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A smiling grandmother holds half a sandwich while a large tabby Maine Coon leans in toward it on a weathered garden bench. 35 / 36

A Garden Bench Lunch Gets Very Serious Attention From Maple

AI imagemaine coonsandwichgarden

Lunch outside has drawn an audience. Nora sits on a weathered garden bench in her chunky cream cardigan, holding half a sandwich with lettuce and a filling of some kind, her smile gentle and knowing. Maple the Maine Coon has settled right next to her, sitting tall with her long striped fur fluffed and her nose a whisker from the bread. A wooden fence and green plants fill the background, and dry leaves lie scattered across the bench and ground.

Maine Coons are big cats with hearty appetites, and the smell of a sandwich is hard for any cat to ignore. It is best to keep people food to a minimum, though. Deli meats, cheeses and bread often contain too much salt or fat for a cat, and onions, garlic and certain spreads are harmful. If you want to share a taste, a tiny piece of plain cooked chicken is usually safer, but treats should only make up a small part of her diet. Maine Coons can also gain weight easily, so measured portions matter. Talk to your vet about what to feed and how much, and keep lunch above nose level.

Nora considers her next bite. Maple considers it too. The garden is peaceful and the bench is warm, and a good negotiation takes its time. In the end the cat will get her own special snack and Nora will keep her sandwich. A shared lunch outdoors, even when only one of you is eating, is a pleasure all its own.

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A smiling grandmother and a large tabby Maine Coon sit on a wooden dock beside a fishing rod and tackle at dawn.Nora and Maple Spent a Misty Morning at the Pond Before the Fish WokeA silver-haired grandmother in a cardigan smiles at a large brown tabby Maine Coon cat at a lace-covered table with tea.Maple the Maine Coon Takes a Seat at Grandma Nora's Tea Table
A grandmother in a cable-knit cardigan flips pancakes in a pan while a large tabby Maine Coon sits beside the stove.The Pancake Was Mid-Flip and Maple Was Watching Every MoveA grandmother in glasses waters pink and purple flowers while a large brown tabby Maine Coon sits in the flower bed.Nora Watered the Flowers and Maple Took Her Seat in the BedA grandmother with a hammer repairs a wooden fence while a large tabby Maine Coon holds a nail in her mouth.Nora Reached for a Nail and Maple Already Had One ReadyA smiling grandmother holds a bowl of popcorn while a large brown tabby Maine Coon sniffs it on a cozy couch.A Bowl of Popcorn Never Had a Chance Against Maple's Nose