Cute Tonks Tuesday

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the calico is here to bless you with her cute little face. You're welcome.

Her tongue is slightly sticking out in that there photo. That happens more often since Tonks lost both of her bottom canine teeth during a dental a couple years ago. It just adds to her cuteness.

Happy Tuesday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We're still sharing flashback doodles from past spooky summertime series. Because why not. Here's the kooky doodle I scribbled up for Tonks last summer.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip is going to be a bit of a long one, because it's all about how to introduce cats to each other, such as when bringing a new cat home. Truth be told, the circumstances and methods of cat introductions can vary, especially depending on the cats involved. Some cats love other cats, some are not fond of other cats, and some are anywhere in between. Just like humans, every cat is different, and every cat has its preferences for who and what is around them. That being said, below we will indeed discuss some of the steps that can be taken to help properly introduce cats to each other.

Let's begin by saying that, though it is certainly not a cure-all for cat introductions, you can give Feliway a try. For long-term use (such as approximately 30 or so days), you can invest in a Feliway diffuser (refills can be purchased for these diffusers). There is also Feliway spray on the market, though a spray's effects do not last nearly as long as a diffuser's. If you are using a Feliway diffuser, it is often recommended that you plug it in roughly 2 weeks prior to an event such as bringing home a new cat, so that the pheromones are already in the home prior to the change.

Moving on, as we already mentioned in a previous tip, of course have somewhere safe for the new kitty to stay once they arrive at their new home. For example, a spare bedroom or a bathroom can make a safe area for a new cat. At this point, it is often best to have a sturdy barrier between the cats, something through which they cannot see each other, such as a door. This way, the cats can smell each other without having to take in the sight of a strange cat. Getting used to the scent of a new cat can be a crucial step before visual contact is made. If safe and feasible, you can even swap the cats' bedding, so that they learn the other's scent this way.

During the aforementioned non-visual olfactory meet-and-greet, there may indeed be hissing or growling. When this hissing and growling is only mild or nonexistent, at that point you try to start allowing the cats to see each other. Of course, using some sort of barrier is still advised, to ensure that no fights occur at the sight of each other. You can use a safe and sturdy baby gate, for example, or even a screen door. If there is hissing, growling, or other signs of aggression, stop the session and give both cats a break from seeing each other. You can repeat this exercise for short spurts, perhaps even multiple times a day, until the aggression diminishes.

The next phase of the introduction is of course best begun only when previous signs of aggression have significantly decreased or disappeared. When the sight of each other no longer spurs hissing, growling, or other aggression, then you can start considering allowing a more direct meet-and-greet. Of course, only do this with heavy supervision. In other words, as you allow the cats to enter the same proximity, without any barrier between them, be very, very watchful. Look for any and all cues that aggression might occur, and if that is the case, stop the session and separate the cats as needed, and then try again when both cats are calm. As a side note, in the potential case of a cat fight, have on hand something safe, such as a towel, that could help you break up the fight.

It may very well take time and lots of patience to get cats used to each other. No matter what phase of introduction you're at, continue safe meet-and-greet sessions as often as is possible and plausible, even if these are best kept brief at first. Getting new cats used to each may indeed take a lot of repetitive exercises such as those listed above. The main yet simple thing to keep in mind is that this will likely take time and patience. Forcing cats to meet in a hasty manner can lead to any number of issues, including aggression or even litter box aversion. While I wish I could say there is a textbook method that guarantees easy, successful cat introductions, that's simply not the case. Just remember to be patient, do not force it, help the cats get to know each other on their own terms and timeline, and closely monitor them until they are well acquainted and have learned to safely like, tolerate, or ignore each other.

Mancat Monday: Evan and the Never-Ending Antibiotics

Sorry for the extra late post, friends! We were out of power for a good chunk of the weekend, just under 48 hours, thanks to a storm and some nasty wind. But here we are now. Finally.

Now, it's Mancat Monday, and today Evan is feeling pretty darn good. He didn't seem to notice or mind the power outage at all.

Though Evan really has been feeling good and hasn't been displaying any of the pain or discomfort that came with his recent UTI, he did start urinating blood again recently. I therefore contacted Evan's vet, and he eased my mind by telling me that he did an ultrasound while collecting Evan's urine recently and saw nothing on the imaging that would point to anything more malignant than cystitis and infection. He did, however, say that with Evan's chronic UTIs, we might have officially reached the point where Evan simply has to take antibiotics every day. Evan's hind limb paralysis and a variety of his other conditions predispose him to UTIs, and they've truly become a very chronic issue for him. So, he's going to get one more full round of twice daily antibiotics for 10 days, after which I'll start giving Evan one dose of antibiotics every single night.

Our vet and I did discuss the concerns with daily antibiotics, such as antibiotic resistance, but we came to the mutual decision that we're in a good spot to go ahead and start Evan on the daily antibiotics anyway. Evan just had a culture done a few weeks ago, at which point his infection was considered still susceptible to the usual antibiotic he takes. That makes sense, as within a few days of starting it last time, he was completely back to his usual happy, active self. He still is, actually, minus the whole urinating blood thing. What's more, should Evan's infections become resistant to this particular antibiotic, we still have a number of antibiotics that would work for Evan.

So, overall, Evan is doing great. He's not a fan of having to take antibiotics daily, as he thinks they tasty pretty darn gross, but both he and I are glad that they make him feel so much better. So, antibiotics it'll be.

Happy Monday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm still in a spooky mood this spring and summer. That said, I still haven't gotten to any of the new spooky doodles I really want to scribble up. So, it's more flashback ones. Today's is one you've seen somewhat recently, as I used this image to create my cover for Pet Sematary in my bookish April A to Z Challenge this year. It's from when I drew Evan as a cute little zombie last summer.

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Tip of the Day

We are still discussing the ins and outs of bringing home a new cat or dog. Today's tip in this series offers some ideas on how to get a new furbaby acclimated to their new family and home. Especially when it comes to shy kitties or pups, be sure to be patient in helping them get to know you. In order to allow a shy or nervous cat or dog to learn to trust you or other family members, frequently visit with them or sit with them, and perhaps even give them an item or two of your clothing. Offer them food and sit with them while they eat, or offer them treats or toys if that does not stress them. Talk to them soothingly, or even read them a book. Make sure visits with them are calm, and always watch for cues that a furbaby is feeling nervous or stressed. Over time, if you remain patient and calm, a new furbaby who is nervous or shy can indeed learn to trust you.

It is not just you or other family members that a new furbaby will have to grow accustomed to, though. Every home and family has its own set of sights and sounds to which a new cat or dog will have to become acclimated. Think of the typical goings-on of your household, and, as needed, help your new furbaby become used to the new sights and sounds by slowly and calmly introducing them to new stimuli. Just as a couple of examples, some furbabies may have to get used to the sound of garbage bags or the sight of an open umbrella. Of course, don't bombard a new cat or dog with new sights and sounds all at once, but, as always, have patience and help them to acclimate to these things slowly over time.

That all being said, introducing a new cat or dog to other animals takes especial care and patience. Slow and proper introductions are of course best for both new and resident cats and dogs. We will further discuss these topics in the very near future.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Brave Eddy

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. I'd like to learn how to play _________.

2. Something I tried to make that was an epic fail was _________.

3. I want to design _________ for _________.

4. _________ is a special treat I get _________.


My answers are below in bold, and are unfortunately accompanied by my usual rambling.

1. I'd like to learn how to play the cello.
(I've always loved stringed instruments. I learned how to play the piano as a kid, for which I am very grateful, but the older I got the more I wished I knew how to play the cello. It's my favorite stringed instrument. I'll listen to pretty much any song with stringed instruments, from classical to remakes of modern songs, and bonus points if the cello has a heavy role in the song. Maybe someday I'll take cello lessons. Perhaps.)

2. Something I tried to make that was an epic fail was gluten-free bread.
(I had an intestinal illness a few years ago, and though it was treatable and itself is all cured now, it left me gluten intolerant as well as lactose intolerant. Over the years I've found alternative forms of bread and pasta and "milk" that I quite enjoy, so I don't feel like I'm going without. That said, I do miss making and eating homemade bread. I've tried making gluten-free bread using various recipes and gluten-free flour, but without that gluten, the homemade bread just isn't happening. One attempt to make gluten-free rolls resulted in flat, burnt discs. I'm able to buy gluten-free bread from the store that I really enjoy, but my attempts to make it myself have been absolute disasters.)

3. I want to design Halloween decor for animal lovers.
(I love Halloween, and I love animals. I also love drawing and crafting, and I especially love creating Halloween stuff starring animals. I'd love to someday use the images I draw to create usable decor for Halloween. Actually, I love scribbling up spooky doodles for every season, such as the increasingly popular Summerween, and so I'd love to craft up spooky decor all year round. Then again, I'd also love to create traditional decor for Christmas, and just general decor as well. But all of it would star kitties and other animals, of course.)

4. 7Brew is a special treat I get every Friday.
(I work at the same place as my dad and sister, and every Friday I go get us 7Brew drinks to get us through the last afternoon of the workweek. I also get one for my mom, and my dad takes it home with him when he leaves for the day. I used to get us Dunkin Donuts, but our local place has really gone downhill in quality and taste. When a 7Brew opened up, though, we all decided we wanted to try that, and now we love it. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I love their tea, and I still want to try their lemonades and a number of their other drinks.)

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 your Eddy fix? We know you are. I'm pretty sure I've shared a photo like this before, and it might look odd and low quality, but it's evidence of how proud I am of my girl Eddy. You see, though Eddy is still a very skittish cat who doesn't like any human besides me, she used to be even more scared of anything and everything. She used to go hide if she'd see even me, her favorite human, outside a window. These days, though, my scared little girl is brave enough to let me talk to her through windows. See? Look at this brave girl!

We hope you're all staying cool and safe during these warm, stormy summer days! We had a nasty storm yesterday and have been without power since 7:30 pm last night. Luckily the temperature is going down starting today, so we should be able to keep from totally melting.

Happy Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

As I mentioned in fill-in #3 above, I love drawing Halloween doodles. Well, I love drawing spooky doodles all year long. And, of course, all of these drawings star kitties or other animals. In fact, today I have yet another spooky doodle I drew a few years ago after seeing a piece of Halloween decor that was released that summer. June has become a popular month for stores to start rolling out Halloween decor, and a few years ago one of these early summer releases included a ghost in a cloche. I didn't buy the piece, but I did draw it. And of course I gave it a feline friend.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on bringing a new furbaby into the home is to have a safe area for them to spend their introductory days. Depending on your situation and living space, this can take on many forms. If you are bringing a social, calm cat into a home with no other animals, there is a chance that they might have free roam of the home right off the bat. However, in many cases, such as if they are nervous or if there are other animals in the home, it is far more wise and safe to give a new furbaby a particular safe area where they can go when first beginning their life at their new home. This safe area could be a bedroom, a bathroom, a spacious cage or similar setup in a safe and quiet room, or something else along these lines.

What's more, consider what this safe area should contain. It should of course have the new furbaby's food, water, litter box, toys, a bed or blanket, and other necessities and comforts. Especially when it comes to nervous or shy furbabies, it is also crucial to ensure that a new kitty or pup has an area where they can feel secure or even hidden. If their safe area does not include anywhere for them to feel secure and hidden, consider giving them some options, even simply by cutting holes in upside-down cardboard boxes.

All in all, you have to consider what a new furbaby is coming home to. Do you live with a large family? Are there other animals? Is the new cat or dog shy? Consider all of these factors, and then decide where and how to keep your new furbaby safe while they are first learning the ropes at their new home.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: Melting in the Sun

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

As is often the case, Thimble is grateful for sunshine. This girl knows how to find any and every sun puddle in the house, and she'll chase them around all day.

It's been pretty darn hot here lately. Our heat index yesterday was 100°F, and it's close to the same today. The humidity is barely survivable. Thimble doesn't care of it's hot and humid, though. She'll find those sun puddles and she'll bask in every single one of them.

Thimble hopes you all get to enjoy some sun puddles today as well!

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Now, of course, we have 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'd like to learn how to play _________.

2. Something I tried to make that was an epic fail was _________.

3. I want to design _________ for _________.

4. _________ is a special treat I get _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is in honor of Thimble's love for sun puddles. She loves them so much, she's willing to turn herself into a puddle herself. And that inspired me to draw this weirdness a couple years ago.

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Tip of the Day

The next tip in our series on bringing home a new cat or dog is to ensure that you are prepared with all of the supplies needed for bringing home said furbaby. For example, the new furbaby will of course need food and bowls, and also possibly a litter box, litter, a leash, toys, beds, perhaps a product such as Feliway, a collar and ID tag, and so forth. What's more, though, when selecting such supplies, keep in mind the particular furbaby you're introducing into your home. Is it a kitten or puppy, or a geriatric cat or dog, or a furbaby with special needs? In such cases, have on hand food and other items that would best suit the particular kitty or pup. That being said, it is often recommended that you try to slowly transition a new cat or dog to a new food, so as not to disrupt their digestive system with a sudden change in diet. Therefore, it might also be reasonable to purchase at least a small amount of the food they were eating prior to you bringing them home, and transitioning them to a new food over the course of a few days. All in all, as you all surely know, make all necessary considerations and make proper preparations prior to bringing home a new furbaby.

Woof Woof Wednesday: Dog Days of Summer

Our heat index is 100°F today. So, yeah, is it autumn yet? That said, my sweet angel pup Astrid didn't like summer any more than I do. Astrid was a dog who loved cold weather. Despite her general excitement for the outdoors, she would often choose to stay indoors when it was hot outside. That's why Astrid looked a lot like this on the dog days of summer...

Though she understandably didn't enjoy spending time outside on the hottest summer days, Astrid was more than fine snoozing on her couch in the sunny window.

I was always so grateful that Astrid and I shared a love for cool weather. We would take shorter walks in the summer, but our autumn walks were long and beautiful and I loved them. I was of course thankful for any walk I took with her, but I was indeed also thankful that Astrid wasn't a big fan of hot weather and so she didn't often ask me to walk her too far on those days.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's spooky summertime doodle was a piece of concept art for a story I was working on many years ago. It involved a sort of spooky cabin in the woods, so I found myself drawing this here.

I hope to get back to this doodle's writing project again in the future, but I never felt as attached to it as I am with my current writing project. Probably because my current writing project not only co-stars a hind limb paralyzed kitty like my Evan, but all of the kitties and pups in my life have even small cameos. It's a fantasy story, but you better believe it's overrun with furry, four-legged characters.

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Tip of the Day

Around this time in 2018, we were introducing kitten Tonks as well as her sister Winky into the home. Back then, we shared a series of tips on none other than the topic of introducing new furry friends into the home. So, let's go ahead and repeat that series, shall we?

We're going to begin these tips with a simple yet important one, and that is, before you bring any new furbaby into your home, no matter the species or age, always take into consideration all factors that might affect this decision. For example, do you have enough space in your home to bring home a new cat or dog? If you rent your home, how many animals does the landlord allow? Also consider finances, and whether the proper medical and general care of a new cat or dog will realistically fit in your budget. How about your health? Are you physically able to care for a new cat or dog? Do you have other animals? Do any of them have medical or behavioral issues that would make it unwise to bring home another animal? How about family or roommates with whom you live? Is it reasonable and safe to bring a new cat or dog to live with the other people in your home? Needless to say, there are great many factors to consider before bringing home a new furbaby, so be sure to thoroughly consider all those that apply to you and your home.

Tonks Tuesday: Neighborhood Watch

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the calico is spending her time in one of her favorite places. And that is, the window!

Tonks may or may not spend much of her time spying on the neighbors, and of course the wildlife. She's pretty much the head of our Neighborhood Watch. Thanks for keeping our street safe (or at least heavily spied on), Tonks!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Yesterday I shared a flashback doodle from a few Junes ago. It was something I scribbled up after seeing a summer release of a particular piece of Halloween decor. Today's flashback is from that same June of old, and was inspired by yet another piece of Halloween decor that was released that summer.

I actually can't remember what store came out with this witchy hand a few years ago. It might have been Bath & Body Works, and the witch hand might have been meant to serve as a candle holder. I'm not positive on that, though. Just like the piece of decor I'd drawn in yesterday's flashback doodle, I didn't buy this witchy hand, but I did bring it into my sketchbook.

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Tip of the Day

We have another quick and simple food and drink tip today. Especially for older, arthritic, or furbabies otherwise unable to get around well, try to place food and water bowls near their favorite places to sleep or hang out. If possible, you can also try to place bowls all throughout the house so that they have easily accessible options wherever they are at the time. This can help ensure that furbabies with less mobility are still getting proper nutrition and hydration.

Mancat Monday: Naptime Face-Plants with Orange Boys

Hello and happy Mancat Monday! Today, Evan wants to remind you all of one of his favorite sleeping positions.

Looks cozy, huh?

This boy loves to spend his naptime in a face-plant position.

Evan isn't the only orange boy who likes sleeping in a suffocating sort of way, though. My parents have a pale orange boy named Kipper, and look how he sleeps as well...

All right, boys. Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Evan and Kipper wish you all a nap or two today! I would recommend not suffocating yourself during said naps, but these orange boys say it's really quite cozy.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Since I'm a broken record, I'll yet again repeat that when summer rolls around, I always start feeling eager for autumn and Halloween. I'm just not a fan of heat and humidity, and at the end of the warm days is my favorite season of fall and my tied-for-first-place holiday that is Halloween.

As I've also mentioned, my eagerness for autumn and spooky season is just egged on by the fact that stores now often come out with Halloween merchandise starting in June or thereabouts. A couple years ago Cracker Barrel came out with a ghostly piece of decor that became very popular. While I didn't buy it, I did draw it, of course with the addition of a kitty.

This year Cracker Barrel came out with a piece of Halloween decor that is a similarly ghostly highland cow. I'm really tempted to draw that one as well...

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Tip of the Day

Keep in mind that, depending on factors such as a cat or dog’s size and health, some furbabies might require special considerations for the setup of their food and water bowls. For example, tall dogs, dogs with deep chests, older animals who have difficulty bending down, animals with short snouts, and those with conditions such as megaesophagus often do better with elevated bowls that are situated closer to the level of their chest or face. Food and water bowls elevated in this manner can allow for more comfortable eating and drinking, as well as easier chewing, swallowing, and overall digestion. Of course, on the other hand, do ensure that the bowl is not too elevated, especially for small dogs or cats, as having to reach up to eat would be uncomfortable for them as well. So, do be sure to take time to observe your kitty or pup’s dining habits, and to adjust their bowls to ensure they are able to dine comfortably.