'No, Al!' Ed shouted, truly furious. 'I hate cats! Don't bring here these damned beasts!'
'But, Ed…'
'No buts!'
'Ed, we are on our own, we don't travel anymore, and we can have a pet…'
'Yes, we can! But you bring here cats! I don't know what's with you and cats, but can't you bring, I don't know, a snake, a bear, a dog, a rat, a parrot? But no, you bring here just cats!'
Al sobbed and went away. Ed sighed and crouched by his bed, pouring a little bowl of milk. He whistled quietly.
'Come here, Spiky' he said to a little hedgehog. 'You're safe now. No one will drink up your milk.'
Ed scratched the hedgehog's chin and gave him milk. No cats, he smiled to himself.