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A smiling grandpa in a plaid shirt sits at a lace-covered table with tea and cookies while a cream Exotic Shorthair watches. 3 / 29

Earl Set Out Tea and Butter Cookies. Custard Took Her Seat at the Table.

AI imageexotic shorthairafternoon teagrandparents

Steam curls up from a flowered teacup, a plate of golden butter cookies sits within easy reach, and the lace tablecloth is laid out like it is Sunday. Earl beams across the table, plainly delighted with his afternoon guest. Custard, for her part, has placed both cream paws on the lace and fixed her copper eyes on something just out of frame, possibly the cookies, possibly a bird at the window. A used tea bag rests on a saucer, a folded napkin waits by the spoon, and family photos look down from the shelf behind them.

Tea time with a cat is lovely, but it helps to know what is safe to share. Tea contains caffeine, which is not good for cats, so keep cups out of reach and do not let them lap from a saucer. Cookies are also best kept for people, especially anything with chocolate, raisins, or the sweetener xylitol, all of which can be dangerous for pets. Milk is a common myth too, since many adult cats do not digest lactose well. A few of your cat's usual treats on a little plate of her own lets her join the ritual without the risks. If you are ever unsure about a food, your vet is the best person to ask.

Custard may never get a cookie, but she clearly has a standing invitation. Some friendships are built on long talks, and some on quiet afternoons at the same table.

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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.A grandpa in glasses and a red plaid shirt sews a blue patchwork quilt while a cream Exotic Shorthair sleeps on the fabric.Earl Was Halfway Through Stitching the Blue Quilt When Custard Moved In