It certainly looks like a moment of pure bliss for Mr. Duke, doesn’t it?

Duke and I have been in a real battle of wits, and he’s been winning. I feed in separately in order to manage his food intake and give him the twice daily insulin shots. But when I open the door, he wanders out, looks innocent, and as soon as I’m not looking goes to the food dish of the nearest cat and tries to finish any leftovers. Then, repeat. Cat meal times become a complex dance, as I try to monitor the eight cats and what they’ve eaten or haven’t eaten. Duke and Silverman eat too much and have to be monitored. Wally needs to be encouraged to eat more, which often entails standing between her and Silverman until she’s done. Harriet is usually outside, a little spooked by the other cats, and hoping to finish a meal before she’s displaced at the trough by one of the others. Romeo loudly protests if his appetite isn’t satiated. And so on.

But here, Duke looks so happy, without a care in the world, at least in that moment. A treasure!