…from the Syndicate vault, they chose this one? Not that I remember ever reading this, and I have been reading Mark Trail since the late 70’s… but this has all the promise of one of Allen’s failed plots.
Do cats really smile, look sad? Ever? Panel one shows eternal optimism, panel two joy mixed with anticipation, panel three rejection. Just how sentient is a domestic house cat? I suppose there are those whose lives revolve around cats. They would probably reject my notion. I have shared space with and grown to appreciate the common house cat Felis Catus and detected feline emotion, but nothing like this.
The Daily Trail 
A lot of treacle here, making me thing Elrod may have been watching Disney movies as he wrote this story. Of course, it seems out of character and contrary for Elrod to instill human thoughts and reactions upon animals (other than Andy, the four-legged Rusty), when his strip has otherwise focused on providing realistic information and images of wildlife to help increase greater public understanding and respect.
Is that a cat? I wouldn’t have known if Ye Olde Narratione Boxe hadn’t told me. I’m no professional artist and I’m no cat lover but even I can draw a better cat than this!