The Slice: Those early bursts of sunshine paw at critters’ internal clocks

You aren’t the only one who has noticed the sun coming up earlier.

Pets have noted it, too.

“Our cat handles the early sunrise in typical cat fashion,” wrote Marilyn Daniels of Spokane Valley. “She tromps repeatedly on our heads until we are out of bed to join her in the start of the day.”

These wake-up duties completed, the feline then curls up on the couch and goes to sleep.

Lynne Martuscelli thinks that one of her cats, Charlie, believes the sun will not come up if he is not outside to greet it. So he isn’t shy about requesting that he be let out before dawn.

Then, after he has safely escorted the sun up over the horizon, Charlie is usually quite content to come back inside.

Lynn Barnes, who lives with her husband outside Metaline Falls, has a couple of dogs that start whining early. After the door has been opened, one of them heads out to greet the new day. And the other rushes down the hall and jumps on the recently vacated, pre-warmed bed.

Just for the record: Holding a door open for someone who is still fairly far away can be seen as annoying instead of gracious.

In case you didn’t already suspect this: It might be helpful to realize that some of your neighbors refer to you not by your name, which they probably don’t even know, but by a word or phrase from a bumper sticker or decal on your vehicle.

Warm-up question: Do those in the medical professions who happen to have young children come under extra pressure to perform exams and offer assurances about the health and well-being of stuffed animals?

Today’s Slice question: Is the combined surface area of all Inland Northwest lakes roughly equivalent to that of some high-profile lake elsewhere in the world?

I have no idea. That’s why I’m asking.

My hunch is that the answer is “No.” Affection for the home team notwithstanding, I suspect that the surface area of our lakes doesn’t add up to all that much in relative terms.

But I’ve been wrong before. So have at it.

Remember to show your work.