A Spectrum of Pandicity

We introduced Gilly to Hrithik tonight, which had two positive consequences: Hrithik got over being angry with me over relocating him, and they really hit it off.  They have a lot in common: both tree-dwellers, both game lovers, and both possessed of awesome ringed tails.  Their bond was forever sealed when Gilly joined us to watch Jeopardy!  He spent his formative days at the MIT Mystery Hunt, so he likes that sort of thing.

Red pandas also have some things in common with foxes: shape, colour, tailness, that sort of thing.  So, in a manner of speaking, there are only two degrees of separation between ring-tailed lemurs and foxes, and if you put the three of them together, you get a spectrum.  

I shall now produce the proof: here are, from left to right, Hrithik, Gilly, and the Fox.

Here's an aerial view, so you can see their tails:

We finally broke down and told Gilly that Sleepyhead is also a panda; this confused him utterly, because clearly, he says, Sleepyhead is a bear.  He was satisfied only when we agreed to refer to Sleepyhead as a panda bear rather than simply as a panda.  For all that, they get along pretty well.

Here's Sleepyhead on his own; it's not his best angle or a very good picture, but it gives you an idea of his habitual affect.

Here's a better one:

Note that Gilly's tail is in both pictures.  Gilly has quite a lot of tail, so these things happen.