A Norwegian Forest Cat Is Very Busy Not Looking at the Bread
Crumbs tell the whole story. A fluffy silver Norwegian Forest Cat sits very upright on the kitchen counter, head turned stiffly to the side, studying the far wall with great interest. Beside her paws lies a torn loaf of crusty bread, its soft middle pulled out and sprinkled across the granite. A butter knife, a folded blue towel, and a bowl with a few blueberries sit nearby.
Her long coat looks like frosted smoke, her fur tufts out around her chest, and her bushy tail curls on the counter behind her. The kitchen glows with warm window light, a potted plant on the counter, a cutting board in the background. We'll call her Marnie. She has not looked at the bread once, and that, of course, is the giveaway.
Cats are masters of the innocent look, but counters are a natural draw. They like high places for a good view, and anything that smells like food is worth a closer look. Bread in tiny amounts is not usually dangerous, but it offers little nutrition, and raw dough is a serious risk because it can expand in the stomach. Other foods, like grapes, onions, and chocolate, are toxic to cats. Keep tempting food in a cupboard or covered, and give your cat her own perch, like a tall cat tree, so she can watch the kitchen without being in it. Norwegian Forest Cats are strong climbers, so it helps to have a plan. If she ate more than a nibble of anything unusual, call your vet.
Marnie keeps looking away, calm as a statue, certain that nobody noticed the crumbs on her whiskers.
