Barney has been with us for a couple of month's short of a year, and what a learning experience it has been for him. He no longer fears the car. When he first arrived, a car journey oft times ended with him back at the shelter, and he shook. (We learned that he was taken out a few times, but folks didn't want to put time in with him). Now he whines, crazy to get to the beach or woods - or wherever! He still rarely barks. At last count it was 3 + one snarl when a German Shepherd we met down Luxulyan one day jumped up at my back. He got himself 'twixt the Shepherd and me and gave a snarl as a warning to him to stay clear of me. The only time he tends to make doggy sounds is when he sleeps, and even they can't be called barks. One trait he has not put to one side and I don't think he ever will, is playing cat! When he has eaten, he washes from stem to stern; when he gets wet, even after being towelled until completely dry, he washes from stem to stern; a speck of mud on any paw is quickly overwhelmed by slobbering tongue until it shines like a glass washed in a dishwasher and all washing, no matter what the area, is accompanied by paws behind the ears - both ears - whether they need it or not! The other trait is his love of being up as high as he can possibly get! Fortunately, both for him and me, most walls here, drystone or not, are at least a half metre wide and were built to last! This was taken yesterday down in Luxulyan. Much of it is still off limits due to the flooding (this IS Cornwall - things take time to get fixed and they even have a name for it! It's called doing things 'Dreckly'!) ^=^ The wall he's on top of is 200+ years old and is a metre wide drystone construction and he walks the entire length of it, not touching ground for 500+ metres! So there you have it. He looks like a dog; he plays chase like a dog; he's most certainly the size of a dog and he whines like a dog. But somewhere in his deepest soul Barney is a cat! ^=^ Thank you for taking the time to look. ^=^