Browse ›
Gray-haired woman sips iced lemonade on a wooden porch while a gray Russian Blue cat lounges across her lap. 14 / 38

It Was Too Hot to Move, So Grandma and Sterling Settled the Matter Together

AI imagerussian bluelemonadesummer porch

Ice cubes clink in a tall glass of lemonade as Grandma Dottie takes a long, cool sip, eyes half-closed against the summer heat. Her porch is shaded by leafy branches, and the wooden boards and railing glow softly in the afternoon. Sprawled across her lap is Sterling, stretched out in full relaxation with one paw draped over her arm, his green-gold eyes drifting toward the yard. The cardigan may be a little warm for the season, but neither of them looks ready to move.

Hot days call for a little extra care for pets. Cats generally handle warmth better than many dogs, but they can still overheat, so shade and fresh water are important. Keep an extra water bowl outside if your cat spends time on the porch, and change it often so it stays cool and clean. Signs a cat is too hot can include panting, drooling or restlessness, and any of those warrant moving them somewhere cooler and calling your vet. Citrus is not a treat for cats, so lemonade should stay with the humans. Dense-coated breeds like the Russian Blue may enjoy lounging in a cool, shaded spot rather than direct sun on the hottest afternoons.

With a breeze in the trees and a cat purring in her lap, Dottie has found the best seat in the neighborhood. Summer doesn't get much sweeter than this.

More from this collection

All 38 →
Elderly woman in a knit cardigan sits on a covered porch watching heavy rain, a gray Russian Blue cat seated beside her.The Rain Wouldn't Stop, and Grandma Found the Best Company to Wait It OutSmiling woman at a lace-covered table with teacups and cookies faces a gray Russian Blue cat resting a paw on the cloth.Grandma Set Out the Lace Tablecloth for Tea. Her Guest Arrived on Four Paws.
Woman kneels in garden soil planting a tomato seedling while a gray Russian Blue cat paws at the dirt next to her hands.Grandma Was Planting Tomatoes. Sterling Decided He Knew a Better Way to Dig.Smiling older woman holds a rake as a gray Russian Blue cat bounds through a pile of autumn leaves, leaves flying in the air.Grandma Worked Hard on the Perfect Leaf Pile. Sterling Noticed.Older woman stirs cookie dough in a metal bowl on a floury counter as a gray Russian Blue cat licks its lips beside her.Grandma Was Mixing a Bowl of Cookie Dough. Then She Noticed Sterling's Tongue.Older woman sprinkles feed toward mallard ducks at a pond while a gray Russian Blue cat sits calmly on the stone ledge.A Cat at the Duck Pond Sounds Like Trouble. Sterling Had Other Plans.