Browse ›
An older woman in glasses and an apron works a landscape jigsaw puzzle while a grey Sphynx cat sits on a chair watching. 23 / 39

Abuela Rosa Was One Piece Away From Finishing the Hills. Someone Was Watching Closely.

AI imagesphynx catjigsaw puzzlekitchen table

A landscape puzzle is slowly coming together on the round wooden table, a patch of green hills and blue sky already in place at one corner, with dozens of loose pieces scattered around it. Abuela Rosa leans over the work in her grey sweater and floral apron, glasses on, carefully testing a piece with her fingertips. Seated on a woven chair at the edge of the table, perfectly upright, is Chispa. The grey Sphynx watches the puzzle with her head tilted, ears forward, tail wrapped neatly around her toes, looking every bit like a patient advisor. Behind them, a dish rack, a potted succulent, and a bowl of lemons brighten the kitchen counter.

Quiet hobbies like puzzles are a popular way for older adults to keep the mind engaged, and a calm pet nearby can make the afternoon feel companionable. Cats, for their part, often enjoy simply being in the same room as their people, watching from a favorite perch. Puzzle pieces are tempting to bat around, though, and small cardboard bits can be chewed or swallowed. A puzzle board with a cover, or a quick tidy-up before leaving the room, saves both the puzzle and the cat's stomach. Giving the cat its own chair, as Rosa has done, is a smart way to keep paws off the table.

Chispa hasn't found a single edge piece yet, but her moral support is impeccable. Every puzzle goes faster with a friend watching.

More from this collection

All 39 →
An older woman in a floral apron smiles while holding a grey Sphynx cat in a living room with a record player behind her.Abuela Rosa Put On Her Favorite Old Record. Chispa Had Her Own Way of Listening.An older woman shapes cookie dough at a floury counter as a grey Sphynx cat and an orange tabby cat watch closely.Abuela Rosa Started Baking Cookies. Her Kitchen Suddenly Had Two Supervisors.
An older woman in a floral apron paints flowers at a wooden easel while a grey Sphynx cat lies curled beside it.Abuela Rosa Set Up Her Easel in the Garden. Someone Claimed the Spot Right Beneath It.An older woman in a puffy coat and floral apron shovels snow at dusk while a grey Sphynx cat paws at the snowbank beside her.Abuela Rosa Was Clearing the Snowy Walk. A Hairless Helper Had Questions About It.An older woman in glasses plays checkers on a porch while a grey Sphynx cat rests its chin on the wooden table edge.Abuela Rosa Set Up the Checkerboard. Her Opponent Rested Her Chin on the Table.An older woman holds a handful of seed near a wooden bird feeder full of sparrows while a grey Sphynx cat sits watching.Six Little Sparrows on the Feeder, and One Hairless Cat Sitting Very Still