The mice that shake the barley? Delicious

MY PET

HELLO my name is Stripey and I am a tabby cat. I was born in Co Galway four years ago and when I was eight weeks old I went to live in Co Mayo. Shiny shoes, flip-flops and the three pairs of small feet fell in love with me and I became the sixth member of the family.

Shiny shoes is the tallest one and he comes out to the shed every morning to give me warm milk. Flipflops is usually the one who asks me to go back outside and to stop putting my dirty paw prints (which are usually very clean I may add) all over the floor — but I know she doesn’t really mind.

The three pairs of small feet are always outside playing with a ball of some sort and I’ve probably lost about five of my nine lives trying to dodge that thing.

But I do have relatives other than them. My family take me on holidays to Co Cork with them every summer — and although the scenery is lovely, there is one thing that annoys me: that’s my cousin Pearl. She is a cat like me but because she’s a kitten, she is extremely energetic and playful. She frequently disturbs my sleep — eager to make a friend. But I am quite a lazy cat so I reject her.

What annoys me the most is that she has no shame in coming into my garden, sitting on my windowsills and meowing at my family with a sweet face encouraging them to

Name: Stripey

Finest hour: Finding my first shrew! Likes: My family. My food. And my sleep. Dislikes: Cold rainy days

go out and pet her.

My favourite thing about going to Cork is the barley field behind our house because there are loads of mice to catch — so I never go hungry. Also, there is lots of straw to sleep on, which is really handy because eating makes me sleepy and sleeping makes me hungry.

We usually stay for about three weeks then go back to Mayo. I love it in Cork but I do miss Mayo.

There is one thing that I love other than my family, food and sleeping and that’s cleaning myself. I sit down and clean myself for about two hours each day and I’m very handsome if I do say so myself. My eyes are brilliant green, my nose is pale pink, my chest is dazzling white and I get my name from my black and grey stripes.

“Stripey, where are you?” I hear small feet coming with my toys. Purrrr... Life is good.

Maria Murphy, age 11, Shrule, Co Mayo

■ If you would like your pet featured in this column please send a story of 440 words and a photograph to snews@independent.ie clearly labelled MY PET