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An elderly Black woman in a plaid shirt picks red apples from a tree while a black cat sniffs fallen apples in the grass. 31 / 36

Grandma Odessa Was Picking Apples Up High. Licorice Was Busy Down Low.

AI imageblack catapple pickinggrandparents

The apple tree in the side yard is loaded this year. Grandma Odessa kneels in the grass in a green plaid flannel, one arm stretched high to twist a shiny red apple from a low branch, her gaze fixed on the next one up. Down at ground level, Licorice has found his own harvest. His nose is pressed against a cluster of fallen apples in the grass, golden eye peering sideways as he sniffs each one in turn. The tree's branches are heavy with fruit, a few spotted windfalls lie scattered around, and a white clapboard house stands in the background.

Cats are natural sniffers, and fallen fruit offers a buffet of interesting smells, from the apples themselves to the insects and critters they attract. A small piece of fresh apple flesh, without skin, core, or seeds, is generally considered safe for cats as an occasional treat, though most cats aren't very interested in fruit since they can't taste sweetness. Apple seeds, stems, and leaves are the parts to avoid, as they contain compounds that can be harmful to pets. Rotting windfalls can also ferment and attract wasps, so raking them up regularly keeps the yard safer for everyone.

Licorice probably won't take a bite, but he's making sure every apple on the ground has been properly inspected. It's an important job. Odessa handles the high branches; he handles quality control below. Together, they make a pretty efficient harvest crew.

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