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An older man with a white mustache sits at a lace-covered tea table with cookies while a silver tabby cat sits in front. 4 / 35

Grandpa Hank Set Out the Lace Tablecloth for Tea. Pewter Showed Up Very Formally.

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Afternoon tea is a surprisingly formal affair at Grandpa Hank's place. He sits at a small table draped in white lace, wearing his olive fishing vest over a gray sweater, a cup of tea and a plate of round butter cookies in front of him, a milk jug standing by. His white mustache frames a broad, contented smile. In the foreground, Pewter sits tall and dignified, his silver striped coat gleaming, chin lifted and green-gold eyes gazing past the table as if waiting for the proper moment to be served. A potted plant sits on the windowsill, and a blanket hangs over the back of a wooden chair.

Tea time often comes with a milk jug, but the old image of cats lapping up saucers of milk is a bit misleading. Most adult cats are at least somewhat lactose intolerant, because they produce less of the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar after kittenhood. A few laps may not bother some cats, but larger amounts can cause stomach upset. Cookies are not a great idea either, since they are full of sugar and fat and offer nothing a cat needs. If you would like your cat to join the ritual, a few pieces of their regular kibble or a cat treat on a little saucer of their own works nicely. Fresh water should always be available, and some cats drink more readily from a wide, shallow bowl.

Pewter may not get a teacup of his own, but he has clearly secured a place at the table, and that seems to be the part he cares about most.

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