My kitty Winnie [View all]

is back, after a period of disappearance following her sister Vicky's death, during which time she showed up only when we were not around, to eat a bit of the food I left and then disappear again (I have it on my back door cam). I suspect she may have been back to wherever Vicky was when she was so badly injured she couldn't make it home. But for better or worse, my little spitfire is back in all her tortietude, hanging out in the woodpile and complaining if I'm late with breakfast or dinner.

I'm considering adopting a sister for her after our gem show trip to Tennessee next month. The sister will be carefully chosen after consultation with the head cat person at the shelter and will reside in a "habitation crate" for 5 weeks to give them a chance to get used to each other through the bars. I expect a considerable amount of discussion and swearing between them during that time. I may decide to let Winnie come into my studio to be fed and spend the night--she ventured in the door last night and I would have let her stay had the upstairs door been closed. I'd considered that for both of them during the winter prior to Vicky's demise. In any case, a sister for Winnie will have to be able to stand up for herself without trying to take over. We need more rodent control than one cat can handle by herself.