No one knew where the Radical Cat came from. He just strolled into Jerry’s life one mid-summer day. Jerry spotted the marmalade cat wondering nonchalantly down the centre of the road - fearful of no one and nothing. When the cat noticed Jerry standing by the gate, his tail and his ears stood to attention.
“Alright, alright,” Trash Can Dan laughed. “Where do you live kid?”
“In the little blue house at the end of Rosebriar Lane.”
The alley cat laughed out loud. “Hurt you? Why on earth would you think such a thing?”
“Because,” Pouncer sniffled. “Alley cats are big and tough and mean.”
For hours he wandered through the city streets. Taking in all the sounds and smells that were more wonderful than any old warm bowl of milk. He’d even found a real mouse to chase, though it got away. As the sun began to set and shadows fell over every street, Pouncer began to tremble.
He must have sat in the stuffy little bag for nearly an hour. He was just about to give up hope when Madam picked up the bag. Like a wonderful carnival ride, Pouncer was carried out the front door and slipped into the waiting car. He poked his head out from between the flaps of the bag. Through the window he could see the tallest trees reaching up towards the bright blue sky. In the distance loomed the towering buildings of the city.
Pouncer turned to stalk away. He did not want to be in the little blue house for another day. Pouncer was imagining himself prowling the busy, bright streets and didn’t notice Madam walking towards him.
“Children!” his mother called out one sunny afternoon. Pouncer ran across the kitchen, jumped up and over the old chair and landed with a heavy thud on the floor in front of his mother.
In the little blue house at the end of Rosebriar Lane, lived an old woman, three kittens and a mother cat. There were plenty of windows to sit in, a big comfy couch to nap on and bowls of warm milk to drink. Pouncer, the oldest of the kittens was bored of sitting in the windows, napping on the couch and drinking warm milk. He wanted to go to the big city where he could prowl the streets, dig into garbage cans and catch all the mice he could find.