One of our neighbours has acquired a Forest Cat - same as Rollo. Lizzie arrived like a tiny missile from a rocket - all hiss and spit and fully in charge of two dogs and two humans in about five seconds. I have never seen anything like it. I christened her "Lizzie the Fierce". Rollo started off terrified of her too, but some persistence from me (and with the help of some catnip), Rollo realised she is not all bad. They are now firm friends. You can follow their adventures on instagram via Rollio's page (rollothehighlandsforestcat). So now when we go walking with Rollo, we often pick up Lizzie on the way, and possibly Tara and Fudge (the dogs) as well.

We were mulling the other day over why it is that when cats are basically solitary, they get so much enjoyment from our "pack walks" (no animal leads in sight). We don't have an answer to that, but its one of my favourite things to do. Perhaps they feel the same way as me - that there is something quite magical about one or two people, two cats and two dogs, coming as we do from three or more different households wanting to be together, just because its fun. Its such an unusual thing that couldn't happen anywhere else but somewhere remote like this. We are proof that if you can take away cars, congestion, noise and urban pressures, leaving just humans, some animals and the planet earth, we all get along just fine.