Saturday, July 8, 2017

Swimming with the Fishies

Our doodle for today's installment of Athena's Caturday Art blog hop is a bit different than usual.


We typically doodle up a piece starring a kitty or a pup, often one of the very ones living here at our house. This week, though, our doodle stars a different sort of something. It all began with yesterday's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, where we were asked for a favorite line from a film. I answered with a short and sweet little line from Finding Nemo: "Just keep swimming." I've always loved that little reminder to never give up, to keep on keeping on, even if the going gets tough.

Anyway, long story short, I felt compelled to make a little doodle for that little saying. Hence, this:


This doodle does go a little deeper, actually. You see, we have fishies on our minds these days. Why? Because we recently added a brand new fish aquarium to our home. This lazy human was having trouble keeping up with the always-dirty 10-gallon tank we had before. Luckily, Pawpaw (the mom's dad) knows more than just a little about fish, and so he suggested a larger tank, because apparently larger tanks are easier to keep clean. If it's easier for this lazy lady to maintain, then I'm all for it. So, we now have a 55-gallon tank. We are just now starting to add some new fish to it, and the kitties could not be more excited.

I'll be honest, maintaining a fish tank is not my most favorite thing in the world. But, the kitties absolutely love it, and so Fish TV sticks around just for them. Besides, I can usually coax my dad over to help me with the promise of a plate of cookies. Oh, and for anyone wondering, we also still have our 18-year-old frog. Housemate Toby is its #1 fan.

And, this human here will be trying to bribe some furbabies to pose with the new tank so as to share some pictures of it with you. There isn't much posing when there are fish to chase, though, so wish me luck.

Have a fantastic Caturday, everybuddy!



***
Our Tip of the Day:
If you have or are considering adding a fish aquarium for your home, always be sure to plan ahead so that you can ensure the safety of all living creatures involved. In other words, don't forget that cats are natural born hunters, and fish might very well be seen as prey. This is also the case for some dogs. That being said, no matter the size of the aquarium, always look into getting sufficiently a sturdy one, such as those that will not tip over and that will not be easily broken. Make sure you choose a secure location for it as well, such as away from any areas where your kitties or pups might accidentally crash into it or knock it over during playtime. Of course, also don't forget the importance of sturdy lids or other coverings. To keep the fish safe, as well as to prevent a wet cat, or the dangerous potential of drowning, ensure that the top of the tank is secured with a strong cover. And of course tanks often come with some electrical cords, such as those attached to filters, lights, or heaters, so keep those safely tucked away as well. Fish TV can make for great entertainment in a home with kitties or even pups, but do be sure to take all precautions for safety!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The fish tank fishies are a GOOD illustration of "never giving up".....as long as they move they are alright! I imagine fish TV is fun but my Mom probably won't want to get me a fish tank - she knows that I'd be swimming with the fishes myself if we had one - I do like ADVENTURE even if it's WET!

Hugs, Teddy

Marg said...

Oh what fun for all the kitties to have fishies to watch swim around. I think we would try very hard to swim around with those cute fish. You all have a nice day.

pilch92 said...

I love your drawing, I was hoping you would do one to go with that quote. Such lucky kitties to have aquarium tv. I know some fish stores near us have a cleaning service, not sure how much they charge to come out and clean the tank. I never had luck with fish and used to hate to use the siphon hose to clean the aquarium. I am impressed that your frog is so old. Excellent tip, when I had turtles ,I always feared my cats would sit on the turtle's aquarium and fall in so I moved it to the dining room.

Melissa, Mudpie and Angel Truffles (Mochas, Mysteries and Meows) said...

Your art is too cute! I bet your fur babies are totally entranced by that tank!

The Island Cats said...

Wow, now you have Fish TV!

Cathy Keisha said...

TW had goldfish as a kid until they got Faith. There were lots of jokes about Faith getting arthritic paws from fishing in the bowl.

Eastside Cats said...

BC (Before Cats), The Hubby and I had an aquarium. When the last fish went over The Rainbow Bridge, we put it all away. The clinic where I go to get my mammograms has lovely fish tanks, which are obviously cared for by a professional, and love to watch them...soothing and beautiful.

meowmeowmans said...

Love the drawing, Mom Lorianne! What fun the fish tank will be for all of the kitties. We had one when we were kids, and our cat Happy loved watching those fish swimming around. :)

Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty said...

Lovely art!

Purrs xx
Athena and Marie

Alastriona, The Cats and Dogs said...

Mom says covers are very important, sometimes the stupid fish try to jump out of the tank otherwise.

Peachy, Stippie, Angel Binky and Granny said...

We like that fishie artwork, and I think I stayed with them all the time, if only we had a fish full..no..an aquarium with lots of fishies...๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‹Pawkisses๐Ÿ˜˜❤๐Ÿ˜ป