Houston, we have a problem...

Back last fall a stray cat decided to birth her litter of kittens in the overgrown brush and farm vegetation behind my next door neighbors house. Cute little beasts, there were three of them but being born in the wild, they were somewhat leery of us human types.

It was starting to get cold and winter was coming. So, neighbor, being the nice lady that she is, patiently encouraged said little creatures from out of the brush and gasp! started feeding them! Needless to say, same said critters have since found a cool place to hang out ... and grow up. She (the neighbor) has been able to coax one of them inside and has pretty much inherited another cat for herself. The other two have continued to run wild ... in her yard, in my yard, in the farmer's field - all around and about. Don't know what happened to the mama, she just kind of disappeared.

So, fast forward to yesterday. I'm sitting at my desk, putzing on the computer and casually glance out the window - when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a kitten turned mama and 3 tiny reindeer!! No, no - make that 3 tiny new kittens! Yes, last fall's babies have grown up and at least one of them has now starting producing babies of her own. In MY backyard! From my vantage point inside, I counted at least three, maybe four. They were playing and tumbling and having a frolicking good time with one another over by our woodpile while mama cat lay under the lilacs watching.

Wonderful. Just what we need. A feral colony of cats and the accompanying smells and problems that go with. I love cats and all, but this just will not do. I will not feed these kittens .... I will not feed these kittens ... I will not feed ...