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An older couple in cream sweaters walk arm in arm through a pumpkin patch while a tortoiseshell cat walks beside them. 30 / 34

A Stroll Through the Pumpkin Patch, and Mabel Has Her Eye on One

AI imagetortoiseshell catpumpkin patchautumn

Fall has come to the backyard pumpkin patch, and the vines have done their job. Bright orange pumpkins and a few green-striped ones sit scattered among the yellowing stems, and Walt and June stroll arm in arm down the dirt path between them, laughing together in their cream cable-knit sweaters. Pink hydrangeas bloom along the wooden fence behind them. Trotting just ahead at their feet, Mabel the tortoiseshell has her eyes on a pumpkin nearby, perhaps planning to sit on it later for the season's best view.

Autumn brings a few seasonal things to watch for with cats. Plain pumpkin is not toxic and is sometimes recommended in small amounts for digestion, but carved pumpkins left outside can rot and grow mold, which is not something a pet should nibble. Decorative corn, gourds and dried plants may cause stomach upset if chewed. Later in the season, candles inside jack-o'-lanterns pose a burn and fire risk around curious tails, so battery-operated lights are a safer choice. And as the evenings cool and darken earlier, many people prefer to keep their cats indoors after dusk.

This patch will soon supply pies, porch decorations and maybe a carved face or two. For now, though, it is simply a lovely place for a walk, a laugh, and a cat who knows exactly how to enjoy autumn.

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