Stripey the Cat....

Stripey the Cat from down the block has just sauntered up our front walk.....
He hates the collar and bell that those silly girls have placed around his neck..... "Shackles..." he laments. He cannot surprise a bird, a squirrel or even one of our ever present chipmunks....he is PISSED. And..... I don't blame him.
He walks quietly enough, it's just that when he takes a leap, the damn bell betrays him.
He likes our front porch. It is tall, 9 steps, and looks west toward the afternoon sun. It is a warm place to get a cool drink out of the birdbath and take a long usually uninterrupted snooze. It is more or less quiet place, except for weekends.
Weekends bring a constant parade of traffic in our kitchen adjacent to the front porch. The window is low to the floor so that all of the clatter tends to explode onto the porch inhabitants.
Stripey has patience, but finds really loud noises intolerable. He will relax in a regal way and groom himself until all the fur is sweet and manicured. (He is a Leo after all) Then he will attempt to keep his head upright, so as to keep an eye on things. But inevitably he tires of this his eyes struggle to stay open and he finally lays down completely. This is wonderful on a lazy weekday afternoon, before everyone comes home from school and work. But on the weekends, it is Hell. People coming and going, honking horns, slamming doors, yelling to one another and making a nap nearly impossible.
Stripey's roommate, other than the silly girls, is a small white poodle that looks remarkably like a lamb. No one knows what the dogs name is because it never stays still long enough to mention it. This dog loves Stripey and will play contentedly with him for as long as Stripey will allow. This dog is also shackled with a bell. This makes Stripey feel better. Many cats are burdened but to be a dog with a bell is to be labeled "stupid", so Stripey is content.
Stripey is the most affectionate male cat you are ever likely to meet. He will nuzzle right up to your face and lick your neck. He loves humans but especially the ones that own tall porches. There are a few out there, but mine is the best.