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Smiling elderly man holding a large orange cat in his arms beside his wife in front of wooden porch steps 19 / 33

Toffee Made It All the Way Around the Block. Then He Made a Decision.

AI imageexotic shorthairporch stepsgrandparents

The walk is over, and someone has decided he is done with walking. Harold stands at the foot of the porch steps holding Toffee in both arms, the cat's chubby back legs and striped tail dangling down below his hands. Bev presses in close at his side, grinning at the sight, and both wear their matching cream sweaters against the cool afternoon. Toffee himself stares straight ahead with wide orange eyes and his usual solemn frown, looking less like a tired cat and more like a dignitary being escorted home. A garden bed, a chain-link fence and the gray siding of the house frame the scene.

Picking up a cat the right way makes the experience much more comfortable for everyone. The best approach is to support the body fully: one hand under the chest behind the front legs, and the other under the hindquarters so the back legs are not left hanging. Heavy, solid breeds like the Exotic Shorthair especially appreciate that rear support. Never lift a cat by the scruff or by the front legs alone. For older adults, it is wise to lift with bent knees and keep the cat close to the body, or simply let the cat walk on its own if it is heavy. A cat that relaxes in your arms, as Toffee seems to, is showing a good deal of trust.

Toffee did all the hard work of sniffing the neighborhood, after all. A ride up the steps seems like fair payment.

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Elderly couple asleep head to head on a green blanket on the lawn with an orange cat sleeping curled against themHarold and Bev Lay Down on the Lawn for Five Minutes. Toffee Had Bigger Plans.Elderly couple painting a garden scene at a wooden easel in a backyard while an orange cat sits in the grass beside themHarold and Bev Set Up the Easel Outside. Toffee Picked His Spot Right Next to It.
Elderly couple in cream snowflake sweaters lifting an orange cat toward a window with a snowy yard outsideHarold and Bev Heard the Snow Start. Toffee Got the Best View in the House.Elderly couple repairing a wooden fence with a hammer while an orange cat holds a stick in his mouth in the foregroundHarold Said He Could Fix the Fence Alone. Toffee Had Brought Equipment.Elderly couple asleep leaning together on a porch swing under a blanket with an orange cat curled on their lapsThe Porch Swing Was Meant for Two. Toffee Had Already Made It Three.Elderly couple in cable-knit sweaters in a vintage truck cab with an orange cat sitting on the seat in front of themHarold Started the Truck. Toffee Was Already Sitting in the Middle Seat.