Colin Powell meets Colin Powell

Colin Powell, US Secretary of State, meets Colin Powell, cat of the year.

The prize-winning cat, a copper-eyed Bombay born in the Brookfield, Conn., home of Sharyn and Sig Hauck, on the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, responded with a hesitant purr, and had nothing further to offer reporters, on the record or otherwise.

Story here: link. Requires registration, alas, but includes a great pic of Powell holding Powell.

No-registration-required story (before the event) is here, and includes this great quote:

Asked why Powell would interrupt his day of dealing with foreign potentates for a feline visitor, the US official said: "If you had a cat named after you that won the Cat Fanciers' Association cat of the year - I mean that doesn't happen every day. This is recognizing a cat of outstanding ability."

Actually it recognizes a cat of outstanding beauty - cat shows are all about 'conformation', not skills. But he is a very lovely cat.