My brother Larry e-mailed me a photo he took of a ring-tailed cat, the first one he's seen since he's lived in Texas. This mammal of the raccoon family (the cat, not my brother) is native to arid regions of North America and is also known the miner's cat, because miners and settlers once kept pet ringtails to keep their cabins free of vermin.
Larry says it makes a sound like a bark but not quite like a dog's. Something had scared it up onto the stone columns of his deck, and Larry's cat Bubba yowled at it, so it just clung there and barked. According to Wikipedia, the ringtail is easily tamed and can make an affectionate pet. Maybe Bubba needs a friend, Larry.
