Mancat Monday with Evan and His Extra Special Ear

Hello and happy Monday, friends! We've mentioned Evan's adorably deformed ear quite a bit over the last few weeks. You know, the one that had a hematoma a couple years ago that for whatever reason did not heal in a normal way. On this Mancat Monday, Evan wanted to give you a close-up of how handsome and tough he looks with his special ear.

Evan doesn't seem to notice or care about the deformity of his ear. And as long as I administer our vet's specially concocted antimicrobial cleaner into Evan's ear canal every day, he stays free of ear infections and other such issues.

Neither Evan's vet nor myself know why Evan's ear hematoma didn't heal like most do. But, as long as he's still happy and healthy even with an odd little ear, I'm happy.

Evan and all of us here wish you a wonderful day!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Still continuing on with our National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we are today reminding you to keep any questionable kitchen products well out of reach of your furbabies. Just as laundry detergents can be dangerous, so can those used in the kitchen. Dishwasher detergent or tablets, for example, can often have corrosive or other dangerous side effects. Other potentially toxic kitchen products include degreasers, oven cleaners, and drain cleaners. These products can also potentially have corrosive effects, among other adverse reactions. If your furbaby ingests any such products, they might display gastrointestinal distress, oral ulcers, lethargy, or other symptoms. As always, if you think your kitty or pup might have ingested a toxic kitchen product, seek veterinary assistance.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Attempt to Sit Still

Hello, 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 favorite kind of pie is _________.

2. I will celebrate St. Patrick's Day by _________.

3. I was correct when I predicted that _________.

4. I didn't see _________ coming.


My answers are below in bold.

1. My favorite kind of pie is chocolate pudding pie.

(I'll gladly eat pretty much any form of pie, including pumpkin, apple, and any kind of berry pie. But, in this very moment, chocolate pudding pie sounds the most delicious. I recently started making a chocolate pudding pie that has an Oreo crust as well as Oreos crumbled on top, and now I'm hungry for that. All that said, tomorrow is Pi(e) Day, and I'll be making apple pie for my family to enjoy for the occasion. I do this every year, and I always add the pi symbol (ℼ) to the crust. I think I have a photo from a previous year, so I'll share that here.)

2. I will celebrate St. Patrick's Day by eating a hefty serving of Dublin Coddle.
(My mom always makes foods popular in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Most of what she makes involves corned beef and cabbage, as that's apparently often eaten in Ireland. I'm not a big fan of cabbage, and so I instead eat the dish my mom makes that's called Dublin Coddle. It's a stew that contains sausage, bacon, potatoes, and other deliciousness all cooked in at least part hard cider, or something akin to that. I'm already looking forward to this year's batch.)

3. I was correct when I predicted that Evan's intestines would go haywire after finishing his most recent round of antibiotics.

(Granted, this is an easy prediction to make. Evan's intestines are always a mess. He has megacolon, which means he often combats constipation. That said, his meds to combat the megacolon and constipation in turn sometimes result in loose stool, or even blowout diarrhea. He also gets antibiotics every couple weeks to prevent his chronic UTIs. Antibiotics are known to cause intestinal havoc, and they more often than not do just that for my boy Evan. Because of that, I reduced his usual megacolon stool softener in an attempt to prevent too much of a mess while he was on the antibiotics recently. That didn't help. The antibiotics are still hitting his intestines extra hard this time.)

4. I didn't see Thimble's early kidney disease diagnosis coming.
(At Thimble's senior exam this past October, her bloodwork came back with at least one value that our vet considers indicative of early stage kidney disease. I wasn't expecting that, simply because Thimble has lost no weight and acts completely like herself. I'm grateful that she's still doing so well, and I've started her on the renal nutraceutical AminAvast, which worked wonders for my angel Rosie when she was diagnosed with kidney disease. I'm thankful we caught it early for my Thimble. At nearly 12 years old, she's still her happy self. Luckily she is only in the very early stages of the disease, and I hope to keep her kidneys happy for as long as possible.)

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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Are you ready for your Eddy fix? We know you are. The lighting might not be great in this photo, but I'll take any shot I can of Eddy willingly sitting still. She was really trying to stay in place for me here, and those opportunities are few and far between, and fleeting. So, here's what I managed in that moment.

Though the lighting doesn't do them justice at all, I'll take any chance I can to show off Eddy's gorgeous aquamarine eyes.

Oh, and you better believe we also have a blurry shot of this blooper queen.

And there's that adorable snaggletooth! I love it so much.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a happy Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our next set of tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month will cover some of the random household items that could potentially be toxic to your kitty or pup. To begin, don't forget that some laundry products could lead to ill effects for your furbaby. For example, fabric softeners and dryer sheets often contain detergents that can be corrosive in nature. If your cat or dog gets into such products, the adverse reactions could include gastrointestinal distress, oral ulcers, and lethargy. For such reasons, do be sure to keep all laundry products well out of reach of your furbaby. If your kitty or pup does get into any such products, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: Another Blanket Fort Sequel

Hello to all! It's Thursday, and you better believe Thimble is here and more than ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble hasn't been crawling under blankets as much as she was a couple weeks ago. After all, it's starting to warm up outside. However, we've been having a couple of cooler days, and so she decided to partake in making a blanket fort again. I'm so glad to get to see her do that, and she's thankful for the coziness as well.

We had to share this again, in case the warmer temps make it so that Thimble doesn't sneak under a blanket again for a few months. Oh, and Thimble also often enjoys treats under blanket fort.

She did indeed eat those treats once she stopped rolling around like an adorable little cutie. She will only eat treats under a blanket if I'm not actively giving her attention under there, because attention always trumps food for this sweet tabby girl.

Thimble hopes you all get some blanket fort naps in before the weather warms up!

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And now, of course, we have 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 favorite kind of pie is _________.

2. I will celebrate St. Patrick's Day by _________.

3. I was correct when I predicted that _________.

4. I didn't see _________ coming.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, as part of National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we discussed the danger of human medications if ingested by our kitties or pups. It's not just human medications that are potentially dangerous, though. Even veterinary medications designed for pets could lead to toxicity in certain circumstances. This of course can occur if a particular furbaby gets into a furry housemate's medication that he or she do not need. In addition, even a medication prescribed to a particular cat or dog can cause them issues, such as if taken in larger quantities than instructed. This could perhaps occur due to human error in administering, but also if the animal finds their medication stash and helps themselves. Some veterinary medications are formulated to smell and taste enticing to our furbabies, making them all the more desired by said furbabies. If your furbaby likes the taste of one of their medications, or one of their housemate's medication, then they may try to sneak quantities out of the safe range, which could indeed lead to detrimental effects. So, of course, hide those medications away.

Don't only take into consideration oral medications, though. Even transdermal medications can result in toxicity, such as if your furbaby finds and in some way exposes themselves to large quantities of it. The short story is, just as you must keep your own medication hidden away from your kitties and pup, you should also keep all veterinary medication hidden away so as to prevent any and all such emergencies.

Woof Woof Wednesday with Angel Astrid...and Thimble

Last week, I showed photos of my sweet angel Astrid with her kitty brother Evan. They grew up together, as they were just about 2 months apart in age. Evan isn't the only kitty who was fond of Astrid, though. My family brought home my girl Thimble and her 3 brothers, the boys all being adopted by my parents and sister, when Astrid was about a year old. The kittens were just 3 weeks old at the time, and all of them were enamored with Astrid the second they set eyes on her. It's like they imprinted on her, and they all loved her from the moment they met her.

The above said, how about some flashbacks of my little Thimble happily hanging out with my sweet angel pup Astrid?

Thimble loved Astrid so much, as we all did.

I remember those two constantly battling each other over that window seat. Though, "battle" isn't really the right word. Thimble very often won, as Astrid was such a sweet pup who never put up much of a fight against her kitties.

Happy Wednesday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

I'm sure I don't need to tell you all, but as part of our tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're here to remind you that many human medications are indeed toxic to our furbabies. One of the most common pet poison emergency culprits is ibuprofen. It can be very dangerous and even fatal if ingested by your kitty or pup, and its side effects can include gastrointestinal distress or even kidney failure. Ibuprofen is of course not the only human medication that can have dire consequences for our cats and dogs, though. Decongestants such as excess pseudoephedrine can also be toxic, as well as medications for treating blood pressure and ADD/ADHD, just to name a couple. Needless to say, keep any and all human medications hidden away in a secure cabinet, drawer, or other such confines.

It is also worth noting that certain topical creams and ointments that we humans use can also be dangerous for cats and dogs. These such medications can be sneaky as well, since you might apply a potentially toxic cream to your skin, then you might forget about it, and then your furbaby might lick your skin or even clothing that touched the topical medication. This, in turn, can possibly result in toxicity. As a couple of examples, creams for pain management or hormone treatment can easily contain ingredients that could lead to life-threatening side effects for your kitty or pup. So, not only should you safely store medications, but you must also be diligent about how you might be exposing your furbaby to toxic ingredients.

A Purple Tonks Tuesday

My favorite color is purple, which means I have my fair share of blankets and other decor of that color. Tonks has decided that purple is now her color, and she has become quite a fan of this particular purple fleece blanket.

No matter what colors she's surrounded by, I happen to find Tonks eternally adorable. Tonks agrees, but right now she's all about that purple.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Today's National Pet Poison Awareness Month tip is one we've touched on time and time again, but it is a pretty important one. As you all certainly know, never forget that some human founds can indeed be toxic to our kitties and pups. Chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, grapes, and raisins are just some of the foods that could lead to extremely dangerous or even fatal consequences if ingested. Also don't forget about the sweetener known as xylitol. This can often be found in sugar-free gums and candies, but also in various other foods, drinks, and even medicines, supplements, and toothpaste. This sneaky ingredient is indeed toxic, especially to dogs.

Though symptoms of toxicity can vary based on what human food your furbaby ate, and how much, signs can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty walking, or any other number of concerning manifestations. If you know or think your furbaby might have eaten a toxic food, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance. Just as with any poison, removing the toxins from the body and treating the patient in a timely manner can be a matter of life or death. To prevent such emergencies, avoid feeding your furbaby any and all foods that you are not absolutely certain are safe.

Mancat Monday in the Carrier

Last week, Evan went to our vet's groomer for one of his regular sanitary shaves. He always just lies down in his carrier and pouts on the way there. But, when I go to pick him up and take him home, he always perks up and gets incredibly happy. On the way home he sits up, looks around, purrs, and all that jazz. Though it looks like he's giving me the side eye in this here photo, it's after I'd picked him up and so he was actually purring and rubbing his cheeks against his cage.

How about a cute blooper with Evan's nose all scrunched up mid-rub?

This last one is sort of blurry but also sort of not, but either way Evan looks so handsome in it, so here you go.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Next up in our National Pet Poison Awareness Month series of tips is a quick discussion on rodenticides. We rather recently mentioned these, but we'll mention them again for this month of poison prevention. These chemicals, meant to kill mice, rats, and other rodents, are dangerous all around. Depending on the type of poison, rodenticides can cause any number of potentially fatal side effects, such as internal bleeding or acute kidney failure. Ingesting the rodenticide itself is of course one way in which your furbaby can be poisoned. In addition to this, though, if a rodent ingests the rodenticide or walks through it, and then your furbaby gets a hold of that rodent, the poison can also pass into your furbaby's system this way.

To be safe, simply try to avoid the use of rodenticides completely. If rodenticides are being stored or used in your home, garage, garden, or other areas, absolutely ensure that your cat or dog cannot reach them. Also monitor your furbabies if you think rodents are in your house and a rodenticide is being used, to ensure your cat or dog does not catch or eat a rodent that has been poisoned. Severe side effects can result from rodenticides, for both the rodents, your furbabies, and even wildlife. So, please do all that you can to avoid their use.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Still Annoyed Eddy

Hello and hi! We're ready and excited 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. I don't _________, but I appreciate those that do.

2. Lately, I can't get enough _________.

3. _________ scared me away from _________.

4. _________ forced me to learn how to _________.


My answers are below in bold, and are again accompanied by far too much rambling. Believe it or not, I'm not very talkative when you meet me in person. But, if you give me a keyboard, my fingers always have lots to say. Especially when it's a topic that interests me. I apologize that you wonderful folks always get the brunt of that, as seen below.

1. I don't possess the bravery required to save lives, but I appreciate those that do.
(I recently saw a video of firefighters saving people and animals in all sorts of fires and other terrifying situations. It really made me think about how those men and women willingly choose a job that puts their lives at risk on a daily basis. The same goes for combat soldiers and other such brave souls who put their lives on the line for others. I am so grateful people like that exist, and I appreciate what they do for others. I also appreciate doctors who put in a great deal of work and long hours, and I'm sure ample amounts of stress, to perform life-saving treatments for their patients.)

2. Lately, I can't get enough humorous fantasy reads.
(My all-time favorite genre is fantasy, and right now that's all I'm in the mood to read. I also often go through spells where I'm in the mood for horror or thriller reads, and I was in that reading habit a couple months ago. Not now, though. The only problem is that because of an enjoyably comedic fantasy series I've been reading, I'm now mostly in the mood for books with those same vibes. So now I'm constantly on the lookout for niche books in the humorous fantasy genre, which is strangely difficult to find.)

3. Evan's urethral blockage scared me away from feeding my kitties Temptations treats.

(I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but it's the first thing that popped into my head when I came up with this fill-in. Evan had a urethral blockage in December 2022. A couple months before that, I started giving him and the other kitties Temptations treats instead of their usual Friskies Party Mix treats. Fast forward and Evan ended up hospitalized the day after Christmas with a blocked urethra. While he was still hooked up to an IV and catheter at the vet, I unintentionally stumbled upon an article about how Temptations treats might be linked to urinary blockages in cats. For the record, I don't know that there's any scientific proof of this. But, I've since seen multiple cat owners mention this potential link as well, given their own experience. I haven't fed my kitties Temptations since. We're back to Friskies Party Mix, but my kitties aren't complaining.)

4. My job as a vet assistant forced me to learn how to handle fractious cats.
(I mentioned this previous job of mine last week, and how I ended up resigning from it a decade ago due to the toxic work environment. That said, the kitties I met at the clinic taught me a lot for which I'll always be grateful. On pretty much day one of that job, I was thrown into situations that required me to learn how to physically as well as mentally handle fractious, aggressive, and sometimes outright feral cats. I learned all sorts of techniques for dealing with such kitties, which has actually come in handy when helping various ferals in my neighborhood, or even when handling typically friendly kitties in my family who turn into little tigers when things like nail trims or vet visits are needed.)

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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Are you ready for your Eddy fix? We know you are. I've shared quite a few photos and tidbits lately revolving around the fact that Eddy really isn't a big fan of having her photo taken. So, how about another shot in that vein? See this adorably annoyed look on her face?

Though not a fan of the camera, Eddy still often humors me and lets me snap photos here and there. I've mentioned how I refuse to have no photos of my sweet girl, and so I'm glad she lets me sneak some in. And by sneak I mean she's fully aware I'm there and so offers me the cute grumpy face you see there.

Don't worry, though, because Eddy always gets some of her beloved treats as soon as I'm done taking her photo. And if she's in the mood, I also bestow upon her lots of kisses and cuddles.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, we discussed being aware of your furbaby's safety around potentially hazardous plants. Today, as yet another tip for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're giving a reminder to also be careful of other dangers that might come with those plants. When outside with your pup or kitty, always be cognizant of the fact that some areas may have been treated with fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides. Depending on their ingredients, such garden substances can potentially affect the intestinal tract, respiratory system, the mucosal membranes of the eyes and nose, or the skin. So, try to avoid using such garden treatments in your yard and around your home, or ensure that any treated areas are kept off limits to your pups and kitties. Also be careful when you are away from home and in areas with which you are not familiar, including strangers' yards and public parks, as you do not know what types of plant or lawn treatments may have been used in such places.

In addition, if you do use any form of fertilizer, weed killer, or pesticide, always be cautious where you store it. Make sure that it is in an areas that your furbaby cannot reach. And yet another consideration to make is the possibility of your furbaby or yourself unknowingly walking through a treated area while outside. Therefore, after a stroll outside, you might consider wiping off your furbaby's paws, as well as your shoes, to help ensure that nothing unknown is left lingering and entering the home. We can't say it enough times—it's better to be safe than sorry.