Everybody OUT of the pool!

Hairy cats rule. Above, Baby demonstrates 2.75 on the Catfort Scale.

We rescued this totally awesome little "hairy cat" (x 6 above) -- a Yellow Bear Caterpillar -- from the pool this morning. It was madly flailing about, held aloft by the surface tension of the water as the current carried it perilously close to the killing fields of the filter. Once it had a chance to dry off a bit and regain its composure, the Yellow Bear ambled off across the lawn and quickly disappeared into the landscape.

According to the Carolina Nature web site, the Virginian Tiger Moth/Yellow Bear (Spilosoma virginica) is "a common and highly variable moth . . . distinguished by [its] very long hairs (setae). Color varies. Adults are white . . . Caterpillars may even be orange." As indeed was our hirsute visitor. They're so cute when they're little.

Update: More cuteness in all sizes at the 176th Carnival of the Cats, with thumbnails of all the puddies and open-ended entry period (they're updating throughout the day Sunday), barkered -- meowered? -- by Samantha and Tigger of Life from a Cat's Perspective.