging around with us day and night. We are committed to boundaries, silence, and some freedom of movement. We work alone and need to be alone often to think, make art, or write.

That’s why we love Barn Cats. They want the same things.

(Above, photo by Maria, me scratching Zip on the head while he is lying down.)

Our dogs know when we need space, and we have never taken them on a vacation. Vacations are for resting, not dragging our lives along with us.

We are not looking for dogs or cats that slobber, need attention all day, or never leave us alone. Zip is the dog.

We didn’t need to worry about Zip. I’m happy to say. Every day, I find time to sit with him, scratch his ears and neck, and talk to him (see the above photo). Sometimes, he gets in my lap, but he is still skittish about staying still, although that is changing. I love seeing and hanging out with him, but we both get restless after 1o or 12 minutes.

He seems to sense when this moment has come, and he disappears. He never goes near the road, or takes few prisoners.

He does need some attention. All I have to do is sit outside, sit in a chair, go into his barn, or call out his name, and he appears, seemingly out of nowhere. Then, he melts away, disappearing into a bush and searching for the chipmunk he is always looking for.

He is, in fact, a true barn cat, just what we hoped for. He loves to be fed and given treats, but even more, he likes to set his agenda and move about freely and independently. Sometimes, he comes when I call out to him; sometimes, he doesn’t. In between, there are mice all over the place. He seems quite at home here.

He has a wariness about him, which is good to see. He is alert for predators, cars, trucks, or strangers.

Sometimes, he follows me around when I take pictures, but afterward, he is happy to go off on his own,  exploring and skulking about. So far, the chipmunks have got the better of him; they retreat to their tunnels and holes and disappear when he comes sniffing around. I will bet on him in the long run.

I’m learning something about cats every day from Zip. They are incredibly smart, they, evolve, try to fit in, and get the idea of limits. Zip seems to know what we want from him and is happy to do it. He loves to sleep on a cat cushion in the barn, the fiber chair on the back porch, or the wicker sofa on the front porch.

He knows he isn’t coming inside and doesn’t push it.

He loves to hang out in the Lilac trees or deep into the Dahlia garden, where the chipmunk tunnel is located. He is a bit more comfortable every day, but he never wholly lets his guard down. Unlike dogs, cats don’t love unconditionally. There are plenty of conditions.

If things don’t work out here to his liking, he will take off. None of my dogs would ever do that.