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An elderly man in a blue plaid shirt sits on a wooden dock with his feet in a lake beside a cream Exotic Shorthair cat. 2 / 29

Earl Dipped His Feet in the Lake. Custard Had a Firm Opinion About That.

AI imageexotic shorthairlake dockgrandparents

Earl has rolled up his trouser legs and let his bare feet sink into the cool lake water, ripples spreading out from his ankles. He leans toward Custard with a grin that crinkles every line on his face, as if he has just told her a very good joke. The cream Exotic Shorthair sits squarely on the weathered planks, paws neatly together, fur glowing in the late sun. She is close enough to keep him company and far enough from the edge to make her opinion of the water perfectly clear.

Most cats are not fans of getting wet, and there are a few sensible reasons. A soaked coat is heavy, slow to dry, and can leave a cat chilly, and many cats simply prefer to feel in control of their footing. Dense-coated breeds like the Exotic Shorthair take an especially long time to dry. If you bring a cat near open water, keep them on a harness and leash, never leave them unattended on a dock, and offer shade and fresh water on warm days, since flat-faced breeds can overheat more easily than others. A cat that seems stressed is telling you it would rather be indoors, and that is a fine answer.

Still, there is something sweet about a cat who will come all the way to the end of the dock just to sit beside her person, dry paws and all. Earl gets the cool water, Custard gets the company, and everyone wins.

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An elderly man in plaid washes a dark car with a hose while a cream Exotic Shorthair stands up and swats at the spray.Earl Just Wanted to Wash the Old Car. Custard Wanted to Fight the Hose.A white-haired grandpa reads aloud from a paperback book to a cream Exotic Shorthair cat sitting beside him on the couch.Earl Started Reading His Old Paperback Out Loud. One Listener Showed Up.A grandpa with glasses on his head sips lemonade on a wooden deck while a cream Exotic Shorthair sits in front of him.Earl Poured a Cold Lemonade on the Deck. Custard Gave Him That Look.An elderly man in a red plaid shirt whittles wood on a porch as shavings fall near a cream Exotic Shorthair.Earl Sat Down to Whittle on the Porch. The Wood Shavings Got an Audience.