Thankful Thimble Thursday: Striking Poses in the Sun

Hello, friends! Thimble is of course here and ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for how cute she is no matter what pose she strikes. Even when she does a belly roll and ends up with her face against the window, she's still downright adorable. See?

Thimble is of course also thankful for that sunshine. After accidentally landing that pose, she decided it was a perfectly good one for warming up her tummy. So, she stayed just like that for quite a while.

As always, Thimble welcomes you all to give her a little belly rub. She loves belly rubs so very much.

Happy Thursday, friends!

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Now, let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. Anyone who can _________ is a genius in my book.

2. I find _________ boring.

3. I wish I had _________'s ability to _________.

4. _________ often distracts me from _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodles of the Day

For last year's April A to Z Challenge, I scribbled up all sorts of cat-shaped things. So, how about we re-share a few of those today?

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Tip of the Day

Today we have the last tip in our litter box series. This tip is to consider using some sort of litter mat or tray, in order to keep your home environment free of as much rogue litter as possible. Litter often comes out of the box when our kitties dig and dig in the litter, or on our kitties' paws when they leave the box. This can ultimately result in litter not only outside of the box, but also throughout the house. To combat this, try placing a litter mat or tray under or outside of the litter box. There are such mats and trays available on the market, which are specifically designed to catch stray pieces of litter so that it can't as easily travel throughout the rest of the house. For a cheaper option, though, you can also use a rug to catch litter, or you can even try something such as a boot tray. Another option is to place the litter box within a larger container, such as a giant storage container or a kiddie pool. This would allow for rogue litter to remain in that outer container, rather than spreading throughout the house.

All of the above being said, litter mats and trays may not always be able to trap every piece of litter. So, to further help keep litter at bay and your house clean, do be sure to sweep up stray litter as often as possible. It's not a bad idea to make a habit of sweeping up rogue litter each time you scoop the box.

There are a number of options for helping keep stray litter from spreading throughout the house. You can buy specifically designed litter mats or trays, you can try a similar makeshift option, and you can of course keep a broom at the ready in the litter area. Of course, do make sure that any mats, trays, or other methods you use do not deter your kitty from using the litter box in the first place.

Not So Dizzy Adventures with Astrid

We mentioned last week how pup Astrid was having a flare of her vestibular disease. That of course made her dizzy, unsteady on her feet, and all that not so fun jazz. Astrid has improved a lot, though, enough to enjoy outdoor time without falling over.

Astrid has had multiple flares of her vestibular disease over the past 8 or so months, but this most recent one was the worst. It usually takes her at least a couple weeks to act more like her old gal self again. It's been a bit over a week, and though she's not back to how she was before this flare, Astrid is indeed feeling much better nonetheless.

It doesn't help that Astrid really hates hot summer weather. What's more, her vestibular issues do often seem worse in the summer. So, having such a gnarly flare of it in July and August wasn't the most fun thing for the poor pup to experience. Again, though, she is already feeling a lot better, for which I'm very grateful.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Believe it or not, we still have a couple tips left in our litter box series. Today's tip is to consider regularly replacing litter boxes as they grow old and overused. Some cat care professionals recommend brand new litter boxes on a yearly basis. At the very least, do take note of how old your cat's litter box is and what shape it's in, and replace it as needed.

There are a couple of considerations to make when deciding whether or when to replace a litter box. First, keep in mind that plastic litter boxes can become adorned with scrapes and scratches from cat claws, and those scratches on plastic litter boxes can ultimately harbor a variety of microbes. This can, of course, ultimately lead to potentially unsanitary conditions within the litter box. In addition to that, ammonia and other components of excrement can potentially leach into the plastic of litter boxes over time. This can make lingering odors, such as that of urine, more or less permanent, which could very well be unpleasant to those sharp noises of our kitties. The aforementioned are just two reasons why regularly replacing old litter boxes may indeed be a good idea. As we've said before, maintaining a fresh, clean litter box can be crucial to sharing your home with a happy, healthy feline.

Toesies and Tongue on Tonks Tuesday

Hello, friends! It's Tuesday, as in Tonks Tuesday. And today, the calico is here to show off her adorable toesies and tongue.

There's nothing like a good ol' tongue bath in the sun. Is that what they mean by sunbathing? Because if this is sunbathing, Tonks is a pro at it.

Happy Tuesday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today we have yet another flashback doodle from an old series starring Edgar Allan Poe and his tortie Catterina. This one was inspired by one of my all-time favorite stories by Poe, that being The Fall of the House of Usher.

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Tip of the Day

We're still making our way through our tips on litter boxes. Today's tip is a quick and simple one, and it's to use the times you scoop and clean the litter box wisely. In other words, use your litter scooping time to be observant of your kitty's urine and feces. Are there any changes to the urine or stool volume or frequency? Is it a different color? Is there blood or mucus in it? Is the stool especially hard, or especially soft or runny? What about the odor? Excrement never smells particularly nice, but is there any new change in its smell? Try to always be observant of these types of things when you're scooping your cat's litter box. After all, some diseases will have symptoms that show up in the litter box, and so it is indeed important to make sure you are regularly checking to make sure all is well in that box. Of course, if you do notice anything concerning while scooping the litter box, do not hesitate to make a call to your veterinarian.

Sleepy Mancat Monday

Hello, friends! Evan had a wonderful weekend. He did not struggle with any of his urinary issues, nor did he have any megacolon flares. Even so, he's still a tired little fella. After all, the happy boy spent all weekend babysitting this mom of his. He's informed me that's a full-time job, and so now he's resting on this Monday.

Can you even tell what you're looking at there? Evan loves to snooze with his face pretty much suffocated against a blanket, which is indeed what's happening in that particular nap.

I don't know how it's comfy to sleep with your head curled under, but it's Evan's favorite way to nap. The ear you can see in those photos is his deformed one, which doesn't make it any easier to tell what you're looking at. Take my word for it, though, that Evan is absolutely adorable when he naps. And always, of course.

Evan wishes you all lots of naps today! Happy Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip in our litter box series is all about cleaning that litter box. A clean litter box is very important for keeping your cat healthy and happy. Cats are very clean and particular creatures, and so a dirty box might drive them away from using it. That is why an unclean litter box is one of the primary reasons why some cats begin urinating or defecating outside of the box.

So, as you all certainly know, be sure to scoop the litter box, or boxes, regularly. Scooping once a day is recommended, but more often, if possible, is of course even better. Twice or three times a day helps keep the litter box odors at a minimum, and of course helps your kitty stay healthy, happy, and with somewhere clean to use the restroom. You may also need to alter the number of times per day you scoop based on the bathroom habits of your particular cat, or cats. Some cats only go once a day, and so once a day scooping would likely suffice. For cats who go more frequently, though, more frequent scooping is of course a better option.

Cleaning a litter box doesn't just stop at scooping it, though. Doing a full clean of the box, which involves disposing of the old, dirty litter and scrubbing the box down, is also recommended on a regular basis. The frequency of a full litter box clean might vary, depending on your particular cat's bathroom habits, and even depending on which professional you might ask about this topic. If possible, try doing a full clean of the litter box once every one to two weeks, to keep the box squeaky clean and your kitty healthy and happy. If that's not possible, then try for at least once a month. After disposing of the old litter in the box, you can scrub it down with a safe cleaner. This might be warm water with dish soap, vinegar and water, baking soda and water, or another pet-friendly cleaner that you are certain will not leave behind any harsh or hazardous chemicals. Once the litter box is dried, you can add fresh litter, and even a bit of baking soda or other pet-safe deodorizer.

Litter box cleaning may not be a desirable chore, but it's a crucial one. To prevent your kitty from avoiding the litter box, or from simply having to suffer the discomfort of using a smelly bathroom, be sure to keep the box nice and clean. So, do at least daily scooping, and regular full cleans, and your kitty will likely be very happy with you.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy Cuddles

Hello and happy Friday, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.

1. My plans for August include _________ and _________.

2. I exercise my brain by _________.

3. I try not to let _________ go to waste.

4. I know it's going to be a good day when _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. My plans for August include more art and more writing.
(Goodness knows I have plenty of items on my to-do list I could put here. I have chores and projects both inside my house and outside of my house that I really need to work on. But, I just really want to draw and work on my writing project. Those are simply passions in my life that I want to give more time and attention to, so maybe I'll manifest that by giving them as an answer here.)

2. I exercise my brain by reading and playing word games.
(A lot of things can exercise the human brain, as I'm sure you all already know, but my favorites are indeed reading and my daily word games. I try to make sure I read at least a couple or few pages of a book every day. I also every day try to play my favorite online word games, those being Wordle, Quordle, Squordle, Octordle, and Connections.)

3. I try not to let time go to waste.
(Like many people, I don't like letting most things go to waste, like food and such. But, I picked time as my answer because lately I've been trying to manage my time better. Mostly, I want to make sure that I'm not wasting too much time on things like scrolling through social media. I'm not terrible at this, but some days I do find myself procrastinating with the likes of Instagram. That seems like such a waste of time that could be used for such better things, like cuddling my furry babies, working on my art and writing projects, and so on and so forth.)

4. I know it's going to be a good day when my furry babies wake up happy and healthy.
(Astrid is still working through her most recent vestibular disease flareup. I look forward to it resolving more, so that she can feel and act more like herself. She's already doing better than she was a couple days ago, and the kitties are all doing their version of fantastic lately, so here's to happy and healthy days.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.

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Now, of course, we have your Eddy fix. For anyone who doesn't know, my girl Eddy is very skittish, and anything and everything can and will make her hide. She was more or less semi-feral when I adopted her as a 10-week-old kitten, and sometimes that feral side still comes out just a bit. That said, I love my girl Eddy so much. She does not like anyone but myself, and I have to say it's an honor to be the one and only human she will happily run to, meow at, boss around, cuddle, and all that adorable jazz.

All that rambling to say, how about a shot of Eddy cuddling this here human of hers?

Eddy likes to be the little spoon to my big spoon, and she indeed loves to use my hand and arm as a pillow. And I'm more than happy to oblige.

Oh, and behind Eddy there in that photo you'll see my orange boy Evan. Evan is the only kitty Eddy actually likes. She will tolerate Thimble and so they can be in the same vicinity with only minor amounts of mutual trolling, but otherwise Eddy loathes every cat except for her beloved Evan. They're two of the only cats in the house you'll find sleeping next to each other like that.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a wonderful weekend, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'd almost forgotten I scribbled up this doodle last year, but I stumbled upon it recently and so decided to re-share it today.

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Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on the topic of litter boxes. Today's tip in this realm of things is one that we might not always think on too much, and that's the litter scoop. You'd think a scoop is a scoop, but sometimes one scoop simply might work better than another. Depending on the type of litter you use, your particular furbaby's litter box habits, and other such factors, be sure to select a litter scoop that removes as much of the piles of urine, feces, and affected litter as possible. If too much of these bits of debris are left behind when you scoop, that can lead to lingering smells and less sanitary conditions. This could in turn mean that the litter box will need to be cleaned more frequently than might be expected. For the above reasons, when selecting a litter scoop, consider factors such as the number and spacing of the grates on the scoop.

In addition, you also might want to consider the material out of which the scoop is made. If there's a chance your litter scoop might get bunged up, for example, perhaps go for a metal scoop. This is because plastic scoops are far more likely to end up with scratches on their surface, and such scratches could harbor microbes, especially when used in an environment such as that of a litter box. So, don't forget to give even that scoop a bit of extra consideration and attention. Every little detail could potentially affect our kitties and their health and happiness, and that even includes the litter scoop, which helps keep that litter box as clean and sanitary as possible.

Thankful Thimble Thursday with a Toby Cameo

It's Thursday, which means it's time for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for sunny window seats, even if she has to share them.

Behind Thimble there is her littermate Toby, who owns my sister. Toby currently lives with us, though he and Thimble don't always spend a whole lot of time together. That may or may not be because Toby has a tendency to pick on the lady cats in the house. The only cat he doesn't pick on is Evan. Despite having nonfunctioning back legs, Evan is the only cat in the house who can and will take Toby down. And believe it or not, Evan never loses. Sometimes Evan will intervene and take Toby down when he's picking on a girl kitty, something for which Thimble is also thankful.

Thimble hopes you all get to enjoy a sunny window view today, preferably without any boy cats doing unspeakable things to you.

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And now we have for you the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My plans for August include _________ and _________.

2. I exercise my brain by _________.

3. I try not to let _________ go to waste.

4. I know it's going to be a good day when _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

For reasons, I feel like sharing another old doodle of the feline Harry Potter sort.

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Tip of the Day

Today's (overly lengthy) tip in our litter box series is about selecting the type of litter. There are many, many kinds of litter out there. There's clay litter, corn litter, wheat litter, pine litter, litter made out of recycled paper, and even litter crystals, just to name a few. There are even choices such as scented versus non-scented litter, litter for single-cat versus multicat homes, and clumping versus non-clumping litter. The options for litter seem to be endless, which can make the task of choosing one a tad bit of daunting.

So, let's go over some of the factors that will help you select a litter. To begin, first and foremost, let's go ahead and repeat ourselves like the broken record that we are—ultimately, your kitty will have the final say on what type of litter you buy. Cats can be very picky, particular creatures. Some have texture preferences, some have scent preferences, and some have any number of other preferences. If your cat doesn't like the litter you choose, they might avoid the litter box, which is in large part why they ultimately get to choose their litter.

The above being said, what are some of the main factors that might go into choosing the right litter for your kitty? Consider, of course, the type of material out of which a litter is made. For example, clay litter is often one of the dustiest, which may not be ideal for a cat or person with asthma. Also consider whether your cat has any other sensitivities or allergies. To give you an example, I once tried my angel cat Rosie on pine litter. Little did I know, pine was not a substrate Rosie's body tolerated well, and she ended up with hot spots that required steroid and antibiotic treatment. So, especially if you are trying a new type of litter, always keep an eye on your kitty to make sure they do not have an adverse reaction, and also that they do not start avoiding the litter box.

There are plenty of other random yet important factors to take into consideration when choosing litter, though. Do you have multiple cats? If so, perhaps look for a litter that is formulated for multicat homes. Does your kitty leave quite the stinkers in the litter box, and so you've chosen a scented litter? If this is the case and your cat uses the litter with no issues, then that's great. But, do keep in mind that cats' noses are far better than ours, and some cats might not like fragrance in their litter. Your cat might very well let you know if they do not like scented litter by avoiding the box, in which case you'll get the hint.

We're not done with this discourse quite yet. As we touched upon earlier, some cats have texture preferences. Since litter touches their paws, such texture preferences can of course play a large role in what type of litter your cat might use. For example, some cats prefer fine litter, and will not touch litter that is more coarse. I will also add here that I have some family members with cats who do not like litter at all, and so they use pee pads in litter boxes, which works great for those particular cats. Then again, my own Evan, in large part due to his hind limb paralysis, is towel trained rather than litter trained. So, litter texture can be a significant consideration for some cats, and in such cases there may indeed be some trial and error required. In such cases, just be patient, and you and your cat will find a litter, or even a litter alternative, that suits everyone involved.

Woof Woof Wednesday with a Dizzy Dog

It's Woof Woof Wednesday, and today poor pup Astrid is struggling with one of her vestibular flares. She's had occasional vestibular issues for 7 or 8 months now, but this particular flare is making her a bit dizzier than usual. Astrid is already feeling a bit better today than she was yesterday, but we still have a ways to go to get out of this flareup.

Astrid was doing great last week and this past weekend. Her arthritis wasn't bothering her too much, and neither was her vestibular disease. Actually, Astrid had a really good month overall, I'd say. It's just the past couple of days that she's struggling with this vestibular flare. That said, let's share a couple of happy photos from one of her recent outings when she felt great.

In these two photos, Astrid had just seen a bunny rabbit hop up someone's driveway. Rabbits are one of Astrid's favorite things to stare at, and so it certainly caught her attention.

Astrid hopes you all get some fun bunny sightings! Happy Wednesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

We're continuing on with our litter box tips today by discussing location. When deciding where to put litter boxes in your home, there are a variety of considerations to make. For example, you cat likely won't want to do their business in a high traffic area, where there are many distractions and little to no privacy. At the same time, though, many cats will also likely not want to be hidden away in an small, enclosed area, such as a small closet. Placing a litter box in a small, enclosed area such as a small closet will likely trap the smell, which some cats are averse to. What's more, using the litter box is one way in which cats often instinctively believe they are making a territorial display, and so hiding away the litter box, where no one can see them do their business, might lead to out-of-box behavior for territorial reasons.

All of the above being said, consider where in your home might work best for a box to be both away from heavy traffic, yet close enough to the goings-on for your kitty to still feel included. Dedicated litter box rooms, corners of bedrooms or living rooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or even large closets with their doors kept open, can all make for good litter box areas. It really depends on how your home is set up, and where your kitty might feel most comfortable. Just as we've mentioned before, though, it also might simply come down to your cat's preference. Perhaps your cat enjoys using the restroom right in front of you, or perhaps your cat actually prefers to go in a closed closet. In the end, if your cat displays a preference for litter box placement, try your best to stick with that.

We'll also now mention that, when selecting litter box location, also take into consideration how many cats you have. In homes with many cats, it is often ideal to spread litter boxes throughout the house, at least as best as possible. This is especially the case if there is any bullying amongst your cats. If all of the boxes are in one room, a bullied or timid cat might prefer to steer clear of using the restroom with other cats nearby, and therefore might begin out-of-box behavior elsewhere in the house. They even might simply hold their urine, which can lead to a variety of medical issues. So, especially in multicat homes, do consider the number of and comfort of all cats when deciding how few and far between to place the litter boxes. Then again, this consideration also might be important for even a single cat who is geriatric or has issues with mobility. For such a kitty, having multiple litter box options, in areas of the house where they most often hang out, can help them more easily urinate and defecate when and where needed.

There certainly are a lot of considerations to make when it comes to that litter box. You of course have to choose a type of box, as well as how many. Once you have that settled, it's all about deciding where to place the litter boxes in your home. Fear not, though, as you and your kitty, or kitties, will figure it out. If nothing else, trial and error will often lead your kitty to letting you know what he or she prefers.