Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Continued Window Whiffies

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins, 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 enjoy talking to _________.

2. _________ is something kind I did recently.

3. I wish I could _________ without any repercussions.

4. I've been complimented on my _________ but criticized for _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I enjoy talking to my dad about books.
(Obviously I talk to others in my family about all sorts of things and enjoy it. That said, my dad is the only other person in my family who truly reads, and we happen to enjoy the same types of books. So, he's my go-to for talking about books, and I love those conversations.)

2. Putting extra food out for newcomer neighborhood kitties is something kind I did recently.
(I wish I could think of something kind I've gone out of my way to do for a fellow human recently, but nothing is coming to my mind. I don't socialize much, as I prefer to be home with my furry babies, and so perhaps that's part of it. That's terrible, I know. That said, I do love being kind to animals. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of strays, ferals, and owned but outdoor kitties in our neighborhood. That breaks my heart, and I do my best to help them. I've therefore added some more feeding areas to my yard and started putting more food out. I've been buying more cat food than I ever have in my life, but I want the kitties who find my yard to know it's a safe place to enjoy a meal. I also really want to start trapping some of the ferals and getting them neutered.)

3. I wish I could steal animals from unworthy owners without any repercussions.
(Theft is a crime, of course. And I guess it's not really my place to judge others on their pet parenting. That said, I've known and met others who just don't seem like they deserve dogs, cats, or other companion animals. I'm talking about those kinds of people who don't properly take care of them, who stick them outside in poor conditions, don't give them meaningful attention, don't give them vet care, and that sort of thing. I wish I could steal those animals so that they could find homes with true love.)

4. I've been complimented on my pet parenting but criticized for poor communications skills with fellow humans.
(My vet has told me more than once that I'm a good pet parent, especially when I'm there with extra special Evan. I'm far from perfect, but I do my best. On the other side of things, I'm not so great with humans. Especially when it comes to responding to texts/messages, returning calls, just generally socializing, and that sort of thing, I'm pretty garbage. I honestly find those things a bit overwhelming, and especially my family members will call me out on 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.

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It's Friday, which means you get yourself an Eddy fix. Today, just like last week, this girl is enjoying some window whiffies. 

We've been having some warmer weather, which the kitties love. When it gets over 70°F, that's honestly too warm for myself, as I much prefer cooler temperatures. But, the kitties seem to enjoy the window whiffies, sun puddles, and all that warm weather jazz.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle relates to how I feed lots of ferals and other kitties outside, and said doodle doesn't even star a cat. This drawing instead stars a certain critter who also shows up every day/night to eat the kitty food I put outside. And that critter looks a little something like this.

Honestly, I don't mind feeding opossums. They're amazing animals who do a lot for the environment, such as by eating ticks, just to name one example. As long as they don't abuse the kitties I care for outside, they're welcome in my yard. Sometimes I even put extra food out just for the opossums, especially if it's the time of night they usually show up.

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Tip of the Day

Today's National Pet Poison Awareness Month tip is about essential oils. There are a wide variety of essential oils on the market, and there are also a wide variety of reactions your furbaby might display if exposed to certain essential oils. Some essential oils can indeed be poisonous to our kitties or pups, kitties typically being especially sensitive to them. Depending on the type of oil and its concentration, exposure to and ingestion of an essential oil can lead to potentially serious side effects, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty walking, just to name a couple.

To prevent any accidental toxicity or emergencies, it might be best to simply prevent your furbaby from coming into contact with any essential oils, to ensure that your furbaby does not come into contact with one containing a toxic ingredient. This would mean refraining from putting essential oils on your kitty or pup, or placing essential oil diffusers anywhere near where your furbaby can reach. Also keep in mind that essential oils and their fragrances can also potentially cause respiratory irritation, with symptoms such as ocular discharge, nasal discharge, or signs related to asthma. When in doubt, keep essential oils, essential oil diffusers, and any other similar products well away from your furbaby, as their health and safety is not worth the risk.

Thankful Thimble Thursday in the Sun

It's Thursday, and Thimble is more than ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful that we're having some lovely, sunny weather. She's thankful for sun puddles, and also of course for her adorableness, big ears and all. See?

Thimble hopes you're all enjoying some sunshine like she is. And, as always, Thimble hopes that seeing her cuteness helped brighten your day!

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And 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 enjoy talking to _________.

2. _________ is something kind I did recently.

3. I wish I could _________ without any repercussions.

4. I've been complimented on my _________ but criticized for _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle stars Robokitty. The idea of Robokitty began when Thimble was a kitten, because back then she had such a robotic, almost grating meow. Though her meow isn't quite as severely robotic now that she's older, it's still Robokitty worthy. All that said, here's a doodle I scribbled up a couple years ago of none other than Robokitty.

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Tip of the Day

We have yet more random safety tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month. Today's tip is to keep that hand sanitizer out of the reach of your furbabies. Hand sanitizer contains alcohol, which means that, especially if ingested in large enough quantities, it can indeed lead to alcohol poisoning. More than likely, hand sanitizer will neither smell nor taste enticing to your kitty or pup. But, some furbabies may simply have strange or unprejudiced tastes, and so keeping any potentially toxic items out of their reach is of course crucial. Keep this in mind not only when it comes to hand sanitizer. Some items can contain toxic ingredients that you might not expect, and some furbabies might not be picky about what they put in their mouths. So, never leave anything questionable within their reach, because it is indeed always better to be safe than sorry.

Woof Woof Wednesday in the Window

It's been quite some time since you've gotten a photo of pup Astrid gazing out her beloved window. So, here you go.

Don't worry, that pouty puppy got to go outside for a walk soon after that sad little photo was taken. And then after that she got to sit on the back patio for as long as she wanted. She's actually not quite the prisoner she tried to portray in that photo up there.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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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.

A Blurry Bath on Tonks Tuesday

Today, on this Tonks Tuesday, the calico has a couple of bloopers to share. After all, when I asked her to pose for some photos, she instead opted to start taking a bath. A blurry one, at that.

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

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I was scrolling through old doodles and stumbled upon this one from many years ago, which seems apt enough for the photos Tonks chose to share above.

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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.

Mancat Monday at the Vet

Poor Evan had a quick little trip to the vet this morning.

Evan simply went in for a urine check, since he had a bit of a stubborn UTI recently. After two rounds of antibiotics, Evan is now doing great. He's not having any of his UTI symptoms anymore. I haven't yet received the results of his urinalysis, but he's at least no longer showing any outward signs of a UTI. The urinalysis is being done to make sure the UTI is indeed internally healed. The reality is that Evan will absolutely have more UTIs in the future, given that multiple of conditions make him susceptible to them, but we deal with that one day at a time here.

Evan is already back home and enjoying a nice nap in the sun. He hopes you all enjoy a warm and toasty sun puddle today!

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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. Other painkillers as well as 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.

All that said, it's not just human medications that are potentially dangerous. 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 even 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 emergencies possible.

Friendly Fill-ins and Eddy's Window Whiffies

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. My March to-do list includes _________ and _________.

2. I used to like _________, but not anymore.

3. _________ is an obscure _________ that I really enjoy.

4. I'm most productive _________.

My answer are below in bold.

1. My March to-do list includes making pie for Pi Day and working on my drawings for the April A to Z Challenge.
(March 14 is Pi Day, for mathematical reasons, and so I always make apple pie for my family to celebrate. As for the April A to Z Challenge, I'm going to be completely honest and admit that I haven't even decided on a theme yet. I need to figure that out this weekend and get started on those drawings. I have some ideas, but I've been very indecisive about it this year.)

2. I used to like bologna, but not anymore.
(As a kid, I ate bologna sandwiches relatively often. I loved them. Now, even just the sight of bologna makes me want to vomit, and that's not even mentioning its thoroughly unappetizing smell and taste.)

3. Benvenuto is an obscure children's book that I really enjoy.
(I feel like I've mentioned this book here before, but I'm not positive. Either way, Benvenuto by Seymour Reit is a children's book my dad read to my sister and me when we were kids. It's about a boy and his dragon, to put it simply, and I loved this book so much as a kid, and I still find joy in it as an adult. I didn't realize how "obscure" this book was until I went to buy a copy for myself a few years ago. It's not the easiest to find a copy of it, and I had to purchase a used copy, though that was fine with me.)

4. I'm most productive in the morning.
(I am admittedly a morning person. That said, there are only so many hours in a morning, especially on weekdays when I have to get to work. My morning productivity mostly involves pet care, various chores, doing a workout, and getting my lunch and other whatnot ready for work. All of that doesn't leave time for morning productivity relating to my hobbies and passions, like drawing and writing. In order to accomplish more of those favorite hobbies of mine, I'm still working on having better evening time management and routines in order to help me be more productive after work as well. Mostly, I need to stop falling asleep on the couch while I watch TV.)

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 starting to warm up over here in our corner of the world, and so Eddy is ready to enjoy some window whiffies.

Early next week, we'll be having temperatures 70°F and warmer. That's admittedly a bit warm for me, and so I don't know that I'll be allowing too long of window whiffies. But, I'll make sure Eddy gets to enjoy some.

I don't let Eddy, or any of my kitties or pup, enjoy window whiffies without supervision. Certain sounds outside tend to startle Eddy, and I don't ever want to risk her getting scared and breaking through the screen in a panic. She enjoys sniffing and feeling the wind through the window screen, but she only gets to do so with this here mom of hers sitting right beside her.

Eddy and all of us here wish you lots of window whiffies!

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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, now often called birch sugar. 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 our 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.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: The Wake-up Call

It's Thursday, and you better believe Thimble is here for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful that her adorable face is the first thing this mom of hers sees every morning.

Thimble knows that she's downright adorable, and so she ensures that I get a good view of that fact every single morning. She is my cute little wake-up call, and I'm not complaining about that one bit.

Oh, and Thimble is also glad that she has stunning whiskers on her cute little face. She was especially glad that they took center stage in one of the photos during this particular photo shoot. See?

As always, Thimble hopes that seeing her adorableness made your Thursday better!

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And now, of course, we have for you 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 March to-do list includes _________ and _________.

2. I used to like _________, but not anymore.

3. _________ is an obscure _________ that I really enjoy.

4. I'm most productive _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is a springtime one I scribbled up a few years ago and that I would love to recreate, in no small part because I drew it so very crooked last time.

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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, though, 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.