Bob was a hidden family member in Sarah’s family, about whom Sarah’s mum didn’t have a single clue. He was a white, furry little creature with blue eyes. From a distance, he looked like a white cotton ball. He was also Sarah’s cute little secret.

Sarah had picked him up from a dumpster, where he was lying lazily on the lid, looking adorable. She named him Bob, and he suddenly decided that Sarah was his favourite human and her house was officially Bob’s kingdom.

There was only one problem — Sarah’s mother. She was allergic to cats, and not the little-sneeze kind of allergic, but the full orchestra of sneezing, red eyes and dramatic coughing kind.

The first thing Sarah did after reaching home was hide Bob under her bed. But as luck would have it, Bob crept out after dinnertime and jumped behind the sofa as if he were playing hide-and-seek, especially when her mother was having her last coffee of the day.

“Why do I feel something moving behind the sofa?” Mum said.

“Uh… Mum, you’re imagining things,” Sarah replied nervously.

Bob purred from behind the sofa, and at the very same moment, Mum sneezed so loudly that even Bob was startled.

Sarah dragged Bob back to her room and gave him a lecture on behaving like a well-tamed cat. To her disappointment, Bob only purred and yawned, paying no attention at all. Of course, it meant nothing to a stray cat like Bob, who knew nothing about being a pet.

The next step was building a secret house for Bob in the closet. For that, Sarah gathered all her toys and clothes, and some cat food too.

Bob loved it, but only for one night. Early the next morning, he crawled out of the closet wearing Sarah’s favourite scarf, like a cat version of Superman.

Just then, Mum noticed that her scarf was moving across the floor by some invisible force.

“Sarah! Are you seeing what I am seeing? Why is your scarf moving on the floor?” Mum screamed.

“Wind, Mum… uh… it’s the wind!” Sarah explained hurriedly.

“Inside the house?” Mum asked, surprised.

Sarah fumbled. “Yes, Mum, I… I think I left a window open.”

At that moment, Mum sneezed so hard that the salad bowl slipped from her hand and fell on the floor. Sarah was out of ideas now. She had no clue how to stop this furry, fleecy mishap from happening right in front of her mother.

Thankfully, Mum left the room to place the now-empty bowl in the kitchen, after telling Sarah to clean up the spilled food.

Later in the afternoon, Mum called out that it was cleaning day and Sarah should come help. Sarah panicked. Bob panicked too.

She hid Bob in her school supplies drawer, leaving it slightly open for air, and warned him not to make the slightest sound, not even a meow.

Two minutes later, Mum heard something. “Is someone saying meow, meow?” she asked.

Sarah shouted abruptly, “No! Nope! Not at all, Mum. That’s just my ringtone!”

Bob knocked over a pencil case inside the drawer, and Mum sneezed again.

This time, her whole face turned red, a perfect mix of dust and cat allergy.

Finally, Sarah realised she couldn’t hide Bob anymore. She mumbled, “Mum… I kind of… possibly… accidentally… adopted a cat. Sorry, Mum. I should have asked for permission before bringing him home.”

Just then, Bob stepped out from his hiding place.

Sarah expected a massive sneeze, but to her surprise, nothing happened. Instead, Mum smiled and gently petted Bob.

“Sarah, I knew there was a cat the first time I sneezed for no reason,” Mum said. “I just wanted you to tell me yourself.”

“But Mum, why aren’t you sneezing?” Sarah asked.

“Oh, that,” Mum replied. “I’ve started treatment to control my allergy, and I guess it’s working. Good for you — and your cat.”

Sarah’s eyes and mouth flew open at the same time. “Are you serious, Mum? Does that mean I can keep him?”

“Yes, Sarah, you can,” Mum nodded with a smile.

Sarah jumped with excitement as Bob was officially welcomed into the family.

He celebrated his acceptance by sitting on the table, stealing a meatball and falling asleep in the fruit basket — and that was how Bob went from an illegal cat to a beloved household disaster.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 20th, 2025