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An older couple in knit sweaters plant tomato seedlings in garden soil while a tortoiseshell cat digs a hole nearby. 15 / 34

Walt and June Were Planting Tomatoes. Mabel Started a Project of Her Own.

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Tomato season is underway, and everyone in the garden is digging. June kneels with a small trowel, carefully settling a young seedling into the dark soil, while Walt firms the earth around another with a wide, satisfied grin. Just in front of them, Mabel the tortoiseshell is hard at work on a project of her own, front paws scooping a surprisingly deep hole with total focus. A metal watering can, gardening gloves, rubber boots and a weathered wooden shed fill in the background, along with a clothesline of laundry flapping beyond the fence.

Cats are natural diggers, and loose, freshly turned soil can look a lot like an outdoor litter box to them. That is why some gardeners lay chicken wire, pine cones or rough mulch over new beds until plants are established. It is also worth knowing that tomato plants, especially the leaves and stems, can upset a cat's stomach if chewed, and many garden products such as slug bait, fertilizers and some pesticides are dangerous to pets. Choose pet-safe products when possible, store them out of reach, and keep an eye on any cat who likes to nibble greenery. Talk to your vet if you suspect your cat has eaten something harmful.

Mabel's hole may not grow any tomatoes, but it is certainly the most enthusiastic one in the garden. With helpers like her, Walt and June will never run out of laughs this summer.

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