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A white-haired grandmother scatters feed for ducks at a pond's edge while a Siamese cat sits beside her watching. 9 / 36

The Ducks Knew Grandma Edie Had Grain. They Didn't Notice Who Came With Her.

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Evening is settling over the little pond near the houses, and the ducks know exactly who has arrived. Grandma Edie stands at the water's edge in her olive quilted vest and a chunky cream sweater, letting a handful of grain trickle from her fingers into the ripples. A mallard drake and several brown hens paddle closer, and one bold duck has swum right up to the splash. Sitting by her knee, Miso watches the whole scene with her ears pricked and her blue eyes wide. She has not moved a whisker, but her focus is total. Porch lights are starting to glow on the brick house across the water.

When feeding ducks, what you offer matters. Bread is a common habit, but it has little nutritional value for waterfowl and leftover bread can foul ponds. Better options include cracked corn, oats, birdseed, chopped lettuce, or peas, given in small amounts. Some parks discourage feeding altogether, so it is worth checking local rules. Bringing a cat near wildlife also calls for care. Even a calm cat has a strong hunting instinct, and ducks and ducklings can be stressed or hurt. A harness and leash, or simply keeping your cat at a respectful distance, protects everyone.

Miso seems to understand that tonight she is only a spectator. Edie scatters the last of the grain, the ducks drift off into the dusk, and two friends turn back toward the warm lights of home.

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A white-haired grandmother holds seed out to sparrows at a wooden feeder while a Siamese cat sits calmly on a ledge.A Cat, a Bird Feeder, and a Dozen Sparrows. Grandma Edie Held Her Breath.A white-haired grandmother in a navy quilted vest gently bathes a wet, unhappy Siamese cat in a sudsy metal tub outdoors.Grandma Edie Filled the Old Metal Tub With Suds. Miso Had Not Agreed to This.
A smiling white-haired grandmother brushes a contented Siamese cat lying on a wooden step outside her back door.Miso Acts Independent All Day. Then Grandma Edie Picks Up the Brush.A white-haired grandmother pins white sheets to a clothesline as a Siamese cat leaps out from between them.Grandma Edie Was Pinning Up Clean Sheets When Something Burst Through ThemA white-haired grandmother knits on a sofa as a Siamese cat lies beside her completely tangled in loops of cream yarn.Grandma Edie Kept Knitting. She Had No Idea Where the Rest of the Yarn Went.A white-haired grandmother plays an old upright piano while a Siamese cat sits beside her on the wooden bench.Grandma Edie Sat Down at the Old Piano. Her Duet Partner Was Already on the Bench.