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An older man in a cap picks red apples from a tree while a tuxedo cat sniffs fallen apples in the grass. 10 / 37

Apple Picking Day in the Orchard, and Domino Appointed Himself Quality Inspector

AI imagetuxedo catapple orchardautumn

The orchard is heavy with fruit, branches bending under clusters of deep red apples. Grandpa, in a green cap and his familiar vest, reaches up with a smile to pluck one more for the basket, which already sits half full and tipped in the grass. Down below, Domino has found his own project. Nose pressed close to a scattering of windfalls, he's sniffing each apple with great seriousness, whiskers forward, as though he's the orchard's official quality inspector.

Cats explore the world through smell, so a patch of ground covered in fruit, leaves, and fresh earth is full of interesting information. Most cats won't actually want to eat apples. They're obligate carnivores and can't taste sweetness the way people can. Small bits of plain apple flesh aren't considered toxic, but the seeds, stems, and leaves of apple trees contain compounds that can be harmful to pets, so it's best not to let a cat chew on them. Fallen fruit can also ferment as it sits, which is another reason to keep pets from snacking in an orchard. If your cat eats something unusual and seems unwell, talk to your vet.

Domino seems satisfied with a thorough sniff anyway. He leaves the actual picking to Grandpa and saves his energy for supervising.

Autumn has a way of making even ordinary chores feel like an outing, especially with a furry sidekick along for the trip.

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