On Bev and Nev Montgomery’s farm near Tallygaroopna, on the back of the quad bike, you’ll occasionally see a small brown mop of fur poking its head up.
This is Sizzle the cat, the only one of the Montgomery’s five cats who has what it takes — or who wants — to get out into the paddocks.
They’ve got 180 hectares full of 800 crossbred ewes and lambs, and are the fourth generation of Montgomerys on the land near Tallygaroopna.
“It’s my husbands’ grandparents’ place and great-grandparents settled across the road — they’ve been here since forever,” Bev said.
Her daughter Shae said Sizzle was the most dog-like cat she’d met, and loved a belly rub, ear rub and back rub more than any other cat she knew.
“She loves a scratch. She’s almost like a dog. I’ve never been able to scruff a cat like this,” Shae said.
"If you ride around she’ll sit with you and ride on the motorbike.“
She won’t run across the back of sheep, but Shae said she was a companion on the bike.
Sizzle is accompanied by three working dogs, four other cats, a baby goat and some recovering sheep living just outside the back door.
Bev said the cats were the ones who were in charge in the jungle.
“They’re on top. And they know it.”
Words: Max Stainkamph