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A grandma with a silver braid holds out a vanilla ice cream cone as a black Maine Coon cat sniffs and licks the scoop. 23 / 24

It Was Too Hot to Do Anything Except Eat Ice Cream, So Grandma Nell Shared

AI imagemaine coonice creamsummer

Late afternoon sun slants through the window, turning the room honey colored and lighting up Nell's silver braid and the edges of Onyx's dark fur. It has been a sticky, sweltering day, and Nell has treated herself to a small vanilla cone, the scoop already softening in the heat. She holds it out with a tender, slightly mischievous smile, and Onyx leans in close, whiskers fanned forward, nose and tongue just touching the cool cream. His golden eye is wide with interest. In the background, a houseplant sits on the side table and a rumpled blanket lies across the bed, all of it glowing in that soft summer light.

Despite the classic image of cats lapping up milk, most adult cats are lactose intolerant, meaning dairy can cause stomach upset, gas, or diarrhea. Ice cream also contains sugar and fat that cats do not need, and some flavors, especially chocolate or anything with xylitol, raisins, or nuts, can be dangerous. A tiny lick of plain vanilla is unlikely to cause harm, but it is best not to make it a habit. For a cool summer treat, many cats enjoy a lick of plain, cat-safe broth frozen into small cubes, or a few chilled bites of their regular wet food.

Onyx clearly enjoyed his little taste of summer, and Nell clearly enjoyed sharing it. The rest of the cone will be hers, of course, but this one sweet moment belongs to both of them.

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