Mancat Monday with Adorable Evan

It's Mancat Monday, so here's my adorable, cute, sweet, best boy Evan. You're welcome.

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

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Saturday was my grandma's 80th birthday, and so we had a little bit of a shindig. She's my paternal grandmother, and she's my only surviving grandparent. My mom is the youngest of 5 kids and so both of her parents were much older and have passed. My dad is the oldest of 5 kids, and both he and his parents had children in their early 20s, so I have an 80-year-young grandma who has always been a pretty big part of my life.

All that to say, in honor of my grandma, here's a doodle I scribbled up for her a few years ago. She loves her Boston terrier dogs, her tabby cat named (Mr.) Bean, and her camera. So, here's this.

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Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on taking that kitty of yours to the vet. Today's tip on this topic is a plain and simple one, and that is to take with you to the vet your kitty's favorite toy(s) or treats. This might not work for all cats, but in some cases, toys or treats can make for great distractions or positive reinforcement during your cat's exam or vaccinations. That being said, though, do try to choose wisely when it comes to what you take as a distraction. For example, does your cat get hyperactive or even aggressive when under the influence of catnip? If so, try to avoid toys laced with catnip, and avoid taking anything else that might cause a problem rather than assist during the vet visit. So, all in all, consider whether a simple toy or some treats might help your cat make it through a vet visit. If so, pack those so that they can go along.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Window Woes

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. _________ sparks my creativity.

2. _________ zaps my energy.

3. My dream _________ would have _________.

4. _________ is the silliest way I've injured myself.


My answers are below in bold.

1. Cats and books spark my creativity.
(As is the case for many people, a lot of things spark my creativity. Cats, dogs, and all animals. Books, movies, TV. Nature. My favorite holidays, namely Halloween and Christmas. But, when it comes to my creative outlets of drawing and writing, cats and books are two of my biggest inspirations.)

2. Socializing zaps my energy.
(Need I say more?)

3. My dream home would have a huge library.
(I'm not really interested in having a big house, as I like feeling more cozy. But, in my normal-sized home, I would love for the biggest room to be a library for my hefty collection of books. For a variety of reasons, I'll very soon be reorganizing and relocating certain things in my home, and as a result I'm going to be turning one of the bigger rooms of the house into my library. I'm really looking forward to that. Oh, and don't worry, there will still be plenty of toys and beds in there for the kitties.)

4. Reaching for a roll of toilet paper is the silliest way I've injured myself.

(I won't go into detail on a story related to the bathroom, but I once dropped and therefore had to reach for a roll of toilet paper. I ended pulling a neck muscle, and that injury has since flared up many, many times over the years. Early last year I aggravated the old injury badly enough that it ended up spreading into shoulder pain for which my doctor had to prescribe me extra-strength anti-inflammatory pain meds. And now that shoulder pain also flares up every few months. All because I dropped a roll of toilet paper something like 20 years ago.)

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 an Eddy fix? We know you are. Today, Eddy wanted to share one of her attempts to watch out the window. The problem is that this window's blinds don't always work well, which means we can't always raise them very far. Which leads to annoying blinds in Eddy's face while she's trying to spy on wildlife and neighbors.

Just look at those rude blinds. They need to stay in their lane, the darn things.

Eddy hopes you all have an unobstructed, unbothered view out the window today!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback summertime spooky doodle is a bit more in-your-face than some of the previous ones we've shared recently. But vampires exist all year long, right?

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip for taking your cat to the vet is to consider using a pheromone spray, such as Feliway. A synthetic pheromone such as this can potentially have a calming effect for your cat. One idea is to spray the pheromone into your cat's carrier, or onto a blanket placed in your cat's carrier. This could potentially help make the experience of getting into the carrier more calm for your cat, as well as potentially make the car ride and time at the vet a calmer experience. Also consider taking the pheromone spray with you to the vet, where you can spray it in the air in the exam room, or again spray it on a blanket or toy you might have brought along to the vet for your cat. Of course a pheromone spray isn't always guaranteed to work, and it might not work the same for every cat, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to try it in case it might help your kitty feel calm and soothed.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: Window View

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

Today, Thimble is grateful for window views.

Here, Thimble is gazing out our back door. When I first moved into my house over a decade ago, I was so glad that door had windows all the way down to the floor. Both my front and back screen doors also have windows all the way down to the floor. I was mainly thankful for this because it allows my hind limb paralyzed Evan to easily have views of the outdoors. Though my other kitties can all far more easily get onto their cat trees and the furniture that's situated by higher windows, they also enjoy sitting on the floor and watching out the door. And I love that.

Thimble wishes you all a good window view today!

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And now we'll of course 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. _________ sparks my creativity.

2. _________ zaps my energy.

3. My dream _________ would have _________.

4. _________ is the silliest way I've injured myself.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

As always, I'm in a spooky mood. So, we're sharing yet another flashback doodle from a past spring/summer series of kooky drawings.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on taking that kitty of yours to the vet is about selecting the best kind of carrier for your cat. There are a number of considerations to make when it comes to carrier type. The size of your cat, the size of the carrier, how willing your kitty is to enter a carrier, your cat's behavior while in a carrier, and the material out of which a carrier is made can all play a role in the kind of carrier you might want to use.

To go into a bit more detail, let's start with the size of your kitty. For example, take into consideration the comfort of a large cat when selecting a carrier. A small carrier will of course be less than cozy for a large cat, not to mention that it might not be easy to get a large cat into a small carrier in the first place. At the same time, though, it is important to make sure that you can carry your cat's carrier with relative ease. This is especially crucial for emergency cases, when you might need to move quickly and therefore won't want to have difficulty transporting a cat-filled carrier.

Another consideration to make is how easy it is to get your cat into the carrier. Yesterday, we mentioned some tips on getting your cat used to the carrier. Those all being said, some cats may simply not be the easiest to coax into a carrier. With this in mind, consider what type of carrier will be easiest for you, your kitty, and your particular situation. If your cat is difficult to get into a carrier, for example, a top-loading one might be easier than a front-loading one. Then again, if it's possible and safe, you could set a front-loading carrier on its back end in order to load your kitty in through the door while it's standing up in that manner. Also keep in mind how sturdy a carrier is and how easily this might make it to load a kitty inside. Mesh or other flimsy carriers, for example, could collapse as you try to load a difficult cat inside, making the task even more challenging.

Yet another consideration to make is how your cat acts inside a carrier, and how details such as carrier material might be affected. For example, is your cat a digger while in their carrier? If so, a mesh carrier may not be the best option for them, especially if they are an insistent digger who might tear a hole in the mesh or dig at the zipper and escape. Also take into consideration if your kitty has a nervous bladder or nervous bowels. If your cat is known to urinate or defecate in the carrier, consider what type of carrier might be best able to withstand this and be cleaned afterwards. A plastic carrier might be a good option in this case.

There can be a great many considerations to make when selecting a carrier for your kitty. Those we mentioned above are just some considerations you might need to make. It all depends on your particular furbaby, their personality and behavior, as well as on you and your capabilities or preferences.

Down by the Creek with Angel Astrid

I've mentioned many times over the years how our neighborhood has a creek that runs through it, and that offers some nice scenery on walks. As I've also mentioned many times, I'm so grateful I have photos of walks with Astrid, including many times when we visited the creek.

This girl was always so intrigued by the water and the critters we'd see in or around it.

Astrid actually preferred when we saw ducks or other birds, as winged friends were some of her favorite to observe. But, she also always checked the water for little fishies and such, which we on occasion would see. When we did see things moving around in the creek, Astrid would tilt her cute little head from side to side as she watched them. I loved it so much.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

A while back I scribbled up some pencil outlines for drawings that were going to be this year's summertime spooky doodles. I ended up liking them better as actual Halloween doodles, though, and so I adjusted them and am already getting those ready for September and October. That means I never got any new spooky drawings done for this summer, though. But, luckily, I scribbled up so many lengthy series of such doodles in the past that I still have a ton of flashbacks to share in that vein. Like this kooky spring or summer one starring my calico angel Rosie and none other than some zombies rising from their graves.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on taking your kitty to the vet is one that we're sure all of you have heard, and that is to get your kitty used to the carrier. The first and foremost way to do this is to keep the carrier out, in sight, and accessible all the time. If the carrier is tucked away, then it very well may simply become a source of fear when it comes out once a year. Keeping it out at all times can help combat this.

What's more, try to make the carrier a place of comfort or fun. For example, place a cozy blanket in the carrier, so that it can perhaps be seen as a place to nap. You can also place toys in the carrier, as well as treats. Or, you can try to use the carrier as a feeding station, such as by putting one of your kitty's bowls of food in there. The carrier could also be where your cat is given treats. These methods can help your cat associate the carrier with things that are cozy, fun, or commonplace, in turn helping it to be seen as less of a threat. All in all, help your kitty get used to the carrier by turning it into a place where good things happen, rather than simply a place in which once a year they're locked up and taken somewhere unfamiliar. Associating the carrier with happy experiences can potentially make vet visits a bit less scary for the kitty in your life.

Tonks Tuesday: Pre-Spooky Season

It's Tonks Tuesday, and the calico found out that we'll soon be decorating our house for Halloween. In honor of that festive fun, Tonks wanted to re-share a couple flashback photos of her hanging out with some of our year-round spooky decor.

Tonks is a big fan of Halloween, in no small part because she loves hanging out with and playing with some of the kitty-safe decor that gets put in her reach. Some of what was supposed to be my decor has even just outright become kitty toys, such as smaller stuffies and such that I used to put out for Halloween. I'm not in charge. I just work here.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is another somewhat spooky one. It's also yet another that was technically scribbled up as concept art for the story I'm writing (and actually getting very close to finishing). This weird and wacky book involves a cat café sort of restaurant that serves spooky baked goods, such as this here. I call it the Moonshine Muffin.

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Tip of the Day

Since National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day is this week, we figured we'd go right on ahead and do a series of tips on how to get that kitty of yours to the vet. We'll start this series with the simple tip to socialize and get your kitty used to interaction at an early age, if possible. Getting your cat used to people is ideal for helping them cope with future outings to the vet. This of course may not always be possible, depending on a particular cat's age and personality at the time of adoption or rescue. However, when possible and safe, start socializing your cat around people, even simply visitors to your home, when they are young.

What's more, try to get your cat used to hands-on checks. If it's safe for both you and your cat, you can get in the habit of looking in your cat's ears, having a look at their mouth and teeth, and so forth. This of course can help them get used to all that goes on when they're at the vet's office, while at the same time also helping you check for abnormalities that might need to be addressed. All in all, starting early with socializing and hands-on interaction, when it's a safe option, can possibly help your kitty feel more comfortable about getting examined during their trips to the vet.

Another Megacolon Sort of Mancat Monday

It was another weekend with some megacolon struggles for Evan. But, he's since gotten all cleared out and is even passing stool every day, which is quite a feat for him. Is that TMI? Well, anyway, we'll call it a win, though, and Evan is resting now.

Don't mind his dirty left ear (though feel free to admire his adorably malformed right ear, because it just makes him look even cuter). He gets one of his medications as a transdermal in his "normal" ear, but he doesn't particularly like having it cleaned out in between doses. That's how far I got cleaning it last time before he got annoyed and I gave him a break. After all, Evan is in charge.

Wishing you all a magnificent Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is a very basic one. It was not only concept art for the story I'm writing, which indeed co-stars a kitty inspired by my Evan, but it was also one of my attempts at testing out some grey markers when drawing stone.

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Tip of the Day

Our previous tip involved helping give your kitty or pup a window view by putting a cat tree, couch, or chair beside the window. Today's tip takes this concept in another direction, and involves looking into ways to make your home even more accessible to and traversable by your feline furbabies. For example, there are cat shelves on the market that can be placed along your home's walls, and which can be placed in ways that allow your kitty to not only rest on the shelves, but to also to travel the perimeter of a room by way of those wall shelves. There are plenty of other similar features available on the market as well, including walkways, bridges, ladders, and all sorts of items that can allow your furbaby to travel throughout the house in this fun, unique way. If interested, you could intersperse such wall shelves or walkways throughout the house. Or, if you have the space and ability, you could dedicate one room in the house to this, so that said room is some semblance of a playroom or jungle gym for your kitty. In the wild, cats often travel or sleep on elevated surfaces, such as trees or mountains. That's why many cats enjoy setups such as wall shelves or walkways, as this can mimic the environment of their wild ancestors.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Sunny Day

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. The older I get, the _________ I get.

2. I frequent _________.

3. Back in my day, we _________ at school.

4. I _________ during these last few weeks of summer.


My answers are below in bold.

1. The older I get, the more homebody-ish I get.
(I've always been a homebody, but the older I get the more of one I become. And that's pretty much all there is to that.)

2. I frequent the vet.
(This one is mostly courtesy of my sweet boy Evan. While he is my kitty who easily has the most actual vet appointments throughout the year, it's actually more so that his tushie gets bathed and shaved by our vet's groomer every two weeks. That's what we've found is necessary to keep him clean and healthy as his hind limb paralyzed, urinary incontinent self. So, we're at the vet quite a lot, but if that's what my boy needs, that's what my boy gets.)

3. Back in my day, we had things like presentations from yo-yo salesmen at school.
(This is such a specific answer, but my sister and I were just talking about this the other day. We grew up in the '90s, and I assume that's why our school assemblies involved things like yo-yo salesmen. This memory has always stuck with me, probably because pretty much every student's parents sent them money to buy a yo-yo and the school was just filled with the things flying all over the place. In addition to that, we did fundraisers that involved us students selling magazine subscriptions and chocolate bars,  and rewards for doing well in said fundraisers were anything from slap bracelets to limo rides. I don't know if kids these days still have these experiences, but we sure did.)

4. I am gearing up for Halloween during these last few weeks of summer.
(I love autumn and Halloween, and what's getting me through the last few weeks of summer is knowing that's on the horizon. For my own spooky happiness, I've been watching movies like Sleepy Hollow and have been starting on my Halloween doodles for this year. I'll also soon be pulling out all my Halloween decorations and spookifying my house. I know not everyone enjoys Halloween, but I do and that's what's getting me through the rest of summer.)

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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Yesterday Thimble shared a photo of herself enjoying a sunny day, so Eddy wanted to do the same today.

We're not seeing sun through our windows like that much this week. It's been rainy and storming, and we've lost power twice this week. We were without power for 10 hours on Tuesday and 3 hours this morning. While the rain and storms are supposed to continue throughout the weekend, they're calling for some sunshine next week. The kitties are looking forward to that, and we're wishing you all lots of sunshine!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is kind of spooky, and it's also some concept art I scribbled up last year for the weird and wacky story I'm writing.

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Tip of the Day

For today's tip on how to decorate your home around your furbaby, we're here to remind you to make sure your kitty or pup has a safe window view. Indoor cats and dogs are of course safe from the dangers of an outdoor life, but it is still important that they get the mental stimulation provided by a view of the outdoors. To allow for this window view, try putting pet-friendly furniture near the window. Placing a cat tree beside the window is a perfect option for cats, for example. Of course, though, you can even simply position a couch, chair, table, or other pet-safe piece of furniture so that a window view is possible for your kitty or pup.

There are a couple of other considerations to make when it comes to window views for your furbabies. First, if it's possible and safe, try to feed birds or squirrels in view of the window, so that your kitty or pup can have the added mental stimulation of having wildlife to watch. What's more, make sure all windows are securely closed and safe from potential escapes. Also make sure that any nearby window blinds or curtains do not pose a risk to the safety of your cat or dog. It is important to ensure your indoor cat or dog has a window view in order to keep them happy and sharp, but it's equally important to ensure their safety.