Archy, a philosophical cockroach, who was a poet in his previous life, falls for and tries to get the free-spirited alley cat Mehitabel to change her carefree ways. He tells her about a want-ad for a housecat, but Mehitabel is more interested in her latest heart-throb, the rough and ready Big Bill. However though things don’t generally turn out right for her in romance, Archy is always there with some comforting words and a hope that she’ll change, although his attempts aren’t always met with appreciation.