My cat Smarty disappeared for a whole day last weekend. It was terrible - calling and calling and rattling treat bags. She finally came back (I don't think she was too far away.)

My cat Smarty always has to run in the house at full tilt. She never just comes in - has to run in, head straight for the kitchen.

I was thinking of Smarty and for some reason, some odd association, I thought of the 'Mary Jane' jokes which were around many moons ago. I can't remember any of them (I have trouble remembering any joke - a barrel of laughs I) but they always ended "And Mary Jane laughed and laughed." They were hysterically funny - chuckling here remembering laughing uncontrollably.

Mt cat Smarty loves her treats - has to be Friskies - can't be Wild West.

My cat Smarty is back. She has forgiven me and is back on my shoulder. The rest of the time she is with Alexa (Lexxa), my oldest cat. Lexxa is now fixed, but she has had many litters. As she matured she developed an unusual practice - at least I'd never seen it before. Alexa had babysitters for her kittens. She would inlist a cat from the previous litter to watch the kittens while she was out. One time it was a male cat. He was funny... He was all nervous about it - ''What do I do?' he would have said. But he did do what his mother told him and soon became comfortable with the new kittens. And then - one day I was sitting on the couch watching TV and Lexxa brought a kitten on my lap, then another, then another. I was the designated babysitter!

My cat Smarty has been in a snit the last few days. Usually she's climbing up on my shoulder and nestling there and purr, purr, purr. But lately - no... She's off sitting with Lexxa (grandmother cat) and giving me the cold shoulder (in this case literally.)

And all because I was paying attention to BeeBee. Cats are so jealous.