Presents from Bach

This neighborhood cat likes to visit our house nearly everyday. My wife named him Bach because she liked the name for this particular cat. Gregarious, even affectionate, Bach wormed his way into our regular habits, timing his arrivals at the children got home from school each afternoon and leaving once the kids went to bed. They loved this cat -- and what a great cat! Nothing seemed to bother it!

As time passed, I noticed that Bach was a little fat on the sides. I told my wife, "I think this cat is pregnant." "Look at it." She denied that it could be; after all, it was a boy.

Well, it became more and more obvious that Bach was pregnant. Then everything changed. I guess that my wife was more traumatized by pregnancy than I ever thought possible because now she was running interference for Bach, scolding the rest of us for disturbing her naps or rousting Bach from a chair when we wanted to sit down. "Poor thing, " she'd say with true sympathy.

Today Bach is definitely having kittens. In our house. In her 'favorite' spot. Four so far, and I'd guess from the looks of things that's it. Maybe one more.

So the question is: what to do when your neighbor's cat gives birth in front of your refrigerator?

Post Script:

Bach ended up having 6 kittens.