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A grandma with a long silver braid bends toward a cinnamon Abyssinian cat standing among pumpkins in a garden patch. 12 / 26

Grandma Ruth Went Looking for the Perfect Pumpkin. Saffron Blended Right In.

AI imageabyssinian catpumpkin patchautumn

The pumpkin patch is in its glory, round orange gourds scattered among sprawling green vines and broad leaves. Ruth bends low with one hand on Saffron's back, her silver braid swinging forward over her denim shirt, gazing down at the cat with a tender, private smile. Saffron stands among the vines, tall and alert, ears tipped forward and eyes narrowed as she studies something in the patch. Her ticked cinnamon coat looks almost like part of the harvest, blending with the pumpkins and the autumn soil.

That ruddy coat is one of the Abyssinian's best-known traits. Each hair is ticked with bands of color, giving the coat a warm, shimmering look that seems to change in different light. Abyssinians are usually lean, athletic cats with big ears and a lively curiosity, so a garden walk can be great enrichment when it's safe. Use a harness and leash or a fenced area, and keep an eye out for hazards common in autumn gardens, like fertilizers, slug bait, and moldy fallen fruit. Once Halloween arrives, carved pumpkins with lit candles inside are best kept well away from curious whiskers and tails.

For now, the pumpkins are uncarved and the afternoon is calm. Ruth and Saffron seem perfectly happy to simply wander through the patch together and pick out a favorite before the light fades.

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