The Great Mutt Strut of 2007!
Sponsored by the Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter!

Usually it is Clarence, my feline buddy from Belden Street or Raymond Hazelwitz, rodent activist, who will awaken me from my nap. That Saturday, however, it was Ashley, my canine housemate who prodded me from my naptime fantasies. (Usually my dreams are about my days in the streets. I am very powerful and my presence fills every tom cat in the neighborhood with terror and awe. The Queens rush out of the alleys to greet me with head butts and adoring eyes.) I got the butts alright, but they were from Ashley's cold, wet nose. "Wake up, Henri! We have to go to the park for the Mutt Strut and you and Clarence have to take some photographs! I want the adoration of the crowd put on film as I walk among my subjects! Then you can make a scrapbook of the event so I can leave precious memories to my offspring!"

I shook the sleep from my eyes and batted Ashley on the nose. She yelped and backed away. "Look Ashley, from what I've heard, you will never have any offspring,so leaving something to some non-existant mutts is totally out of the question. And where did you get the impression that Clarence and I want to take photographs of a bunch of dogs prancing around in a park?"

Ashley approached me cautiously. "Clarence and his person are sitting in an automobile in front of the house. Both of them want to go to the Mutt Strut so you better get your camera and come along or I will spread vicious rumors about you throughout the neighborhood."

Sometimes a cat must take a dog seriously. Ashley has a bit of a mean streak when crossed and can damage a feline's self esteem and reputation with her wagging tongue. So I got up from my favorite napping place in front of the computer room window, took my favorite camera from storage and headed out to the street. Ashley pried the door open, ran out to the automobile and scratched on the door. Together we climbed in. Clarence was sleeping in the back seat. I smacked him on the head. He opened his eyes, stretched and smacked me on the nose. "Glad you decided to join us, Henri. We should have a great day for taking pictures, don't you think?"
























The Queen Ashley and her escort!

Clarence and I packed it in and headed for home. Hope you enjoyed the show and had a good time romping with the dogs! Meow!