Jeff didn't let the Irvings see him at first. Once in a while he would show his paws and let the family touch him. After some time Jeff let the Irvings' daughter photograph him. But the picture did not come out well
Once they got used to him, the Irvings liked Jeff. Since Doarlish was a farm, he proved to be quite useful. He rid the farm of mice and rats by throwing stones at them or by meowing like a cat. If he had to, he killed them. When the farm's goats stayed away too long, Jeff would go after them. He would bark at them like a dog and herd them home. He even caught rabbits for the dinner table