Browse ›
A tiny tortoiseshell kitten leans over a wicker basket of golden dinner rolls to sniff them on a kitchen counter. 10 / 23

The Dinner Rolls Came Out Warm, and a Tiny Tortoiseshell Couldn't Resist

AI imagetortoiseshell kittenthanksgivingdinner rolls

That smell of fresh-baked bread is impossible to ignore, even for someone only a few weeks old. A tiny tortoiseshell kitten, her coat a patchwork of black, ginger, and caramel, has climbed right up to the edge of a wicker basket lined with linen and pressed her nose against a golden dinner roll. Her eyes are half closed in deep concentration. The rest of the counter is dressed for the holiday, with small white and orange pumpkins, a plaid napkin, eucalyptus sprigs, a cutting board with a knife, a stack of cloth napkins, and a potted plant.

Tortoiseshell cats, often called torties, get their mottled coloring from the same genetics that create calicos, which is why the vast majority are female. People often joke about tortie attitude, saying these cats are spirited and opinionated, but personality varies from cat to cat. As for the rolls, a small bite of plain baked bread isn't toxic to cats, but it isn't nutritious for them either. The bigger concern is raw yeast dough, which can expand in the stomach and produce alcohol as it ferments. If you're baking at home, keep rising dough well out of reach of curious kittens.

This little tortie seems more interested in smelling than eating, at least for now. The rolls are warm, the kitchen is cozy, and she has clearly found the most delicious spot on the counter.

More from this collection

All 23 →
A round-faced gray Exotic Shorthair kitten wears a collar of orange autumn leaves while sitting on a front walkway.A Gray Kitten Stepped Out Front Wearing a Ruff Made of Autumn LeavesA round-faced red tabby Exotic Shorthair kitten sits on a counter staring at a golden pie cooling on a wire rack.The Pie Was Cooling on the Rack. It Attracted Exactly One Admirer.
A fluffy seal point Birman kitten sits in autumn leaves on a lawn while a family plays football in the background.The Family Football Game Was in Full Swing. The Front-Row Fan Got Distracted.A fluffy cream Persian kitten sits on a dinner table gazing upward beside a plate of buttery mashed potatoes.Big Round Eyes, a Tiny Pink Nose, and a Plate of Buttery Mashed PotatoesA cream Birman kitten with dark ears and blue eyes sits on a wooden floor beside stacked firewood and orange pumpkins.Four Pumpkins Lined Up by the Firewood, and One Tiny Fan Couldn't Look AwayA small blue point Siamese kitten crouches on a wooden table staring intently at a single green bean.One Green Bean Escaped the Bowl and Became the Most Important Thing in the Room