It was the end of a long day, and Storm Strike was glad to be home. With the kids still at school for awhile, she sighed contentedly as she walked into her quiet house and slipped out of her Wonderbolts uniform. But just as she started heading towards the bathroom for a shower, she stepped on something furry.
 
YOWL! A claw swiped at her hoof.
 
“Chill out, you stupid cat,” Storm looked down at the inconveniently-placed cat bed. “Get your tail out of the way next ti-“
 
She had to do a double take to believe what she was seeing. There was not just her wife’s one cat, but three tiny kittens suckling at his—no, her nipples. Three kittens that spelled nothing but trouble.
 
“Oh no…” Storm could feel the dreaded allergies kicking in as her eyes started to water and her nose started to itch. “JEWEL!”
 
“Yes, Honey?” Radiant Jewel called from her workroom. “What is the matter?”
 
Storm quickly grabbed a tissue and sneezed into it. “When did your cat get PREGNANT?”
 
“Taffy? I thought he was a male.”
 
“Yeah, well, you thought wrong. Because ‘he’ just spawned more little devils.”
 
“Kittens!?” Jewel galloped into the room and crouched down to get a better look. “Oh my stars! Taffy is a new mother! I am a GRANDMARE!”
 
“Momma? Mum?” The two mares turned to find Skydancer at the front door. “What’s going on?”
 
“Go do your homework, Sky-“
 
“Get your sisters!” Jewel beamed. “You must see the kittens!”
 
Skydancer gasped. “Kittens? No way!” He galloped outside and soon returned with his two equally-excited sisters. They knelt down and beamed in awe at the tiny, squirming felines.
 
Storm glared at Jewel as she blew her nose. “We are NOT keeping them.”
 
“WHAT?” All three kids seemed to jump up in unison.
 
“Momma, why not?”
 
“They’re SO CUTE! We have to keep them!”
 
“You never let us have joy, Mom.”
 
Jewel chuckled nervously. “Why don’t you three…go play outside? Momma and I need to discuss this.”
 
After their foals were out of earshot, Storm turned to Jewel and hissed, “We are getting rid of them as SOON as POSSIBLE!”
 
“Why?” Jewel pouted. “The children have always wanted pets of their own. They’re certainly old enough; it could be a learning experience for them. Besides, think of how heartbroken poor Taffy would be if we separated him—er, her from her babies.”
 
“Cats don’t have feelings. Hay, the sooner we get those devils out of here, the better. The kids can deal with it. Now, I sure as hell don’t wanna spend the next two decades feeling like this.” Storm gestured wildly towards her reddened eyes and nose.
 
“Honey, that’s what allergy medications are for!”
 
“I don’t want more drugs, Jewel! I want a CAT-FREE HOUSE!”
 
Both went silent at Storm’s sudden outburst. Jewel lowered her head, and neither made a sound save for a few sniffs and hacking noises from Storm.
 
“Storm, I…”
 
“It’s fine, Jewel. Those devils make you and the kids happy. I won’t take that away from you. Go ahead and keep ‘em if you want, I can deal.”
 
“Are…are you sure?”
 
“Yep,” Storm forced a grin, despite the noticeable stream of snot dripping down her snout. “I’m sure.”
 
“If you say so,” Jewel chuckled. “But first, you need a tissue. And some Claritin.”
 
“Yeah,” Storm blew her nose again and rubbed her itchy eyes. “Wonder how Tiny Tirek even got knocked up, anyway?”
 
“Oh, remember when Taffy went missing a couple months ago? And Firework returned her to us? He and Dusk have a kitty too, you know. That handsome Mane Coon, Hex.”
 
“No way! Firework’s cat?” Storm laughed. “Knowing him, he probably set them up. That bastard!”
 
“Who’s a bastard?”
 
Storm turned her head towards the door, where Skydancer and his sisters stood listening in. “Uh…nopony!”
 
“Well, are we keeping the kittens?”
 
“Of course we are!” Jewel beamed. “Come in and see them!”
 
The three foals galloped back inside and cooed lovingly at the kittens Jewel placed into their arms. Storm moved herself into the corner to avoid more allergies, but she couldn’t help but smile at how happy her family was.
 
“Mommy!” Emerald Ignite trotted up to her and shoved a kitten in her face. “Look at this one! Isn’t she CUTE?”
 
“Sure,” Storm forced a grin as she fought the urge to sneeze. “It’s adorable.”