The Letter L and Tonks Tuesday

Hello and welcome to another day of the April A to Z Challenge!

Like the broken record that I am, I'm here to remind you that for this year's alphabetical challenge I'm scribbling up fan art covers for some of my favorite books. All of these covers will star animals, mostly cats.

Today we've reached the letter L. I've mentioned how I got my love of fantasy from my dad, especially my fondness for J.R.R. Tolkien's works. For that reason, L is for The Lord of the Rings.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not, unfortunately, J.R.R. Tolkien. Therefore I am not, unfortunately, the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

The Lord of the Rings is technically the name of the whole trilogy, which is comprised of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. That said, my first physical version of these books was an omnibus of the whole trilogy. I always think of these masterpieces as one great big adventure that, like so many others out there, I usually just call The Lord of the Rings.

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It is indeed Tonks Tuesday, and so now we'll of course let you bask in the adorable calico's glory.

Tonks and all of us here wish you a terrific Tuesday!

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Tip of the Day

Today we're talking about another intestinal parasite. This time, though, it's not a worm. The parasite we're talking about today is Giardia, which is a single-celled protozoa. In short, Giardia causes diarrhea in cats and dogs, as well as humans. Diarrhea caused by Giardia is often very malodorous, sometimes somewhat green in color, and may contain mucus or blood.

How does a cat or dog become infected with Giardia? It is passed in the feces of infected animals. This means that eating the feces of an infected animal, or eating grass or other debris near where an infected animal has defecated, can result in infection with Giardia. Drinking water near where infected animals have defecated is another way that Giardia can be passed from animal to animal.

This all being said, many healthy animals can have Giardia present in there intestinal tract and not show symptoms. It more commonly becomes a problem in very young, very old, or otherwise sick animals. It is also more common in highly populated areas, such as in a shelter. If diarrhea resulting from Giardia is severe enough, the situation can become life-threatening due to dehydration and other complications.

So, though we can't always put protective bubbles around our furbabies, do your best to help prevent Giardia from affecting your furbaby. Try to keep them from ingesting the feces of other animals, of course, or from ingesting grass or water in areas where other animals may have defecated. Also be sure to keep their feeding, sleeping, and play areas, especially those outdoors, sanitary.

If you do notice your kitty or pup has diarrhea, do not hesitate to take them and a fecal sample in for an exam by a veterinarian. Especially if your furbaby is very young, geriatric, or sick, do not hesitate to have them seen if they are displaying diarrhea. Your vet can test a stool sample for Giardia, as well as for other parasites. Of course, also be sure to administer medications and follow other treatments that your vet prescribes for your furbaby. Also, as we always say, never hesitate to ask your veterinarian about any concerns you have regarding Giardia and your furbaby's risk, treatment, or prevention.

It is also worth noting that, though nowadays is is believed not as prevalent as originally thought, it is still possible for humans to get Giardia from cats and dogs. For this reason, always be sure to wash your hands after cleaning up their waste, especially if they are known to have Giardia. Giardia is not something to take lightly, neither in our furbabies nor ourselves.

The Letter K and Evan's Battle Cry

Hello and welcome to another day of the April A to Z Challenge!

For this alphabetical challenge, I'm sharing my own fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. Even better, my covers star cats, or the occasional dog or other animal. It doesn't matter whether the books in question have a kitty or other animal characters. My covers will have furry stars no matter what.

Today we've reached the letter K, and for this one it's not a book title I'm going with. Instead, I'm basing my book choice on the main character's name, and that is Kane. I've mentioned how my dad is a lifelong fan of the fantasy genre, and I inherited that. My dad also shared his old fantasy books with me as I grew up, and I read pretty much all of them. Those included the 1970s books about the warrior named Kane, who had red hair and cursed blue eyes. Karl Edward Wagner's stories about Kane have always been some of my favorite pulp fantasy reads, so I of course had to share at least one of them in this month's A to Z Challenge.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Karl Edward Wagner, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

Though I immensely enjoy the novel Dark Crusade, it's actually some of the anthology books with short stories and novellas starring Kane that are my absolute favorite reads by Karl Edward Wagner. That said, I very loosely based my kitty Kane drawing on the cover art of Dark Crusade, so I let it be the Kane cover I shared.

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Speaking of red-headed warriors, here's a my tough little guy Evan giving his battle cry!

Oh, wait, no. Evan was just giving me an adorable little yawn in these bloopers.

The poor tired boy has to put up with his human of a mom shoving a camera in his face when all he wants is a nap. He's such a sweet boy, though, and is (usually) a good sport about it.

Don't worry. I let Evan take his nap after snapping a couple more photos. Oh, and if you were curious, Evan is a snorer. And a loud one at that.

Happy napping to all!

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Tip of the Day

A few days ago we gave a tip relating to intestinal worms, including roundworms. We failed to mention lungworms, though, which are actually a type of roundworm. Slugs and snails are the common carriers of lungworm larvae. Dogs, therefore, can end up with a lungworm infestation if they eat a slug or snail that is carrying the larvae. It is also possible for cats to acquire lungworms, such as if they eat a slug or snail, or if they eat a bird or other prey that has eaten a slug or snail that is carrying lungworm larvae.

Lungworms, obviously, affect the lungs. Signs of lungworm infection can include coughing and difficulty breathing. In some cases, respiratory failure can occur. Needless to say, if you notice any respiratory distress in your kitty or pup, always have them seen by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Diagnosis and treatment of any respiratory disorder, including lungworms, should not be delayed.

To help prevent any potential lungworm infection in your furbabies, be aware of their surroundings. Do you have slugs and snails in your yard, or in any areas where your furbaby visits? If so, keep an eye on them and try to prevent their ingestion of such critters. Also, do not leave toys or bowls outside where snails or slugs might be able to inhabit them, as this could result in even accidental ingestion of these critters that can carry lungworms. And, of course, if you have any concerns regarding the risk, prevention, or treatment of lungworms, discuss this with your veterinarian.

Caturday Art with the Letter J

Hello and welcome to another day of the April A to Z Challenge!

This year's alphabetical challenge involves me sharing my own fan art covers for some of my favorite books. And, whether or not there is a feline or other animal character in the book, my covers will all indeed star a furry friend.

Today we've reached the letter J, which might not make much sense if you glance down and see that the book I've chosen is The Amityville Horror. I had to shift some things around when planning my book covers for this alphabetical month, which kicked this one out of the A slot. I made it fit for the letter J, though, because of the character named Jodie. When I think of The Amityville Horror, the first thing I always imagine is none other than Jodie. She is not a main character, but rather one of the child character's imaginary friends. What else is there to know about Jodie? Well, she's a demonic pig with glowing red eyes. Isn't that just great? You can see her in the upper window of the haunted house on my cover.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Jay Anson, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

Though horror is one of my favorite genres of both books and movies, I'm not very easy to scare. That said, The Amityville Horror is quite possibly the only book that's ever truly creeped me out. It's said to be based on true events. I'm not sure how much of it I believe is true, but either way, I found it genuinely spooky.

I will note that the family in this book does have a dog. I almost drew that dog as the animal character for my cover, but what all the poor dog had to go through made me sad as I read this book. The dog actually does survive the book, which was a relief. But, I still felt so bad for the poor thing and so chose to let him stay away from my version of this awful house. I instead decided on scribbling up a spooked cat that never actually existed in the story. In my mind, that there kitty sees the house and its demonic pig, says absolutely not, and then runs off to live a happy life. 

Happy Caturday to all!

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Tip of the Day

 

A couple days ago, we talked about ear mites. These mites are not the only kind that can infest our pups and kitties, though. As many of you likely already know, there are a variety of other mites that can affect the skin of our furbabies.

In dogs, mites that cause sarcoptic mange are perhaps most common, and are also highly contagious between dogs and also to humans. Mites that cause demodectic mange are perhaps a bit less common, as a healthy immune system can often suppress them, and they are also far less contagious. Cats have certain mites that more commonly affect them, such as cheyletiella mites and mites that cause notoedric mange. Both of these are contagious, similarly to the mites that cause sarcoptic mange.

No matter the species of your furbaby, they can potentially be affected by mites. Depending on the type of mite, as well as the pup or kitty's overall health and the severity of the infestation, you might see a variety of symptoms. When it comes to mites and mange, keep an eye out for itching and scratching, hair loss, scabs or scaly skin, and discoloration of the skin, just to name a few.

If you think you see any signs related to mites, or signs of any dermatological issue, have your furbaby seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Not only is itching and scratching uncomfortable, but lesions and secondary infections can result. Left untreated, mites and their side effects can become a risk not only to your furbaby's comfort and happiness, but also to their health.

All of that being said, keep in mind that treatment for mites will likely not only include medications prescribed by your veterinarian. Mites will also need to be eradicated from the environment. You may need to pitch bedding and rugs, or at the very least efficiently wash them in hot water. Do whatever it takes to ensure that your furbaby and their environment is as sanitary and safe as possible, so that they can live a happy, healthy life.

Friendly Fill-Ins, the Letter I, and Eddy's Aquamarine Eyes

Hello and hi! 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 never want to forget _________.

2. I have a recurring dream about _________.

3. _________ is the strangest thing in my computer's search history.

4. I wish I could turn my _________ into a paying job.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I never want to forget any of my loved ones who have passed.
(This goes for my both human and furry family, of course.)

2. I have a recurring dream about missing every class of a course until finals week.

(I just turned 37 years old. I haven't been in school of any sort for 15 years. I rarely have or at least remember my dreams, but when I do, the most common ones indeed involve me forgetting I'm enrolled in a class, missing every lesson, only realizing this error during finals week, and all that jazz. There's nothing like the relief of waking up from such a dream and realizing I'm way past caring about coursework and grades.)

3. "Garret the tummy acher" is the strangest thing in my computer's search history.
(I honestly have a lot of weird searches like this in my history. They usually stem from me trying to figure out how I want to draw some fantastical creature. In this case, Garret the tummy acher is a character from the fantasy series of books I've been creating fan art covers for in the April A to Z Challenge. He's actually on the cover you'll find below in today's post. In these books, a tummy acher creature is often described as a meatball-like thing with short legs and no arms. I needed a reminder of what he looked like for my own fan art of these books, and so now he's part of my search history.)

4. I wish I could turn my weird art into a paying job.

(I love to draw and write, and I consider both of these forms of art that I'd genuinely like to turn into more than just hobbies. I know my creations are often really bizarre. I won't ever deny that. Even so, I'd still like to try my hand at sharing them with the world in even a slightly profitable way, because why not. I've mentioned this before, so this perhaps not a surprising answer at all.)

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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Second up today is the April A to Z Challenge.

Not to chronically repeat myself, but here's just a little reminder that, for this year's alphabetical challenge, I'm creating fan art covers for some of my favorite books. What's more, my covers will all star cats or another animal.

Today I have yet another book from my newest favorite fantasy series, which is collectively known as Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. Though the main character is technically a man named Carl, the true star of the show is his talking Persian tortie cat named Princess Donut. She is of course the star of my covers for these books, including the one for today's letter I, that being This Inevitable Ruin (I didn't want to count the word "This", so I indeed used the letter I for its second word).

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

That there is the seventh book in this series. Princess Donut indeed gets her very own tower in this one, and it also has quite a few scenes with that tummy acher character I mentioned in my fill-ins above. The eighth book comes out this May, and I cannot wait. You'll see my cover for that book later this month, though I have no idea how accurate my artistic liberty will be as I unfortunately can't read a book that hasn't yet been released.

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Now, of course, we're going to grace you with the little lady known as Eddy.

Even though Eddy refused to look at the camera during this photo shoot, you can still see how gorgeous her aquamarine eyes are.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

 

Our parasite talk today is all about ticks. These nasty little guys can find their way onto your kitty or pup (or yourself) from wooded areas, shrubs, and tall grass. They can make their way into your yard, especially (though not limited to) if you live near a wooded or other similar area. This means that animals who go outdoors can always be at risk for ticks. Then again, it is not impossible for animals with limited outdoor activity to pick up a stray tick as well.

Ticks pose more danger than one. First, to put it simply, they suck your furbaby's blood. It would most likely take a good deal of time for a tick to cause anemia in their host, but this is still something to keep in mind. What's more, ticks can transfer dangerous, sometimes life-threatening diseases to a cat or dog (or human, or other animal). Lyme disease is one such disease, and it can cause swelling, pain, and arthritis in the joints. Another disease that ticks can transmit is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can result in fever as well as lameness, similarly to Lyme disease.

Obviously, for reasons such as those listed above, you certainly don't want ticks on your furbabies. Especially if your furbaby goes outdoors, and most especially if they visit areas with lots of trees and tall grass, the best way to protect them from ticks is by way of preventatives. There are indeed preventatives on the market that cover ticks, often while at the same time preventing against other parasites we've already discussed, such as fleas and intestinal worms. So, discuss these options with your veterinarian. Again, as we've said before, it is always safest to purchase quality products, such as those offered at your veterinarian's office.

We'll also take this time to note that, if you see a tick on your furbaby, don't just start pulling at it. Ticks can attach themselves, especially their heads, very securely to an animal's body. This means that if you pull on them, you might very well remove their bodies, all while leaving their blood-sucking heads still on your kitty or pup. For this reason, if you see a tick on your furbaby, assess the situation and determine if you know how to or are able to remove it safely and in its entirety. There are some tricks and even products, such as tweezers specifically designed for tick removal, that can assist in removing a tick completely. However, if you are not positive that you can manage this, as it is not always an easy thing, then contact a veterinarian and seek assistance in removal of the tick.

How about a bonus tidbit? Possums are known to be incredibly efficient tick-eaters. It has even been said that one single possum can consume over 5,000 ticks in one season. So, if you have possums in your yard, leave them be. They could very well keep that tick population down, leaving your furbaby and yourself safer for it.

The Letter H...and Happy Birthday, Gemma and Freya!

We're here and ready for another day of the April A to Z Challenge.

For this year's alphabetical challenge, I'm creating my own covers for some of my favorite books. All of these fan art covers of mine star cats, or occasionally dogs or other animals. Today we've reached the letter H. I've been looking forward to this one, as H stands for quite possibly my all-time favorite book, and it's one that has a lot of sentimental value to me. That said, here's The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not, unfortunately, J.R.R. Tolkien. Therefore I am not, unfortunately, the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

My dad is a huge fan of the fantasy genre, and so he read The Hobbit and the rest of Tolkien's works when he was young. When my sister and I were probably around 4 and 5 years old, he read The Hobbit to us over a few nights as our bedtime story. I have vague but still joyful memories of those nights, listening to the story of Bilbo the hobbit going on a magical journey. In his youth my dad also hand drew an incredibly detailed map of Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, and it hung from the wall in my playroom when I was a kid. I admired and studied that thing on pretty much a daily basis. When I got older, I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as well as Tolkien's other works for myself. (Can you guess what book cover I'll be sharing for the letter L?) All of that combined is a huge reason why fantasy always has been and always will be my all-time favorite and go-to genre.

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And now it's time for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Though Thursday is usually Thimble's day to show off her adorableness, she agreed to let a couple of other pretty girls star in today's post. And so, today we're grateful for two birthday girls at my parents' house. Happy 11th Birthday, Gemma and Freya!

My parents adopted those two pretty sisters the same week I adopted my girl Eddy back in 2015. All three of them were from the same rescue group and had been trapped from the same feral colony out in a rural area. The colony caretakers and trappers knew that Gemma and Freya were sisters and so were trying to adopt them out together. My family had lost our dear angel calico Rosie at 21 years old about two months earlier, and my mom knew she wanted her life blessed with another calico (I knew so for myself as well, but at that point I was not quite ready to bring another calico to my home). I walked into a local pet store to grab some food and litter one day and in the adoptable cat area saw a calico face that reminded me so much of Rosie. It was Gemma. I was with my dad at the time and immediately showed him, and that same day he took my mom back to the pet store and they applied to adopt not only Gemma but also Freya. (I ended up with my Eddy just days later after asking the rescue group if they had any special needs kitties in need of a home. They immediately pointed me to my sweet and sassy Eddy, but I'll share that story again on Eddy's birthday.)

Just a few months ago Gemma was diagnosed with pretty significant arthritis as well as diabetes. Just like my parents' kitty Trapper, Gemma started on Bexacat for her diabetes, and she's doing amazingly well on it. She also gets pain meds and anti-inflammatories as needed for her arthritis, and overall she's doing great. Freya had some urinary issues as a young cat, but she's since recovered from those and has had no health issues in years. Though a bit more reserved than some of my parents' other cats, these two girls are so very sweet, not to mention they're absolutely gorgeous little ladies. Well, except they're actually not very little. Even if they are a tad bit overweight, they're actually just surprisingly large-framed female cats, and they both weight about 17 lbs. In case you were curious.

Happy Birthday, sweet Gemma and Freya!

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And now let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, shall we? My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I never want to forget _________.

2. I have a recurring dream about _________.

3. _________ is the strangest thing in my computer's search history.

4. I wish I could turn my _________ into a paying job.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

We're in the midst of tips regarding parasites and their prevention. We have so far covered heartworms, fleas, tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Now, today, it's all about those ear mites.

As is probably obvious, ear mites affect the ears, living primary in the ear canal. For what it's worth, ear mites are more commonly seen in cats, making dogs the luckier, less typical victims of these buggers. Ear mites can be spread directly from cat to cat.

Now, what will you notice if your cat, or dog, has an ear mite infestation? Your furbaby's ears will itch, they will scratch at them, there can therefore be inflammation in the area, and they may even shake their heads or hold their ears low due to the irritation. You also may see dark, brownish debris in the ears, which is commonly described as resembling coffee grounds.

If you do see any of the above symptoms in your kitty or pup, have them seen by a veterinarian. Ear mites can ultimately lead to secondary ear infections and other similar issues, so taking care of them is of course best for your furbaby's health and happiness. Your veterinarian can test for ear mites by swabbing the ears and looking at the debris under a microscope.

When it comes to treatment, it is of course best to use medications prescribed directly by your veterinarian. There are drops or other treatments that can offer a relatively fast-acting eradication of the ear mites. In addition, there are monthly preventatives that cover ear mites. These can typically help take care of existing mites, as well as prevent a future ear mite infestation. Discuss any and all such options with your veterinarian, especially if your furbaby is largely outdoors and potentially more susceptible to such infestations.

The Letter G and Angel Astrid's Floral Find

It's time for another letter in the April A to Z Challenge.

I'm nothing if not a broken record, so I'll repeat that for this year's alphabetical challenge I'm creating my own, fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. What's more, my covers will all star cats, or occasionally a dog or other animal.

It just so happens that most of the books in my newest favorite fantasy series fall within the beginning of the alphabet. This series is the wild and chaotic Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. These books star not only a man named Carl, but also his talking Persian tortie cat named Princess Donut. And of course that means Princess Donut is the star of all of my covers for these books, including the one for today's letter G.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

The Gate of the Feral Gods is the fourth book in this series, and it involves a dessert and camels and a floating house and a plane and of course a gate that releases feral gods. Like I said, this series is wild and chaotic, and it has brought me a lot of joy over the past couple of years.

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And now it's time for some memories with my sweet angel pup Astrid. We're starting to see some flowers blooming around here. There are lots of crocuses and of course dandelions, and the first tulip has bloomed in my yard. Seeing these flowers reminded me of a walk I took with Astrid last spring.

I went searching for these photos, and they were snapped almost exactly a year ago, on April 12, 2025. Astrid and I found that there pretty flower blooming in just a small patch of grass by the curb a couple blocks from our house. There's a bridge over the neighborhood creek right there, and that little bit of grass beside the bridge never usually has any plants. But, last year it gave us this pretty bloom. Astrid was quite intrigued by it.

Angel Astrid and all of us here wish you a wonderful Wednesday!

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Tip of the Day

 

After yesterday's discussion on tapeworms, we thought we'd briefly discuss a couple of other similar intestinal parasites, these being roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. We won't go into all of the science for each of these worms, but we will touch on the basics of such infestations. So, if you're interested in these wormy parasites, read on.

Depending on the worm, cats and dogs can potentially become infected with the aforementioned worms as kittens or puppies, such as in utero or from their mother's milk. Worms can also find their way to a cat or dog's intestines by the ingestion of a rodent or other carrier of the parasite, or by ingesting the parasite in certain stages of its life cycle elsewhere in the environment. Symptoms of such an infestation can include diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, a potbellied appearance, and sometimes even worms in your furbaby's feces.

If you think your kitty or pup might have intestinal worms, such as if they are a young puppy or kitty with a potbelly, if you see worms in their feces, or if you see any other potential signs, of course take your furbaby and a stool sample to be examined by a veterinarian. Parasiticides can be used to eradicate these intestinal parasites. Just as with tapeworms, though, it is important to use preventative measures to keep your kitty or pup clear of them from then on. Keep their environment clean in order to prevent growth of the worms in the environment. In addition, if your furbaby goes outdoors, monitor them and try to ensure that they are not ingesting prey that are potential carriers of intestinal parasites, such as rodents. If needed, such as if your cat or dog is largely outdoors, discuss with your veterinarian the potential for keeping your furbaby on regular preventatives that cover intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

Happy Birthday, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! (...and the Letter F)

So, it's Tonks Tuesday. You know what makes that even better? The fact that it's Tonks's birthday!

My sweet, happy, active, and just generally amazing calico Tonks is 8 years old today. I can't believe that number. She's now in her second year as a "senior" cat, and yet she's constantly playing, running, jumping, and just generally acting nothing like a "senior". Which I love so much.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Tonks! I love you so much!

What's more, though, my sister is owned by Tonks's litter mate Winky, and my parents are owned by their brother Flitwick. So, it's a triple birthday today!

Here's miss Winky...

And here's the handsome boy Flitwick...

Happy 8th Birthday, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! We love you and we hope your birthday is the best day ever!

You know what else? These birthday babies actually have a little to do with today's contribution to the April A to Z Challenge.

This April, I'm sharing my own fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. Even better, all of my covers star cats, or dogs. Or other animals, like you'll see below. Today's letter is F, which won't make sense at first since I'm about to ramble about Harry Potter. You see, my sister and I grew up in the era of Harry Potter. We were the target audience when those books were coming out, and we loved reading them so much. We still do, just as we still enjoy watching the movies. Our dad also read the Harry Potter books back in the day, and our whole family has watched every movie together more than once.

All that said, today's birthday kitties are all named after Harry Potter characters. My girl Tonks is named after the witch Nymphadora Tonks, who has the magical ability to change her appearance. Winky happens to be named after a house elf whose name is, well, Winky. In the books she is notoriously drunk, and our kitty version of Winky plays that up quite well by being her sometimes spastic and sometimes curmudgeonly self. Flitwick is named after the professor Filius Flitwick.

Since I have another book very significant to me being used for the letter H, I was able to make the first Harry Potter book fall under today's letter of F. After all, remember the one and only kitty Flitwick I mentioned above, and his namesake character Filius Flitwick? In the first book of the Harry Potter series, that being Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the title character and his classmates start their lessons at the magical school known as Hogwarts. One of their professors is none other than Filius Flitwick, and that's not only one F but two!

Before I share my Harry Potter book cover, I'm going to share the Harry Potter-inspired birthday doodle I scribbled up last year for Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick.

I'm not only sharing that in honor of the birthday kitties, but also because this was one of the cases where I allowed myself to use an old doodle to create today's book cover. Unfortunately, the one and only Flitwick could no longer aesthetically fit in the image when cropped as a book cover, but he's still there in spirit. So, in honor of Professor Flitwick, here's my version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

You actually get a bonus cover today as well. A couple years ago I scribbled up a Harry Potter birthday card for my sister, and I made it start one of her favorite animals, that being a sloth. So, I guess still using today's letter F for Professor Flitwick, here's another cover for the first Harry Potter book.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: These are not real, true covers of this book. My name is also not J.K. Rowling, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats, and of course sloths, and so I drew these unofficial feline and slothy versions of the book's cover.]

I apologize for all of the rambling above. But, I get quite excited when it's some of my kitties' birthday, and when I get the chance to gab on and on about one of my favorite book series. So, there's that. If you made it this far in this long post, many magical kudos to you.

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we discussed the topic of fleas and the importance of using preventatives. We briefly noted on how a flea infestation can lead to a kitty or pup being infected with tapeworms. Today, we are expanding on the topic of these nasty, wormy invaders.

To begin, as we just stated, a tapeworm infestation can be the result of a flea infestation. This is because fleas can carry tapeworm larvae, and when a cat or dog grooms and thereby ingests a carrier flea, that furbaby can then become infested with tapeworms. Fleas are not the only hosts of tapeworms, though. A cat or dog can also become infected by ingesting a rodent, rabbit, or bird that is carrying them. For this reason, some veterinarians will recommend that outdoor cats and dogs remain on tapeworm preventatives regularly, to prevent infestation in the event that a tapeworm host is ingested during a hunt.

Now that we know how a kitty or pup can end up with tapeworms, let's give a brief summary on the signs. One obvious sign that a furbaby has tapeworms is visually seeing it in their feces, or around their anus, or even in an area where they frequent. What you see in the feces of an infected cat or dog are actually segments that break off of a tapeworm, and these segments are perhaps best described as looking like grains of rice. Other symptoms of tapeworms include a cat or dog scooting their rear end on the floor, to alleviate the itching, irritating sensation of the tapeworm and its segments. In severe cases, such as after a lengthy tapeworm infestation, side effects can include lack of growth or weight loss, or even intestinal blockage as a result of tapeworms.

If you have any concerns that your furbaby might have tapeworms, take your furbaby and a sample of their stool in for your veterinarian to examine. There is the possibility that tapeworms may not shed consistently, and some stool samples may come back as negative even when tapeworms are present in the intestines. This is why it is also important to explain and describe to your veterinarian any signs you have seen, such as tapeworm segments in the feces, scooting, weight loss, and so forth.

These days, treatment for a tapeworm infestation is relatively straight-forward and easy, with the use of parasiticides. Thereafter, prevention is of course also key. Flea preventatives are imperative in ensuring that your furbaby does not become infected with tapeworms by way of fleas. If your cat or dog is often outdoors, and especially if they are known to hunt or ingest wildlife, you can also discuss with your veterinarian giving preventatives more heavily geared toward tapeworms. Tapeworms can hinder your furbaby's ability to thrive, so of course be sure that you understand their risks and do your best to prevent these wormy pests.