My partner tells me there's a whole bunch of feral cats in the area... apparently up the road a piece there are a few feeding stations for them (like in Key West). Who knew!

The unknown kitty was probably Merlins doppelganger... or a distant relative. Better he be buried here than "disposed off" by animal control.

Merlin is now wearing a very bright red collar... for as long as he'll keep it on. So far, so good. He hates collars, but I think I may have appealed to his sense of style. He looks so handsom in red.