Friendly Fill-Ins and Non-Blurry Eddy with the Cat-o'-Lantern

Hello, friends! We're here and 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 have been _________ for _________.

2. _________ bores me.

3. _________ is my main criticism of _________.

4. If I threw a Halloween party, it would include _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I have been craving potato soup for the entire week.

(This is quite the random answer, but my dad shared a recipe for a new kind of potato soup early this week, and I've been craving it ever since. I've always loved potato soup, even as a kid. I haven't had it in a while, and now I'm eager to try that new recipe my dad shared.)

2. Watching musicals bores me.

(I might be in a minority here, but I don't enjoy watching musical shows. I don't mind ones put on by kids, because little ones can be very entertaining. But actual Broadway-type shows and the like bore me. They've just never kept my attention. I love music, but not this kind for some reason.)

3. Confused front desk staff is my main criticism of our regular vet clinic.

(In general, I absolutely love our vet and the clinic. Our veterinarian is genuinely amazing, as is the whole staff. The front desk ladies are simply known to get a bit confused sometimes, especially a couple of particular women who work there. They are incredibly kind and friendly, and so this isn't a huge complaint, but they do get confused enough sometimes that the client either has to clarify things or they have to go ask someone else for help.)

4. If I threw a Halloween party, it would include a horror movie marathon.

(Even if no one else wanted to sit down and watch horror movies, I'd honestly still have them playing on the TV in the background for the spookily festive vibes. I'd also have lots of candy, decorated cupcakes and other kooky baked goods, pizza, and that sort of thing. I'm pretty much describing the tiny little shindig I have at my house with my parents and sister on Halloween night every year. It's simple and quiet and I always enjoy it 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.

***

Throughout this week, the kitties have been sharing how much they love their cat-o'-lantern basket toy. All of the kitties who have done so thus far have mostly had bloopers to share, as this toy gets them very excited. Can you believe, though, that Eddy is the only kitty who has non-blurry shots to share?  Honestly, can you believe it? Our blooper queen is the only one without bloopers. A true shocker.

That poor cat-o'-lantern was run through the washer not that long ago, thanks to Evan and his bladder. Because of how abusive loving the kitties are to this toy, though, it's already a mess again, as you can see here.

Perhaps Eddy withheld on the bloopers today because she's waiting for that cat-o'-lantern basket to be filled with treats. It does have catnip in it, but Eddy is one of those kitties who doesn't react all that much to catnip. She does love silver vine, and actual treats, so she's likely holding out for one of those two. Don't worry, she did indeed enjoy some treats right after these photos were snapped.

Happy Friday to all!

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Spooky Flashback Doodles of the Day

Yesterday's post included a bit about my parents' kitty Iris, and so we shared a Halloween flashback doodle that starred her and her sister Josie (as well as my parents' kitty Fizzgig). Since Iris and Josie starred in yesterday's spooky doodle, today we'll share their blood brothers in their Halloween costumes that I scribbled up last year.

First up is Homer. This sweet and handsome boy very unexpectedly gained his angel wings this March due to undetected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We miss him dearly, but we'll never forget him. As for his Halloween costume last year, for certain reasons, I scribbled this boy up as Hannibal Lecter.

Next up is Kipper, a boy who is very sweet and social but unfortunately does not like being held. That's the complete opposite of Homer, who was always more than willing to let me hold him like a baby. Kipper's allowed to set boundaries, though. All that said, in my sketchbook last Halloween, Kipper got to dress up as Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. For reasons.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we mentioned keeping your kitty or pup in a safe area of the home in order to avoid any escapes out the front door during Halloween night festivities. Today, we're offering some additional methods you might be able to use to help keep a furbaby as safe, happy, and comfortable as possible on Halloween night. These tips are the most beneficial to furbabies who are scared of the doorbell, knocks at the door, and any other noises and happenings that Halloween might bring with it.

To begin, you can help make a nervous or uncertain furbaby feel more secure during the hustle and bustle of trick-or-treaters by closing windows and drawing blinds or curtains, to mask some of the sights and sounds of the spooky festivities. In addition, you can play music or turn on the TV or a movie to help further drown out sounds that might alarm a kitty or pup. Some furbabies might even be distracted by some treats, or by a play session with you or an interactive toy. In some cases, a cat or dog with higher levels of anxiety might benefit from the use of calming products like a pheromone spray or diffuser, or even a Thundershirt or similar makeshift item to make them feel secure. Or, some cats and dogs would simply do well to have access to a safe hiding place in a safe area of the home, where they can ride out Halloween night.

If your cat or dog is scared or becomes excited at the sound of the doorbell, then another option is to disconnect it on Halloween night. If you hand out candy on Halloween, you can also use options such as placing the candy dish outside for trick-or-treaters to grab some loot themselves, sitting outside to hand out candy, or simply staying near the door and watching for trick-or-treaters so that they won't need to knock or ring the doorbell. As we've mentioned in previous tips, there are still ways to enjoy Halloween and its festivities while also keeping your kitty or pup as calm and safe as possible. This might mean taking some extra precautions and finding a method that works for you and your furbaby, but it is doable.

Thankful Thursday with Angel Trapper, Iris, and Thimble

Hello, friends. It's time for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, we're thankful for all of the sweet and caring comments you left on our post yesterday, about the passing of my parents' kitty Trapper. This community is beyond amazing, and I'm truly so grateful for it.

My parents, myself, and our entire family are so incredibly thankful for all 12 years (almost 12 and a half years) we got to share with amazing Trapper. He truly was a one-of-a-kind cat, and my parents and all of us will forever be so grateful that he was and always will be such a light in our lives.

You know what else we're grateful for? That my parents' kitty Iris is doing okay. Because since yesterday wasn't already devastating enough, my parents' wild little lady known as Iris started vomiting the night before Trapper passed. And she didn't stop. She couldn't keep anything down. So, while my mom gathered Trapper up to calmly get him ready for his final vet appointment, my dad and I wrangled the wild girl into a carrier. I dropped her off at the vet since I was already headed that way with Evan for his routine grooming appointment. So, while we were saying goodbye to sweet Trapper, Iris was already at the vet, and Evan was over at their grooming facility.

All that said, Iris is fine. She has lost a bit of weight, but the likely culprit of her vomiting was her snacking on all the new, special foods my mom was giving Trapper to get him to eat. Iris is a small lady, and my mom kept finding her gorging on all the new foods. So, that very likely upset her stomach. Though she's a bit of a wilding and I have to scruff her just to help my parents trim her nails, the vet was somehow able to get her blood and urine as well as give her subcutaneous fluids, a Cerenia injection, and an antibiotic injection. They also gave her some mirtazapine to help her appetite, but she's unfortunately one of the kitties who has side effects like vocalization, hyperactivity, and hypersalivation. My parents said that they think those are starting to subside, but if they don't they'll reach out to the vet in case she needs anything to help her get past those side effects. The mirtazapine did at least work very well, though, as Iris ate a lot of food when she got home from the vet, and she was able to keep it down thanks to the Cerenia. 

Here's tiny but mighty Iris for you all to enjoy. She's not a fan of looking at the camera, and she's know to squint her eyes if she catches you looking at her, but she's still absolutely adorable.

Now, Thimble would like to share yet another bit of thankfulness today. We're still trying to enjoy the Halloween season around here, and Thimble of course wants her turn posing with the kitties' used and abused well-loved cat-o'-lantern basket toy. As with Tonks and Evan, Thimble got so excited about the cat-o'-lantern that we ended up with some blurry bloopers. But, of course, she's still downright adorable.

I did indeed put some catnip in the cat-o'-lantern, so I can't blame Thimble for turning blurry in these photos.

Thimble tried really hard to sit still for at least one photo. She is a model, after all, and so she knows she has to snap some non-bloopers to uphold her reputation.

Thimble hopes you're all enjoying a not-so-spookily festive October!

***

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 have been _________ for _________.

2. _________ bores me.

3. _________ is my main criticism of _________.

4. If I threw a Halloween party, it would include _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Since my parents' kitty Iris got to join in on today's post, how about the Halloween doodle I scribbled up last year that included her? This one also stars my parents' kitties Fizzgig and Josie, and all three of these ladies sometimes like to fight. As a result, I apparently thought it would be a good idea to draw the three of them as squabbling witches.

***

Tip of the Day

Today's Halloween tip is one we're sure you all know, and it's to practice proper door safety. This is of course most relevant if you are handing out candy on Halloween night, or if you are hosting a Halloween party with a number of arriving guests. Knocks on the door, the doorbell, children or adults in strange costumes, and all of the hustle and bustle of Halloween can scare some furbabies. On the other hand, some cats or dogs might enjoy guests, and so they might be attracted to the door on Halloween. Either way, if you have increased traffic at the door on Halloween, there is always the chance that your kitty or pup could escape if proper precautions are not taken. This is why it is important to practice proper door safety, so that you can avoid escapes.

There are of course a number of options for keeping a cat or dog from escaping out a busy door on Halloween. You can set up a safe room for your cat or dog and keep them in there during the Halloween festivities, so that they have no ability to escape from the house when people show up at the front door. Depending on how your house is set up and how determined your kitty or pup is to reach the door, you can also put up baby gates or pet gates to keep a cat or dog in an area of the house away from the door. If your furbaby is leash trained, and as long as the leash is securely held, your kitty or pup can also be kept safe in the house by attaching them to their leash, with of course someone holding said leash. You best know your furbaby as well as the setup of your home, so use whatever method is the safest, most surefire way of keeping your kitty or pup from escaping out a busy door on nights like Halloween.

Rest in Peace, Sweet Trapper

This morning, my parents' kitty Trapper gained his angel wings. The aggressive cancer had started to cause rapid decline, and my parents made the compassionate decision to let him know peace at the Rainbow Bridge.

Trapper came to our family at 3 weeks old in 2014, alongside his littermates, including his angel brother Talon, with whom he is now reunited. Talon and Trapper both owned my parents, and their other 2 littermates are my girl Thimble and my sister's boy Toby. We bottle fed all 4 of them, and we've loved them from the moment we met them.

When we first met these 4 adorable kitties, we had every intention of just caring for them until they were old enough to adopt out. See how that went? Truth be told, Trapper got his name because my dad fell in love with him and his handsome face immediately, and so we always joked that he "trapped" us into keeping all 4 kitties. So, he earned the name Trapper, and he wore it with pride.

Over time, Trapper collected a variety of nicknames. My sister tended to call him Trapper John, but I always had a preference for Dapper Trapper. After all, he was one handsome fella. I even had a little song to go with that nickname, and it would get him excited every time.

Trapper was a big boy who weighed over 21 lbs at his heaviest. He always looked a lot like my girl Thimble, except 10 lbs heavier.

Trapper was diagnosed with diabetes in 2023, and he was our veterinary clinic's first cat to ever try the diabetes pill known as Bexacat. Trapper did great on it, and his diabetes remained perfectly controlled on it for over 3 years.

As a fun little tidbit, Trapper's favorite toy was red string. In the photos below you can see his original beloved red string.

After that string started to fray after much playtime, I got Trapper some red shoelace for Christmas a couple years ago. He loved it so much. He and I had a lot of fun play sessions with that thing, and I'm so grateful for those memories, including the one below.

My parents, myself, and our entire family are really going to miss sweet, handsome, and just all around amazing boy Trapper so, so, so much. But, we are grateful that he's no longer suffering, and that he's reunited with his brother Talon.

Trapper can now also enjoy playing with angel pup Astrid again, as the two of them had a very special bond.

We love you so very much, Trapper. Always and forever. We'll never forget you. Until we meet again, sweet boy.

Tonks Tuesday with a Cat-o'-Lantern and Pennywise the Clown

Just like Evan did yesterday, Tonks is here today to show off how much she enjoys the kitties' beloved cat-o'-lantern basket toy. Also just like Evan, Tonksy's photos all ended up as blurry bloopers. Not only was she moving around a lot, but I also didn't realize until afterwards that the lens of my camera was smudged. Even so, here's blurry Tonks and her favorite Halloween toy.

I did put catnip in the cat-o'-lantern before snapping these photos, which Tonks greatly enjoyed.

Tonks and all of us here wish you lots of festive fun today!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Since I'm still working on my new Halloween doodles for this year, this week I'm sharing flashback doodles starring my parents' kitties in costumes. Their kitty Talon passed away last April, but I of course still included him. For reasons that probably only make sense to me, Talon got to be Pennywise the clown from Stephen King's It.

Talon was the littermate of my parents' kitty Trapper, as well as littermate to my own Thimble and my sister's kitty Toby. As we've mentioned many times over the past couple of weeks, Trapper was recently diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal cancer. My parents have been keeping him comfortable with lots of medications, and I've been going over every day to help them give Trapper fluids. Even so, the sweet boy has started to decline more and more, and my mom told me a bit ago that today is the first time in all of this that he's starting to turn down food. We know our time with him is very limited, and the only consolation we have for when the time comes is that he'll be free of this awful disease and will be reunited with his brother Talon.

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Tip of the Day

We know we don't have to tell you wonderful folk that all of those superstitions about unlucky black cats simply aren't true. That being said, there are unfortunately those out there who do believe such things. There are also, sadly, people out there who might even think to play unjust tricks on black cats on or around Halloween. This is why today we are here to remind you to ensure that your sweet and innocent black cats, and all of your furbabies, are safe indoors on and around Halloween. Even if you live in what is believed to be a safe neighborhood, please do keep your black cats, and all of your furbabies, inside and under close observation during the Halloween season. This will help ensure that they don't fall victim to the tricks and pranks of any callous or superstitious people out there. As always, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Mancat Monday: Evan and the Cat-o'-Lantern

This week I'm sharing photos of all my kitties enjoying their used and abused well-loved cat-o'-lantern basket toy. I didn't realize until now that all of Evan's shots ended up blurry. It probably didn't help that I put catnip in the cat-o'-lantern toy before the photoshoot, and Evan was indeed accordingly active for the camera. All that said, here's Evan and the cat-o'-lantern. Believe it or not, this toy used to be so bright and clean.

I almost pulled all the hair and such off of the poor cat-o'-lantern before taking these photos, but I decided against it so that you all could see it in its far more accurate state. This toy gets played with so often, and it's regularly tossed under couches and into every nook and cranny of the house. Tonks once even threw this thing so high in the air that it landed in the tall kitchen trash can.

I know it doesn't look like it, but the cat-o'-lantern has actually been laundered many times. For some reason, Evan tends to target this toy when he rage pees as I prepare his medications and such. I can never believe how dirty this poor old toy can look despite the number of times it's seen the inside of the washer.

Evan hopes you all enjoyed seeing the blurry side of him!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

This weekend ended up far more chaotic than I expected, and so I'm still working on completing this year's new Halloween doodles. That's okay, though, because I have a ton of flashback ones to share in the meantime, such as the series I scribbled up last year. All of those starred my parents' kitties in Halloween costumes.

Though his aggressive, terminal cancer is unfortunately yet unavoidably progressing, my parents' sweet kitty Trapper is still with us. His medications are so far keeping him comfortable enough to slowly and quietly enjoy some of his favorite things. Last year I drew Trapper in a T-Rex costume, in part because of an inside joke in our family. So, here's sweet Trapper as a T-Rex.

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Tip of the Day

Today's Halloween tip is about bats. Bats may be a staple in Halloween lore and decor, but the reality is that they are one of the primary carriers of rabies. What's more, bats leave very small bites that might go unnoticed, especially on kitties or pups with fur that can hide such minuscule bite marks. For such reasons, do be aware and cautious of the presence of bats, such as if you and your furbaby are walking through a park with trees near nightfall.

Bats are not always found outside, though. Bats can sometimes find their way into buildings, including attics or other areas of homes. If you live in a house or apartment where bats are discovered, keep your furbaby away (and also, of course, try to keep yourself safe), and certainly do not allow your furbaby to chase or play with any bats. A bat can bite quickly and without notice, and rabies could potentially be transferred that quickly if the bat at hand is infected with it. If a bat is unable to be safely escorted out through a window, or in another safe means that does not mean direct handling, then contact animal control or another relevant organization for the safe removal of bats.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy Gets Haunted

Hello and happy Friday, friends! We're here and 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, and I came up with the second two.

1. _________ is a useful skill that I have.

2. I recharge by _________.

3. My job as a _________ taught me _________.

4. I wouldn't mind visiting a house haunted by _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. Speed cleaning is a useful skill that I have.
(I'm not perfect at this, and my skillset is mostly in reference to my ability to clean up feline messes very quickly. Having shared my life with many animals—namely having shared my life with my sweet Evan and his urinary incontinence and messy megacolon—I've learned ways to clean and sanitize such messes rather quickly. I need to expand my speed cleaning skills to other areas, such as cleaning kitchen cabinets and the oven and such. But, I can at least speed clean my kitties' messes.)

2. I recharge by staying home with my cats.
(I'm a broken record and have mentioned many times before how I'm an asocial homebody. I want nothing more than to be home alone with my kitties. When I do have required events that involve socializing and the like, including simply going to work for the day, I can never wait to get back home to recover in the company of my cats.)

3. My job as a veterinary assistant taught me customer service.
(When I worked as a veterinary assistant, I was the only employee for a veterinarian who had a very abrasive personality. She had trouble getting along with others, including clients. Because of that, and because I was the person who greeted everyone and tried keep the clients coming back, I was forced to learn some intense customer service skills while working that job. Though I don't work that job anymore, I'm still able to turn on that customer service version of me. I once heard someone comment on how they don't even recognize the customer service version of themselves, and I honestly relate to that so much. I'm not a very social or talkative person, and yet when I bring out my customer service side, I can be exactly those things. It's like acting in a fictional role. My mom and sister have seen it in action and said I'm a completely different person in a customer-centric setting, and they're right.)

4. I wouldn't mind visiting a house haunted by my furry angels.
(I've been debating with myself if this is really the answer I want to put. I'm not sure if this sort of visit with my kitties and pups who have passed would be too heartbreaking or not, but the reality is that if I were given the chance to see them all again, I would absolutely take it.)

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.

***

Eddy was not spared from being haunted by the festive little friend the other kitties have introduced you to this week. This tabby girl already tends to get suspicious of the camera, and she gets even more suspicious when it shows up alongside a ghostly fiend. Her suspicions made for some cute photos, though. See?

Believe it or not, our blooper queen Eddy provided a number of blurry shots during this photo shoot. They're pretty darn cute, and we'll be sharing them for the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop the day before Halloween.

Have a wonderful day, friends!

***

Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today, Eddy is sharing her Halloween costume from a series of doodles I scribbled up a couple years ago. She got to dress up as Michael Myers. Why? Because Eddy has a couple things in common with this Halloween menace. You know, like antisocial tendencies and a penchant for using sharp objects.

***

Tip of the Day

We talked about sparing unwilling furbabies from dressing up for Halloween, and about selecting safe costumes for those furbabies who do enjoy dressing up. Today, we're here to remind you that, if you yourself are planning to don a costume for Halloween, to again take your furbaby into consideration. Any costume worn by yourself, or anyone else in the house, should be safe around your kitty or pup, such as by being free of parts and pieces that a kitty or pup might chew or ingest and thereby put themselves in danger. Earlier in the month we also talked about the toxicity of items such as fake blood, so of course it's safest to refrain from including that in any costume you wear.

Aside from costume dangers, also keep your furbaby's comfort and happiness in mind if you have any sort of costume for yourself. Wigs and masks, for example, might scare some cats or dogs, especially those who are already skittish. It's not only important to ensure that any costume you wear is safe around your furbaby, but that it also does not scare them.

A Haunted Thankful Thimble Thursday with an Update on Trapper

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

Today, Thimble is grateful that she recently found one of her festive ghost toys that had been lost for who knows how long, possibly since last Halloween. I don't know where she found it, but she ended up with it on my bed the other day.

Prior to these photos Thimble was actively playing with that there little ghost, but as soon as I pulled the camera out she instead opted to pose like the model she is.

Today, Thimble and all of us are also grateful that my parents' kitty Trapper is still hanging in there. As I've mentioned, Trapper is Thimble's littermate who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal cancer. He's exceeded the median prognosis for his diagnosis, and while he's certainly lost weight and is nowhere near as active as he used to be, he's still showing interest in certain meals, getting drinks from his beloved bathtub, and going on some of his strolls around the house, as well as some of his other usual things. My parents are giving him pain meds as well as a variety of other medications to keep him comfortable while he's still showing interest in such stuff. I go to my parents' house every day to not only visit Trapper, but to also help give him subcutaneous fluids to combat the dehydration caused by the cancer. I also give him a vitamin B12 injection every couple or few days, as his vet sent a bottle of that home since it seems to perk Trapper up a bit.

Trapper took a little trip to his usual vet yesterday for an antibiotic injection, as the poor boy's cancer is causing paraneoplastic dermatitis, and a couple lesions on his skin were starting to look aggravated. His wonderful vet gave him said antibiotic injection, and he also did another recheck ultrasound. Trapper's tumor still appears to be roughly the same size it was when discovered a couple weeks ago. The oncologist did say that it's very likely the cancer has microscopically spread into nearby organs or other regions of his body, but so far the main tumor is remaining about the same, and no other big tumors have been seen on imaging.

My parents and myself are grateful for any days we get to spend with sweet Trapper.

***

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. _________ is a useful skill that I have.

2. I recharge by _________.

3. My job as a _________ taught me _________.

4. I wouldn't mind visiting a house haunted by _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today we have the flashback doodle starring Thimble in her Halloween costume. Her costume was rather easy to pick. After all, this tabby girl loves nighttime cuddles, so much so that she constantly wakes up this human mom of hers at all hours of the night in order to request said cuddles. Since she doesn't believe in sleeping, here we have Freddy Thimble Krueger.

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is an extension of yesterday's tip, when we reminded you to only put Halloween costumes on furbabies who tolerate or enjoy it. Now we're here to mention the importance of choosing safe and secure costumes for those kitties and pups who do enjoy wearing them. There are a number of considerations to make in order to ensure that a Halloween costume, or other item of clothing, is safe for your furbaby. For example, you of course have to make sure that there are no embellishments or other decorations on the costume that could be chewed off and ingested, as this could indeed be dangerous. You also want to make sure that no strings or other similar parts and pieces could lead to a furbaby getting tangled in the costume. What's more, make sure the costume is the correct size and fit. A costume with too small of a neck hole or with too small of leg holes could be not only uncomfortable, but also dangerous for circulation. Dressing up our furbabies can indeed help you and them get into the Halloween spirit, but it is far more important to ensure their comfort and safety.