A Sunny Thankful Thimble Thursday

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

Today, Thimble is grateful for sunshine. We haven't been getting much of it lately, but today it's bright and shiny outside.

The sunrays coming through the windows are hot commodities right now.

Thimble hopes you're all enjoying some sun puddles just like she is!

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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. I'll never buy _________ from _________ again.

2. It's all fun and games until _________.

3. I once got lost _________.

4. _________ is the most normal thing about me.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip is to be careful and cautious with your furbabies when outside in cold weather, and to be aware that our furbabies' tolerances to cold can vary. Some animals are more susceptible to getting cold, such as those with a thin coat or no fur, those who are very young or very old, and those who are ill or in any way compromised. Sometimes, it comes down to the fact that some animals simply tolerate cold better than others. In any extreme weather, such as cold winter days, it is important to keep a very close eye on any animal who is outside. If your pup or kitty is outdoors taking a bathroom break or on a walk, monitor them closely. If you notice any shivering, restlessness or anxiety, or anything out of sorts, get them inside where it is warm.

One simple rule of thumb to follow, especially when in doubt, is that if it's too cold for you, then it's likely too cold for your furbaby. Hypothermia and frostbite can affect our cats and dogs just like it can affect us, so don't risk these medical emergencies. Don't leave your furbabies outdoors in the frigid cold. Do not set out on long walks on cold days, but instead stay close to home and be vigilant regarding your furbaby's comfort, health, and safety. If you care for feral cats or other outdoor animals, try to ensure that they have some form of shelter that is out of the elements and off of the ground. If possible, offer some form of warmth in the outdoor shelter, a topic we very recently discussed.

Arctic Adventures with Astrid

It was 2°F this morning. Despite being nearly 12 years old as well as arthritic, pup Astrid loves winter and cold weather. After allowing her pain meds to kick in, I let Astrid pick where we walked. Knowing she'd probably want to go far in these arctic temperatures, I bundled up real good. And I'm glad I did, because she indeed had us out there for quite a while. And she loved it.

Don't mind the snow on Astrid's face. She loves to shove her nose in snow, pick it up in her mouth, throw it in the air, and all that weird stuff that sounds really unpleasant to do with snow when it's 2°F outside.

I do wish Astrid would allow me to put little boots on her feet when it's this cold outside, but she refuses to even stand let alone walk when all of her feet are in boots. I do regularly check her toes on cold walks, and thankfully she's never had any issues. When it's below 0°F I do try to avoid taking her on too long of walks, though she's never happy about it. I don't know how or why she enjoys this level of cold so much, but I don't want to deprive her of what she loves, so this morning I just put on lots of layers and let her lead me into the winter wilderness.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, we discussed wiping off furry feet and human shoes after going outdoors in the winter, in order to reduce exposure to products such as salt, or ice melt. There is another good reason to wipe off those furry feet after going outdoors, and that is to remove snow and ice from the paws and the toes they contain. When a dog or cat goes outdoors into the snow, their paw pads, the fur on their feet, and the areas between their toes can all collect snow and ice. This can of course be cold and uncomfortable, so when they come in from outdoors, be sure to wipe off their feet so that they can remain dry and warm. Especially if your furbaby is short or if the snow is deep, also wipe off their belly and anywhere on their body that might have collected cold snow. Also thoroughly wipe off your own feet when you come inside, or remove your shoes, in order to keep the floors dry and warm for your furbaby's paws.

In line with the above thoughts, if your pup or kitty goes on walks, consider taking a dry towel with you when there is snow on the ground. Snow and ice can clump up and get stuck between your furbaby's toes, and those with especially furry feet can attract extra snow and ice on their feet. So, if your furbaby is outdoors for an extended period of time, do consider taking a dry towel with you and removing snow and ice from on and between their toes throughout the walk. This will allow them to remain as dry and comfortable as possible when outdoors in the snow.

Hyper Tonks Tuesday

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the calico is a little hyper. And also downright adorable, of course.

I can't even remember what prompted that look on Tonks's face this particular time, but it's indeed the expression she makes when she's having a grand ol' time. I'm sure that this photo was snapped in between some playing and running around, as Tonks loves to do.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's winter tip was to avoid using typical salt, or ice melt, for the sake of the health of your furbaby and their paws. One thing we failed to mention, and that is therefore today's tip, is to take precautions in the event that neighbors' or others' use of salt might affect your kitty or pup. In the event that your furbaby goes on winter walks in areas where salt is used, wipe their paws off when you get home in order to remove as much of the salt or other chemicals as possible. Even if your furbaby does not go outdoors, there is still a chance they can be exposed to salt or other potentially dangerous chemicals, such as by way of your shoes. To help prevent injury or illness due to exposure to or ingestion of salt in this manner, remove your shoes when you get home, or at the very least thoroughly wipe them off. In addition to this, vacuum regularly in order to keep salt and other debris from entering your home, or from trailing through your house. Ice melts can pose health risks to kitties and pups, so avoid their use, but also realize and prevent against the dangers they can pose if they are used by others and out of your control.

A Final Festive Post with Our Secret Santa Paws

Today we are finally (finally!) sharing who our Secret Santa Paws was, and the goodies they gifted us. Some camera storage and uploading issues, mixed with my lack of technological savvy, prevented us from sharing this festive fun before now. But, I finally succeeded in sorting all of that out last night and this morning, and so now we can give you this final festive post.

Our Secret Santa Paws were Lenny, Tirimisu, Crème Brûlèe, and their mom BJ Bangs. BJ is none other than the one who organized this fantastic gift exchange, and we want to thank her for doing so! And of course we want to thank her and her amazing kitties for all the goodies they sent our way!

Now, the reality is that pretty much every photo from our Secret Santa Paws unboxing is a blooper. After all, the kitties were just so excited, and I really can't blame them for that. So, here's our gift-opening blooper reel.

Evan waited so patiently while I attempted to get photos of all the goodies before the kitties ran off with them. At one point, though, Evan did indeed resort to playing with the toys before I removed them from their packaging. Don't worry, though, the toys all did end up in the kitties' playful paws, and they have been enjoying them so much.

Thank you again to Lenny, Tirimisu, Crème Brûlèe, and BJ! We are greatly enjoying everything you sent our way!

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Since we're sharing some final Christmas goodness, I thought I'd also post a photo of the ornament I got each for my dad, mom, and sister. Who knows what this is all about?

That there depicts a scene from the film Die Hard. And yes, I do consider this to be a Christmas movie. In fact, Die Hard is the movie my family and I all watch together on Christmas night every year. Which is why I got them all this ornament.

The reason I'm sharing with you all a photo of that there ornament is because I also scribbled up and gifted my parents and sister my own feline version of it. And that is indeed the doodle I'm sharing today.

Though we're now in mid-January, we truly hope you all had a merry Christmas season! Warm wishes to all!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip can relate to our own furbabies, as well as ferals, strays, and other animals who live outdoors. When ice comes into play during the winter months, be very cautious when using salt, or ice melt. Most traditional salts on the market contain ingredients that can be toxic and can irritate cats' and dogs' paw pads. Irritation can also occur in the mouth, as well as in the intestinal tract, which is a concern if the animal directly ingests the salt or licks it off of their paws after walking through it. So, for the sake of your furbabies as well as ferals and other outdoor animals, avoid using typical ice melts. Instead, do your research, or ask your veterinarian for recommendations on pet-safe ice melts. There are some ice melts on the market that are far more safe than typical salt used for melting ice, but even some labeled as pet-friendly can still contain ingredients that might be questionable. For this reason, it is always important to do your research. You can also opt for other alternatives, such as tossing some sand or other other similar, safe substrate on top of ice that forms in the winter. Sand and other such materials can allow for better traction and reduced slippage on ice, while avoiding chemicals included in many ice melts.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Adorable Eddy

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. I will keep my old _________ over a new one any day.

2. My theme song for the year is _________.

3. _________ is the most relaxing part of my day.

4. _________ is the most stressful part of my day.


My answers are below in bold, and are yet again accompanied by lots of rambling that you are more than welcome to skip.

1. I will keep my old car over a new one any day.
(My car is a 2010, so 15 years old. It has its issues, and I've had to put more money than I'd prefer into keeping it running. But, it's also paid off, and I have no desire to go car shopping anytime soon. I personally don't like a lot of the features on a lot of new cars, and I also just really like knowing and trusting the same car I've had for well over a decade. So, 15-year-old car, please just keep chugging along.)

2. My theme song for the year is "Welcome to My Nightmare" by Alice Cooper.

(I promise this makes sense. Or at least in my head it does. Sometimes life as we know it is a functioning nightmare, sometimes even in a fun way, kind of like this song. And sometimes all we can do is invite others to join our crazy party. I'm sure that genuinely makes no sense. So, the reality is that Welcome to My Nightmare is actually what I'm calling the writing project I'm most heavily working on right now. This is the story I very much intend to finish writing this year, and so I figure why not have its namesake song be my theme for the year?)

3. Evening couch time is the most relaxing part of my day.

(I have a set of chores I get done every evening after work, including laundry, preparing meals, cleaning dishes, and prepping and administering Evan's evening meds. I also walk pup Astrid some evenings. Once I get all of that done, though, I get to sit on the couch to watch TV and just generally relax. Evan always joins me on the couch, and the other kitties and the pup also usually take turns stopping by to sit with me for a bit. I love it.)

4. The morning rush is the most stressful part of my day.

(I actually love mornings and am in fact a morning person, and I look forward to reaching a point in my life when I can get up early to have slow, calm mornings. For now, though, I do work full-time outside of the home, and I have a lot of tasks to get done every morning before heading to work. I get up between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning in order to do all the kitty care, including filling food bowls, scooping litter boxes, prepping and giving Evan his 10 or so morning meds, as well as putting food out in a feeding station I have for feral cats in our neighborhood. I also walk pup Astrid most mornings, and do a separate workout. Then I get ready for work and head out. The reality is that my sweet orange tabby boy Evan has accumulated lots of health issues with lots of medications as he's gotten older, and so my morning kitty care has become a lot more time-intensive than it used to be. I'll never begrudge Evan or any of my furry babies for needing extra care, though, because I love them so much.)

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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It's time for your Eddy fix. Are you ready? Are really, truly ready for the cuteness? We hope you are, because here it is.

These photos not only serve to show you how adorable Eddy is and how majestic her whiskers are, but for her to show off the Christmas tree that she happily enjoys all year long.

Especially when she was younger, Eddy had such a fascination with Christmas trees that I put one up in the corner of my bedroom and decided to leave it up for her all year long. That there is our year round Christmas tree.

Eddy doesn't climb the Christmas tree as often as she used to, but she still does so sometimes. I know she does it most often when I'm not there to witness it, given how many of its branches I find on the floor and have to put back in the tree when I get home from work.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

Now that I've finally gotten some camera issues sorted out, this weekend we'll finally be sharing the wonderful gifts our Secret Santa Paws sent us. That's one of the main reasons we're still sharing festive doodles, because it's still Christmas around here. And for today, here's a young cat lady who was gifted none other than a little hippo for Christmas.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on caring for ferals and other outdoor cats is to perhaps consider offering them toys, such as inside a shelter you've set up for them. Cats are cats, and even feral cats often have a healthy instinct to play. Pick toys that will not scare them, and toys that will not make them fear being heard by predators. For example, perhaps avoid toys that jingle, squeak, or that make other loud noises. What's more, when picking out toys for them, also pick those that can be easily cleaned. Pick toys that are plastic and can be soaked and washed if dirty, or toys made of fabric that is able to be easily and thoroughly washed. Even ferals and other outdoor cats often have a desire to play, so perhaps do consider offering them toys that safely allow them to do so.

Yet Another Treeside Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! You better believe Thimble is here for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is yet again grateful that our Christmas trees are still up. She's displaying that fact with a couple of bloopers, because the kitties have been giving me plenty of those these days.

That one up there isn't as much of a blooper as the second photo, which shows a blurry Thimble happily rubbing her cute little face against the cat tree beside that there Christmas tree.

Thimble is that cat who rubs her face on anything and everything. After all, she loves everything and everyone, and so she indeed rubs against everything and everyone. If you visited our house, she'd probably give you one of her famous head bonks.

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. I will keep my old _________ over a new one any day.

2. My theme song for the year is _________.

3. _________ is the most relaxing part of my day.

4. _________ is the most stressful part of my day.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Festive Flashback Doodles of the Day

We've mentioned how we're extending the Christmas season a bit. Either tomorrow or Saturday we'll finally be sharing the purrfect goodies our Secret Santa Paws sent us, since we're getting some camera issues sorted out. So, since we still have that to share in the next couple of days, we're also still sharing other Christmas fun. Today's doodles are therefore a couple old festive flashbacks from many years ago. They're ones I'd love to recreate in my slightly newer drawing style, but even so, here they are.

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Tip of the Day

Yet another tip related to outdoor cat shelters is to ensure that the shelter is heavy enough to stay put, such as in heavy winds. Shelters made out of wood or other heavy material will of course be more likely to stay put in high winds. If you have a makeshift or any form of lightweight shelter, such as one made from plastic or Sytrofoam, do consider placing something heavy, yet also safe and secure, on top of it. This could be a sheet of plywood, or anything similar that can safely and securely weigh down a lightweight shelter. In some instances, you also might be able to find ways to tether, bolt, or in some way secure a shelter in place. The weight of an outdoor cat shelter is yet another factor to keep in mind when caring for ferals, so take this into consideration and ensure that any shelter you put out is one that will not blow away in the event of a stormy or windy day.

Snowy Adventures with Astrid

We're in the Midwest, and so we got ourselves some snow this week. Pup Astrid happens to love snow, and so she's been enjoying her winter wonderland walks.

That there walk was pretty early on in the snowstorm. You can even see the snowfall actively happening on Astrid's fur. She loved walking in the falling snow. I also like to let the old gal pick how long she walks, and where. So, I just bundle up and go along for the ride.

Warm wishes to all!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

As I mentioned in previous posts, we're extending the Christmas season for a couple more days. So, here's another festive doodle. This is one I scribbled up a few years ago in honor of the Christmas specials starring Snoopy as well as Garfield.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's tip was to do regular checks of outdoor cat shelters, such as to ensure that the shelter is not leaking, broken, or dirty. Another tip in this same line of thought, but that we failed to mention yesterday, is to ensure that shelter doorways do not become blocked by snow or anything of this sort. If it snows, check the shelter and clear away any snow that might threaten to block the doorway. This will ensure that the feline inhabitants can enter and exit safely and without feeling trapped. Also check for anything else that might block the shelter entrance or cause a similar issue, such as if a thunderstorm or wind knocks down or blows around tree limbs or other debris. In such cases, of course ensure that the shelter entrance is not blocked, but also that the shelter did not suffer any damage. When you are caring for ferals and other outdoor cats, offering them shelter might mean you have yet another little home to look after, but it will be for a very good cause.