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Grandma with curly grey hair and glasses plants a tomato seedling as a fluffy orange cat digs a hole in the soil next to her. 6 / 27

Opal Was Planting Tomatoes When Dirt Started Flying From the Left

AI imageorange longhair catgardeningbackyard

Opal kneels at the edge of the freshly turned garden bed, pressing dark soil gently around a young tomato seedling. She's wearing a moss-green cardigan, her reading glasses low on her nose and her grey curls tumbling every which way. Just to her left, Butterscotch has gotten to work on a project of his own. The big orange longhair is crouched with his fluffy tail curled high and one front paw scooping energetically at the soil, digging a hole that may or may not be meant for the next plant. Bits of dirt cling to his long fur. A blue bin, a clay pot, and a weathered fence surround the yard.

Many cats love fresh garden soil because it's soft, cool, and smells interesting, and digging is a natural behavior tied to burying waste and exploring. Unfortunately, that can mean newly planted beds get used as a litter box. Gardeners often cover beds with chicken wire, pine cones, or rough mulch to discourage digging, and provide a sandy corner elsewhere that cats are welcome to use. Tomato plants deserve a caution too: their leaves and stems contain compounds that can upset a cat's stomach if chewed. Wearing gloves while gardening is a good habit, especially in soil cats visit.

Butterscotch might not be the most precise gardener, but his enthusiasm is undeniable. Opal will have a lovely tomato patch by summer, with a little extra help along the way.

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