Sadly, in October 2008, Duchess was killed. At that time Stripes would come up on the back deck of our house and hang out. He started allowing David to pet him. David soon became his favorite caregiver.
As the winter began, Stripes would come into the house for short spells. He would hang out with us for a couple of hours and then decide he was ready to return to the outdoors. Stripes is very vocal, so it is not hard to decipher when he needs the door opened. We transport his food bowl inside and outside depending on where he chooses to dine. David gives him small bowls of milk -- sometimes some lunch meat. I joke around and tell David he has turned the cat into the equivalent of a crack fiend because Stripes goes so crazy and talks so much when he is getting either of these delicacies.
Sometimes Stripes seems to have alternating personalities because every now and then he gets very vocal and starts pacing around the house. Or sometimes he will take off running if you get close to him -- like something is chasing him. Or better yet, sometimes he will lie in your lap letting you pet him and all of a sudden will claw or bite you. David has a name for this altered version of Stripes. It is "Gato Loco". And yes, David stands outside and yells for the crazy cat. What our neighbors must be thinking!
But as I said, David is by far Stripes' favorite human. Stripes will come into the house and hunt David down in whatever room he may be in at the time. If David in in the front living area on the couch, Stripes will straddle the arm with two legs on each side. If David is in the back living area, Stripes' favorite spot is in the glider rocker. That is where he spends most of his time. However, today I walked through the dining room (which is not used as a dining room but rather as a laundry folding room -- you know what I'm talking about) and he was lying in the middle of the jeans on top of the table! It's one of those moments where you have to take a second look to realize what you are really seeing. But at the same time, he just looked so darn cute!
Stripes also thinks he is the "keeper of the back deck". He will not allow anything or anyone to come near the back door who HE thinks should not be there. He is a tiger in a cat's body -- fierce and ready to attack -- and does. I'm just glad he tolerates the rest of us two-legged creatures living with his beloved master. So I guess I should have titled this "Lucky Us" instead of "Lucky Stripes".
(By the way, if Stripes could speak people language, he would have told you this story himself -- except he would have made himself much bigger -- oh, and he wouldn't have gotten caught lying in the middle of the table!)
Below are some great pics of the fabulous feline:
The tiger in the serengeti...waiting for the next wildebeest.
Isn't he beautiful? (Or should I say handsome?)
In one of his favorite spots -- straddling the arm of the couch (beside David, of course).
