Zip has several key headquarters, from which he ranges all over the farm, visiting the other animals, exploring the marsh, and hunting in the woods and the barn. At night, he tends to sleep in several different places: the blanket-lined wood box up in the rafters of the woodshed, the hay bale openings in the big barn, the hay loft in the big barn, and beneath the wicker chairs on the front porch.

Zip is not like a dog. He doesn’t love ritual and inhabits several different places. As cats often are, he is both affectionate and independent. He loves to hang out with me when I am outside or working on the porch. Otherwise, I rarely know where he is. He appears out of nowhere and vanishes out of sight when something catches his eye. His coat gets thick in the cold and thinner when it’s warm. He seems to think he is in charge, and I am beginning to see this is true.

Dogs are usually pleased when people are in charge; they can be manipulative but don’t like the responsibility. Zip assumes he is in charge and is not interested in my approval.

In the daytime, if the sun is out or even if it isn’t, he likes to sleep on the back porch, usually from noon to dusk. These days, he doesn’t seem to sleep at night; he prowls and hunts until he does well. From the gifts he leaves us, it looks like he is doing well. During the day, I see his headquarters as being in or on the wooden boxes Maria has prepared for him in the woodshed or barn – blankets, towels, etc., for softness.

He sleeps there on the porch on sunny and warm days, in the rain (it doesn’t rain on the porch), and even in the snow, where he loves to play, hunt, and roll. He has shown no interest in the heated barn house in the barn, and we are considering putting it back in the basement.

He often hangs out in the barn’s lofts, hay bales, and corners. That’s where he gets the rats and many mice; he does his job.

He lost one sleeping place when we had to remove the wicker bench, which was falling apart. So I took one of the boxes, put blankets and towels in there, and put them on the table, where he and I often take flower pictures. He seems very happy up there during the day; he has a good vantage point and can keep an eye on his kingdom. He is always with me when I am working out there. I often find him sleeping in the box, which gives him comfort and privacy.

Seeing his ears popping up as he looks for the right place to curl up and sleep is neat. Yesterday, it looked like a throne. The zip is very bright. He knows what photography means to me. He is always by my side when I work. I find myself talking to him and often think he is listening.

He has a regal quality, which is what the photo captured. Zip is a work in progress; he is fearless and curious and considers all of his terrain, which he rules with great confidence and style.