Farming Matters: It’s a cat’s life down on the farm

Although their home base is in the dairy, where they are provided with security, a warm bed, continual food and water, they can get in and out at will. And their choice, as is natural for cats, is to be out as much as possible.

They spend hours patrolling the farmyard, buildings, fields and hedgerows, climbing trees and killing small animals.

Their life is as natural as it can get, with the added benefit of care and attention from loving human owners, to ensure they are well, healthy and loved.

They are both friendly, a mother and daughter, but the mother in particular is very friendly, and she follows my husband about like a mini sheepdog, sometimes walking all across the fields with him.

She also likes to be picked up and cuddled, and is extremely popular with everyone on the farm, and anyone who visits.

Sometimes we think she may have been a parrot in a previous life because her favourite place to sit is on our shoulders.

Last summer, when she had her kittens, it was a joy and privilege to watch them grow, and although two went off to loving new homes, we kept one of her fluffy daughters as company for her.

Now they spend quite a lot of time together, and although they also spend time apart, they usually curl up together in their basket and blanket when they want to go to sleep.