Why name a black cat In Trouble? Well bear with me and I'll tell you the whole story about how In Trouble came into our world.

It all began with a stray calico kitten who showed up at our door about a two and a half years ago. Of course, being so cute (most kittens are) she immediately gained admittance to the family. Oh, we had good intentions, "We'll only keep her until we find her a good home." Famous last words if there ever were any. To say the least, the kitten grew and we did find her a good home —ours.

Well time passed and sooner or later this "cute little kitten" turned into a "cute pussy cat". Just for the record, we called her Brat Kat because that's what she was, a brat. Brat Kat attracted many suitors and eventually became pregnant (as most non-spayed pussy cats do).

More time passed and Brat Kat's time neared. Marie was concerned about Brat Kat. She had gotten a very big belly and Marie thought the kittens would never be born. As we began celebrating the 1996 Fourth of July holiday Brat Kat still hadn't had her kittens.

Finally, on July 6th the long ordeal began. This ordeal was the birth of Brat Kat's kittens, all two of them. Marie looked out on the patio and Brat Kat was really restless and meowing a lot. Since she was worried that the kittens would never make it into the world Marie went out to sit with Brat Kat. This was about 7:30 on a Sunday morning. A nice, comfortable day in Northern California, not too hot like it can be in the summertime. Before all was done it would be late into the summer evening and nothing much else got accomplished that eventful day. After a short while the first kitten was born. A cute little striped bundle of fur. Now the real wait was to begin.

The pleasant summer morning turned into mid-day and mid-day turned into afternoon. As the sun journeyed westward over our patio, which faces the west, it became very sunny and uncomfortably warm. Marie, Brat Kat and new kitten moved into the bathroom shower where it was much more comfortable. Finally, after several more hours, concern for Brat Kat increased as she was beginning to weaken from all the strain trying to get the rest of the kittens popped out. The question as to whether any more kittens would be born alive was discussed.

I went about my other chores while Marie stayed with Brat Kat. Soon my chores were interrupted by frantic cries from the bathroom shower, "Carl, come here, another kitten is coming out!" could be heard throughout the house. I moved to assist Marie in welcoming another kitten into our family. My other chores never got finished.

All that was visible was a tiny little black tail, yes, I mean a tail! Marie begged for me to do something like pull it out or turn it around. So the rest of my afternoon was shot!! I knelt down beside her in the shower and tried to pull the little tail out but it wouldn't come out and, by this time, Brat Kat had completely given up trying to deliver the rest of the kittens.

Marie was consoling her with every contraction and stroking her head and belly but she had given up. So I preceded to try to turn the kitten around...no luck. Marie said "Uh oh, we're in trouble aren't we?" I went and got a pair of rubber gloves and KY jelly. I attempted to turn the little booger around and couldn't so I had to gently pull it out with the last contraction and then its head got stuck!! I swear this was the biggest new born kitten that I had ever seen. I had to put more KY jelly around the neck and literally pull it out. Of course it wasn't breathing. Marie was having a fit so I did "kitten CPR". I rubbed it and blew on it until it started crying and gasping. Delivery time was 2:55 in the afternoon.

Because Brat Kat was so weak from all the work she had done she was unable to clean the kitten so Marie and I had to clean the slime up. All in a day's work for the normal, run-of-the-mill "kitty mid-wife".

Boy was that ever a long day. Marie thought that there had to be more kittens so she stayed with Brat Kat until nearly midnight. While laying in bed early that July 7th morning we decided to call the little black kitten which caused so much of a problem "In Trouble" (Trouble for short).

Now you know the story behind the black cat named "In Trouble". He's no registered, purebred cat but he surely is special to the members of the Studebaker Family.