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A smiling white-haired grandmother holds a fishing rod on a wooden dock as a Siamese cat nuzzles her arm. 24 / 36

The Fish Weren't Biting at the Old Dock. Grandma Edie Didn't Mind One Bit.

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The line is cast, the water is still, and the fish are taking their time. That is fine with Miso, who has found a better use for the wait. She sits on the weathered planks of the old wooden dock and presses her face against Grandma Edie's arm, eyes closed in a contented nuzzle. Edie holds her fishing rod steady with one hand and smiles down through her glasses, dressed in an olive quilted vest over a blue plaid shirt, her white hair swept up. Reeds sway at the water's edge, the far shore is lined with trees, and the low sun puts a warm glow on everything.

Cats are naturally interested in fish, which makes a fishing trip both fascinating and a little hazardous for them. Fishhooks, lures, and fishing line are real dangers: a cat can swallow a hook or get line wrapped around a paw or tangled in its mouth. Keep tackle boxes closed, never leave baited lines unattended, and pick up loose line. Raw fish can also carry parasites, so it should not be shared. Docks bring their own risk of falls into the water; a cat that is not used to the outdoors is safest on a harness and leash or watching from the shore.

No fish has bitten yet, but Edie does not look disappointed. With a warm cat leaning into her arm and the evening light on the water, the trip is already a success.

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