I’m not quite sure what Jo is doing with Zoe. He comes out and walks around fine with her around. They do this cat-and-mouse game. It’s really funny to watch. Jo hunches down and watches her for a few minutes, then he’ll leap up and wrap his paws around her neck and then bite her. She just stands there wagging her tail - obviously he isn’t hurting her in the slightest. Then he jumps back and glares at her with his ears back. She thinks he’s playing, so she starts play-bowing and pawing at him, which makes him jump and circle her. This volley will go back and forth a few times before Jo gets bored and walks off. Thing is, he has his ears halfway back the entire time, his tail twitching. His body language could be taken as hostility or one of his quirky playful-vicious moods (he plays rough). I’m not really sure which it is. She definitely still puts him on his guard. But when he does smack her it’s very lightly and not at all how he claws Zeeke. He barely pats her nose with his paw. So I just let them do whatever they’re doing. Zoe at least seems to enjoy it. She thinks he’s some cute, moving toy. I couldn’t be happier with how she reacts to the cat, she is so excellent - she doesn’t pester him, she doesn’t bark, she isn’t scared. She’s willing to play if he is, respectful, but otherwise ignores him when he wants to be left alone.

I feel bad for Jo, though. Whenever I come out here at night he follows me around like a puppy dog, purring on my desk, winding around my ankles. I feel so bad that I can’t spend more time with him. But at the same time, he does seem to be very happy with his life here. He loves spending time with me when Zeeke’s not out, he loves sleeping in his cupboard, and he comes out to greet us (and wheedle treats from Den) whenever we’re in the kitchen. He has a nice catnip-covered scratching post, a cat-bed, a cat-tunnel… I guess he isn’t too deprived. It’s not like we lock him up!