Our lovely first Donkeys

We're all suckers for a Donkey, so I was delighted today to register our first group

Meet three Generations of cute. This is the lovely Lucy, Penny Toffee and Ghylly, owned and loved by Katrina. I personally look foward to meeting them !

I love donkeys. I think it's because I love cats. Anyone who loves cats has already made peace with an animal that will not be told. That's the whole appeal — a dog's affection arrives unconditionally and slightly desperately, whereas a cat's has to be earned. Donkeys operate on exactly the same terms. There is a famous myth that they are stubborn, which I think is nonsense: what a donkey actually does is stop and think when you say something they disapproves of. Just like a cat.

And then there is the watching. A donkey will stand at a gate and look at you with an attention any cat person recognises instantly — unhurried, faintly evaluative, entirely unbothered about whether you find it charming. They form deep and specific friendships, and grieve deeply when those are broken. They remember people for years, and they hold opinions about them. So the affection, when it finally comes, isn't general good nature being sprayed about at whoever's nearest; it's a considered judgement that you, in particular, are acceptable. Which is precisely what a cat lover has always wanted from an animal. So say hello to our first group of Donkeys. We hope they stay healthy and happy for years to come.