Meanwhile, has Sparkler ever been strange the last few days...

Last weekend she was on a hunger strike.. wasn't the least bit interested in food from Friday afternoon until Monday evening. I was trying all kinds of yummy cat goodies on her. If she didn't start eating in the next day or two, a vet trip was on the agenda.

But Tuesday evening she scarfed down some of her Trader Joe's Tuna for Cats, and her appetite has been back in full force.

AND... she has just blossomed since then! Up until now she has spent most of her time in the bedroom, keeping to herself and usually out of site. She'd come out among the others around meal time and wait for me to bring her food back to her special eating place, next to the bed.

But now she comes out into the living room a lot, hangs around with the others, even comes up on my lap some times! She has NEVER been this outgoing before.

It finally dawned on me what has been going on with her: The reason she wasn't eating all weekend was because that WASN'T her, it was her Avatar standing in for her while she was off at the Superbowl. (She hasn't got it trained to eat yet; the simulacra of the other cats eat just like their Original Models.)

Then on Monday night she was back with all the others, and they all ate just fine.

As for her new gregariousness and conviviality, I think her love affair with Merlin has reached a new level of commitment. Are they perhaps engaged now?.. just in time for Valentine's Day!

Slick, how has Merlin been since he got home?