A House For Sticky

     There's always the wish that I could bring that special stray cat in the house.  And such is the case with Curly, who we later renamed Sticky.  If one thinks about the name when they see him, then his appearance gives his name away.  The shorthaired domestic is not curly haired.  But because of his health, he is skinny.  At one time, we wanted to bring him inside.  The neighborhood kids harmed him, which resulted in our taking him to the vet.  That was when we found out he has feline leukemia.  We had no choice but to leave him outside.  He would infect our indoor cats if we brought him in.  I guess he never forgot how the neighbor kids hurt him, because he stayed in our front yard,  and slept on our front porch. 
     With approaching cold weather, what was Sticky to do for shelter?  The front porch brought no protection from the cold wind that blew across it.  We had nothing on the porch.  He lay on the bare concrete.  Would Sticky survive the winter?  We fed him on the front porch.  All the other stray cats were fed in the back yard, and Sticky wouldn't go back there.  A dominant female named Likes 'em Green attacked him every chance she got.  He had been neutered during that long ago trip to the vet.  We were giving him every chance to live.  Now with winter approaching, we did not want to be responsible for his demise. 
     There was a forecast of extreme cold weather to come.  "I need to start building Sticky a house,"  my son Kevin said. 
     A trip to the hardware store to buy wood, hinges, and various other supplies had Kevin beginning his building project.  He knew he would need to build it high so Sticky would be out of reach of stray dogs and other predators.  In the end, with material and even a heating pad for the inside, it cost nearly a hundred dollars.  We even painted it.  When it comes to the love of an animal, the money is not of importance.  The house sits high beside the front porch. There is a stool placed beside it on the front porch so the cat can jump up to the entrance. The heating pad cord goes outside the back side of the little house and through our garage window, where we have it plugged in to provide continuous warmth. 
     Although Sticky has been neutered, he still must be some kind of ladies' man.  A black stray female cat has moved in with him to share the space.  We named her Shady.  It becomes comical when we arrive home from somewhere and driving up our driveway, we see heads poking out of the house's entrance.  Down will jump Sticky followed by his girlfriend, Shady.  The house is certainly doing its job.  Unless some other misfortune takes either cat, they are set for the cold. 
     People have dog houses for their dog.  We now have a cat house for our cat.  I am so glad that Kevin built a house for Sticky.