I've thrown darts. I've rolled a die. I've picked names out of a hat -- twice.

It's time for a new scheme.

Inspired by my colleague's turn to a rat to predict this year's Oscar winners, I looked to the animal world for help. I didn't have to look far.

My cat sleeps on the cable box. So maybe she has some insight into the television world -- it can't be worse than Emmy voters, whose picks sometimes seem to be pulled out of thin air.

The method: I laid out kitty treats and gave them numbers to correspond to the nominees, then let Steve (that's the cat) go at them. I worried that maybe she'd start with the treat closest to her, but she's a deliberative cat, and sat back to study the bounty before reaching out a paw to drag one close enough to eat.

Lead actress, comedy

Nominees: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"; Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"; Tina Fey, "30 Rock"; America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"; Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Cat's pick: Applegate. My pick: Not to disrespect the other nominees, but I'm going to pick Tina Fey until she wins. And I'll keep picking her until "30 Rock" is off the air. Even if she isn't nominated.

Lead actress, drama

Nominees: Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"; Glenn Close, "Damages"; Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"; Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"

Cat's pick: Sedgwick. My pick: It's a toss-up between Sedgwick and Close; both play characters with steely, don't-mess-with-me exteriors that hide slivers of vulnerability, both are fascinating to watch. The edge goes to Close.

Lead actor, comedy

The nominees: Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"; Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"; Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

Cat's pick: Shalhoub. My pick: I think Pace deserves it, but he's a longshot here. I'm going with Baldwin, the delightfully distracted oaf of a suit.

Lead actor, drama

Nominees: James Spader, "Boston Legal"; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"; "Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"; Hugh Laurie, "House"; Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"; Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Cat's pick: Spader. My pick: Seriously tough call. I'd be happy to see any of them accepting the statue, but if I must choose, let it be Hamm. His ad man Don Draper is as smooth as they come, but that slick shell masks oodles of turmoil beneath. He's a roller coaster of conflicting emotions, but nobody knows it but him.

Comedy series

Nominees: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "The Office," "30 Rock," Two and a Half Men"

Cat's pick: "Curb Your Enthusiasm". My pick: "Curb" put in an excellent season, what with Larry David's houseguests and his splitting with Cheryl. But for consistent comedy, you can't beat "30 Rock."

Drama series

Nominees: "Boston Legal," "Damages," "Dexter," "House," "Lost," "Mad Men."

Cat's pick: "Mad Men." My pick: "Mad Men." It's that good.

Supporting actress, comedy

Nominees: Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"; Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?"; Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"; Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"; Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

Cat's pick: Smart. My pick: Tough call. Poehler cracks me up in every sketch, but Smart is so fantastic and clueless as the wanna-be-cool mom. I'm going with the cat.

Supporting actress, drama

Nominees: Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"; Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers & Sisters"; Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"; Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"; Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"

Cat's pick: Bergen. My pick: Wilson. I thought Oh was great last season, as the nervous bride left at the altar. This season, all she did was chase Brooke Smith's Dr. Hahn, trying to get on her good side. Wilson's Dr. Bailey is the soul of the show, what with her struggles with her job, her baby, and her failing marriage.

Supporting actor, comedy

Nominees: Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"; Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"; Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"; Rainn Wilson, "The Office"; Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"

Cat's pick: Harris. My pick: Another tough call. I love Harris' lothario Barney, but Wilson is so laughably lovable as "Office" agitator Dwight. Still, I'll go with Harris.

Supporting actor, drama

Nominees: William Shatner, "Boston Legal"; Ted Danson, "Damages"; Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"; Michael Emerson, "Lost"; John Slattery, "Mad Men"

Cat's pick: Danson. My pick: Do I have to choose? Danson's Arthur Frobisher, a detestable rich and powerful defendant in an Enron-like case, was pretty loathsome, but Emerson's creepy Ben was like a changeling, shifting alliances -- and my sympathies -- from scene to scene. I pick Emerson.

ON TV

The 60th Annual Emmy Awards airs tonight at 7 on WKOW, Ch. 27.