Browse ›
Smiling woman in a cardigan and rubber boots shovels a snowy driveway while a gray Russian Blue cat paws at the shovel. 21 / 38

The Driveway Was Covered in Fresh Snow, and Grandma's Shovel Had a Challenger

AI imagerussian bluesnow daywinter

The first real snow of the season has blanketed the backyard and driveway, and Grandma Dottie is out early in her cardigan and black rubber boots, pushing a wide shovel through the fresh powder. She's laughing, because every scoop is being challenged by Sterling. The Russian Blue has crouched low in the snowbank and is swatting at the shovel's edge with one paw, sending little puffs of white flying. A snow-capped garden shed, a stack of firewood and a weathered fence frame the wintry scene.

Snow can be great fun for cats in short doses, and Russian Blues, with their thick double coats, may handle a quick romp better than some breeds. Still, a few winter precautions matter. Keep outdoor time brief and supervised, and bring your cat in if they start shivering or holding up their paws. Ice-melt salts and chemicals can irritate paw pads and are harmful if licked, so wipe your cat's feet with a damp cloth after they come inside, or use a pet-safe ice melt. Antifreeze is especially dangerous; it tastes sweet to animals and is highly toxic, so clean up any drips in the driveway right away.

The driveway may take twice as long to clear with this kind of help. But nobody minds a little extra time outside when the company is this entertaining.

More from this collection

All 38 →
Older woman sorts black-and-white family photos on a wooden table as a gray cat leans in to sniff them.Grandma Spread Decades of Family Photos Across the Table. Sterling Found One He Liked.Older woman reaches up to pick a red apple while a gray Russian Blue cat sniffs fallen apples in the grass below.Grandma Was Picking Apples. Sterling Was More Interested in the Ones on the Ground.
Smiling gray-haired woman holds a gray Russian Blue cat in her arms in front of vegetable stalls at an outdoor market.Grandma Went to the Farmers Market, but She Didn't Bring a Shopping BasketOlder woman gently washes a wet gray Russian Blue cat sitting in a sudsy galvanized metal tub in a backyard.Grandma Filled the Old Metal Tub With Suds. Sterling Already Knew What Was Coming.Smiling older woman holds a vanilla ice cream cone toward a gray Russian Blue cat sniffing it at a kitchen table.Grandma Treated Herself to a Vanilla Cone. Sterling Got Very Close, Very Fast.Older woman in glasses stretches on a green yoga mat while a gray Russian Blue cat stretches low beside her hands.Grandma Rolled Out Her Yoga Mat for Morning Stretches and Got an Unexpected Partner