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An elderly couple in cream sweaters plant tomato seedlings while a white Persian cat paws at a hole in the soil. 18 / 34

Grandma and Grandpa Were Planting Tomatoes. A Fluffy White Helper Started Digging.

AI imagepersian catgardeningtomatoes

The tomato stakes are in, the seedlings are going into neat little holes, and Frank and Edna are kneeling side by side in the garden bed, pressing the soil firm around each stem with their bare hands. Both are smiling down at their work in matching cream sweaters, with dirt on their knuckles and a trowel tucked nearby. Then there is Duchess. She has stepped right into the bed, white fur and all, and is pawing at a hole of her own, her flat face scrunched in concentration. A blue watering can and some pots wait by the fence in the background.

Cats are natural diggers, especially in soft, freshly turned soil, which unfortunately looks a lot like a giant litter box. If you want to protect a vegetable bed, try covering bare soil with mulch, chicken wire laid flat, or a few strategically placed stones, and consider giving your cat a designated sandy spot elsewhere. Tomato plant leaves and stems contain compounds that can upset a cat's stomach, so discourage nibbling. For a long-haired breed like a Persian, garden time also means extra brushing afterward to remove dirt, seeds, and burrs before they create mats.

Edna and Frank will plant their tomatoes, and Duchess will help in her own way. Come harvest time, they may have a few extra holes in the garden, but they will definitely have stories to tell.

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