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An elderly Black woman in a denim shirt hammers a weathered fence while a black cat sits nearby holding a stick in its mouth. 3 / 36

Grandma Was Fixing the Fence Alone. Licorice Showed Up With Supplies.

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Hammer in hand and reading glasses perched on her head, Grandma Odessa is bent over a weathered picket fence, tapping a loose board back into place. Her denim work shirt has the sleeves rolled up, and she's concentrating hard. Right beside her sits Licorice, holding a twig crosswise in his mouth like a tiny lumber delivery. His golden eyes look up at the camera with total seriousness, as if he's just waiting for her to notice his contribution. A green watering can, gloves, and potted herbs crowd the garden bed behind them.

Cats carrying objects around isn't just a dog thing. Some cats naturally pick up toys, hair ties, or sticks and bring them to their favorite people, a behavior often linked to play and hunting instincts. Certain cats even learn to fetch. If yours enjoys carrying things, you can encourage it with safe, cat-sized toys. Natural sticks are best kept as an occasional supervised novelty, since splinters can hurt mouths, and some plants and treated woods aren't safe to chew. And when you're doing yard work, keep nails, screws, and tools out of reach, because a curious cat can step on or swallow small hardware.

Whether Licorice's stick is a gift, a tool, or just a very important find, Odessa has a loyal assistant on the job. Fixing a fence goes a little slower with a helper like that, but it's hard to imagine she'd trade him for a faster crew.

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