MomCat by Hilary Williamson Once upon a time (that's how stories start, you see, even true stories like this one) there was a cat named Sam Sam for Samantha ... Samantha Tabitha 'cause she's a tabby cat with a stripey raccoon tale. Sam was a teenager (for a cat that is, she was six months old) when she came to live with us. My brother Kevin saw her first, heading home from school he spied her under the Christmas tree outside the front door, the one papa lights up every year top to bottom in shining stars. The tree miaowed and wriggled its branches, so my brother dropped his schoolbag and peeked under it. A wet nose touched his cold one, and a soft, furry paw batted his face, and his heart melted just like that, so Kevin ran inside and found me, and we brought out a saucer full of milk. Sam was still there the next morning, and after school, and the next day, and the next ... Papa didn't want a cat but our tropical fish all froze when the ice storm shut off the electricity and the fish tank chilled and kids need a pet don't they? 'course they do! And Sam's SO cute, ... and SO hungry, ... and she chose US, ... it was meant to be! Papa still didn't want a cat but Sam was a smart one, she ran to the front door whenever he opened it for his newspaper, and when he came home from work, she purred loudly, she rubbed herself against his legs and miaowed softly. Papa couldn't resist her big eyes forever, how could anyone say no to Sam? Mom checked with local vets, and we put up notices around the neighborhood, but no one came to claim her, so we named her - Kevin wanted Samantha and I picked Tabitha ... but she's Sam for short. Then we took her for a checkup and the vet felt her tummy and that's when we found out Sam would soon be a MomCat. They call them queens you know for good reason, Sam's bowl was always full (she ate like a tiger) and her bed was soft and she got ear scratches and tummy rubs whenever she asked for them. Sam's belly grew bigger and she didn't jump as often, but she was still the best mouser in the neighborhood. Late one night, Sam came to mom, she bit her hand very gently and went to the door, then she came back and did it again, so mom followed her down to the basement cupboard - Sam wanted company to have her babies. They came out one by one, two black teddy bear kittens with white bibs and splotches, and two tabbies, pretty as their mom. We saw them in the morning, and when they grew a little, we cuddled and played with them, and helped one learn to walk 'cause her leg didn't work well and the vet wanted to put her to sleep, but mom and I taught her leg to move so she could run and jump just like the others. We loved those purring kittens - Beauty and Jazz and Tigger and Zorro - and Sam took the best care of them, 'cause that's what MomCats do.