As readers of this blog know, We Nine have told Pat repeatedly, "No More Cats!" Henry tells her the same thing. To no avail . . ..
A few weeks ago, Pat went off, as she does most days, to volunteer at the Prince Edward Island Humane Society. When she came home, she was carrying something - we didn't get a good look because she hurried upstairs to her study and closed the door!
Naturally we all hurried after her and scratched to get in. We didn't hear a peep, but Pat came out looking SO guilty, we knew that once again, there was A NEW CAT.
"Guys," Pat said, "her name is Taz, and you won't even know she's here!" Then Pat explained that although Taz is a sweet, lovely little girl, she had not been adopted from the Humane Society because she was so frightened that all she would do was hide in the back of her kennel. Pat hoped that if Taz stayed with us for a while, she might become more confident.
We weren't happy about any of this, but as Pat predicted, Taz stayed out of our way: she scurried right under the bed in the study and hid in the furthest corner.
That was on a Wednesday.
On Sunday, Pat went out with friends (against our wishes, of course). When she came back, she greeted us as usual, by petting each of us and playing with us and apologizing for having gone out. After a while she went upstairs and into the study. And then we heard a SCREAM.
Later Pat explained to us what had happened: When she came into the study she heard squeaking. Then she saw a little black thing wriggling on the floor. Pat thought it was a mouse! And then she heard squeaking in a different place. That's when she realized - although no one had known Taz was expecting, she had given birth to two kittens!
Now the kittens are three weeks old. As you can see, they look just like Taz. So far, they haven't bothered us: they just stay in the corner under the bed with their mother. We were hoping Pat had learned a good lesson! But maybe not: we HATE the way both Pat and Henry are always running into the study to look at Taz and her babies!
And we wonder: what will life be like when those two start running around the house?
Stay tuned for more news from Pat's Cats . . ..
