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An older man in glasses and overalls spreads old black-and-white photos on a table while a white cat sniffs at them. 35 / 35

Grandpa Spread Decades of Old Family Photos Across the Table

AI imagewhite catfamily photosmemories

Dozens of old black-and-white photographs are fanned across the kitchen table, some with scalloped edges and faded corners, faces from decades ago looking up from every one. Hank leans over them in his chambray shirt and overalls, glasses low, gently sliding one picture aside to see another underneath. His expression is soft and absorbed. Cotton has come over to help, standing at the table's edge and lowering her pink nose to sniff the nearest print, whiskers brushing the paper. A glass of tea, a folded towel and a blue blanket over a chair complete the quiet afternoon.

A cat's sense of smell is far keener than ours, and it plays a big role in how they understand their world. Old papers and photographs carry layers of scent from hands, drawers and time, so they can be fascinating to a curious nose. Cats also have a special scent organ in the roof of the mouth, sometimes called the vomeronasal or Jacobson's organ, which they use to analyze certain smells more closely. When a cat opens its mouth slightly and seems to grimace while sniffing, that is often what it is doing. For anyone handling precious keepsakes, it is wise to keep drinks and curious paws at a safe distance, since a single swat can send a fragile old photo flying.

Hank is taking a trip back through the years, and Cotton seems determined to sniff out every story along the way.

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