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A cream Exotic Shorthair cat leans toward a plate of cookies and a glass of milk on a wooden table with crumbs. 15 / 24

The Cookies and Milk Were Left Out, and a Cream Cat Moved In Close

AI imageexotic shorthaircookies and milkchristmas eve

Cookies and a glass of milk, the classic offering for Santa, sit on the table, and the cream Exotic Shorthair is giving them a very serious inspection. His flat face is tilted down, his whiskers nearly touch the plate and a scattering of crumbs shows that someone has been here before. A plaid blanket, a gift wrapped in twine and a mug fill the cozy scene behind him.

The glass of milk is a charming tradition, but milk is not ideal for most cats. Many adult cats are lactose intolerant and can get an upset stomach from dairy. The cookies are a bigger concern if they contain chocolate, raisins or nuts, which are unsafe for pets. Cats are meat eaters and do not need sweets, so a few bites of cat food make a better reward. Exotic Shorthairs are calm, affectionate cats, but they can still be curious. Keep treats on a high counter and clean up crumbs after Santa's visit.

We'll call him Biscuit. He's studying the plate with the intensity of a tiny food critic, though he probably won't take a bite. Perhaps he is simply guarding the cookies for Santa, who will, in all likelihood, be very grateful for such a thorough inspection. It's a tiny holiday drama with no real villain, only a curious cat, a sweet smell and the tradition of leaving a snack for a very busy visitor.

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