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An older man in a fishing vest sits on a pickup truck tailgate beside a silver tabby cat at the edge of a field. 33 / 35

Grandpa Hank Dropped the Tailgate to Rest. His Silver Tabby Hopped Up Too.

AI imagesilver tabbypickup truckcountryside

The workday is winding down at the edge of the field, and the old pickup has become a resting bench. Grandpa Hank sits on the dusty tailgate in khaki pants, a plaid shirt, and his olive fishing vest, pliers and pens tucked into the chest pocket. He leans toward Pewter with a warm, crinkled smile under his bushy white mustache. The silver tabby sits upright on the ridged truck bed beside him, tail curled neatly around his paws, looking up at Hank with calm attention. Beyond them, wooden fence posts line a hazy pasture, a black bucket sits in the grass, and farm tools lean against a shed.

Truck beds and tailgates are fine for a quiet sit, but they are never a safe way for a cat to travel. A cat riding loose in a truck bed, or even in the cab, can be thrown or escape if startled. When transporting a cat, always use a secure, well-ventilated carrier belted into the seat. Hot metal surfaces are another concern; in summer, truck beds can get hot enough to burn paw pads, so check by touch before letting a cat sit there. Rural areas offer exciting smells and sights, but they also have farm machinery, wildlife, and chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. Keeping your cat close, supervised, and identified with a microchip and collar tag goes a long way toward a safe afternoon in the country.

Today, though, nobody is going anywhere. Hank and Pewter are content to sit together on the tailgate and watch the quiet field as the afternoon slips away.

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