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A reddish-brown Abyssinian cat looks down at four sleeping yellow ducklings curled up in a wicker basket. 17 / 22

An Abyssinian Stands Guard Over a Basket of Sleeping Ducklings

AI imageabyssinianducklingssleeping basket

A wicker basket lined with a soft gray cloth holds four ducklings fast asleep, their heads tucked onto each other's backs. Above them, a slim, reddish-brown cat peers down with serious, watchful eyes. His ears are tall and alert and his coat has the warm, ticked look of a ripe apricot. In the background, a gray couch, a green blanket and a few slippers show that this is a lived-in living room. The cat seems to be on night shift, even though it is bright daytime.

Abyssinians are lean, athletic cats with a ticked coat, where each hair has bands of different color. They are known to be intelligent, curious and playful, and they often like to be high up, watching everything. Many Abys enjoy interactive toys and puzzle games, and they do best with plenty of attention. A cat with this much curiosity can also be a clever escape artist. Real ducklings need to stay warm and safe, so they're best kept in a brooder, with any cat contact watched carefully by a person.

This basket has all the signs of a well-protected nursery. The babies sleep, the guard stays awake, and the household keeps moving around them. It is a small, quiet kind of devotion, the sort that doesn't ask for any thanks. Even the sleepiest afternoon seems safe with someone like that on duty, and nobody in the room seems to doubt it.

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