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A white-haired woman works a crossword at a breakfast table while a ruddy Abyssinian cat sits on the table near the butter. 17 / 34

Grandma Ruth Was Stuck on Seven Across. Saffron Was Focused on Something Else.

AI imageabyssinian catcrosswordbreakfast table

Seven across has Grandma Ruth stumped. She sits at the breakfast table with her pencil hovering over the newspaper crossword, brow furrowed, green quilted vest over a soft gray tee. Her reading glasses lie folded on a napkin, which may explain part of the trouble. Saffron has taken a seat right on the table beside the puzzle, tall and elegant, but his attention is clearly not on the clues. Those golden eyes are angled toward the little plate of butter and the slices of toast waiting nearby, while a cup of milky coffee steams in the foreground. Morning light from the window catches the dish rack and the white cabinets behind them.

Many cats are fascinated by butter, cream, and milk, but dairy is not a great everyday treat for them. Lots of adult cats do not digest lactose well, and rich, fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach. A tiny lick now and then is unlikely to be a disaster for most healthy cats, but the classic picture of a cat lapping a saucer of milk is not the best model to follow. Fresh water and a balanced cat food are what they actually need. If your cat begs at the table, offering a cat-safe treat away from your plate can help redirect the habit. When in doubt about any human food, talk to your vet.

Ruth will eventually remember where she put her glasses and solve seven across. Whether the butter survives Saffron's patient stakeout is a different question entirely.

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