Tonks Tuesday with the Toe Beans

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the cute little calico wanted to give you all a glimpse of her toe beans.

Tonks has adorable toes, and she knows it. She says you're welcome for the toe beans show and tell today.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I felt like sharing another summertime spooky doodle today, and since I still haven't scribbled up this year's yet, I went into our archives and found this one. It's actually more so a springtime spooky doodle, though, as I scribbled it up as part of my "Halfway to Halloween" April A to Z Challenge a few years ago. That said, this drawing was also inspired by the fact that I have a couple of life-size skeletons that hang out around my house year round. They're not real, at least not that I'm aware of, and their names are Jack and Sally.

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Tip of the Day

Is your kitty a chewer? Do they put anything and everything in their mouth? While we're sure you all know to keep potentially dangerous plants out of your home, do you have safe or fake plants on which your kitty chews? If your cat goes outdoors, do they tend to eat grass on the lawn? If the answers to any of these are yes, and if medical issues have been ruled out for any abnormal behaviors, do perhaps consider keeping some cat grass growing in your home. Even if any of the above statements aren't true of your cat, you can of course still offer cat grass. Cat grass is a safe plant on which many cats enjoy chewing, and which also serves as a source of fiber than can help keep things moving sufficiently through the GI tract. For example, cat grass might be able to help prevent issues with hairballs.

You can purchase cat grass that has already been grown and is ready for your kitty's chompers, or you can grow your own. It is relatively simple to grow, and is also typically cheap. So, do consider looking into keeping cat grass in your home, both for your kitty's entertainment as well as for their health. Of course, do monitor your kitty, especially when first offering cat grass. If they gorge on the grass and/or vomit after eating it, then only offer it to them on occasion, or not at all.

Mancat Monday: Cuddle Time

This past 3-day weekend, I spent as much of my free time as possible cuddling my kitties. My biggest cuddle bug is Evan, as he's always been my little shadow. So, there were lots and lots of cuddles with my boy, and I am so very glad for that.

Just look at that face. Honestly, look at it! It's irresistible.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodles of the Day

A couple years ago, for the April A to Z Challenge, I drew a variety of sort-of-cat-shaped items. I found a bunch of them while I was yet again going through old doodles, so I decided to share a few of my favorite kitty-shaped things.

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Tip of the Day

We've been offering some pet parenting hacks, including ways to save money or space while also having a happy furbaby. Today's tip is another plain and simple one, and that's to consider making your own toys for your cats, or even your pups. For example, if you have an old shirt you no longer intend to wear, you can cut it up and use the cloth to create simple knot toys for your cat. If you have some catnip on hand, you can even include some of that in the knot itself, or let the toy soak up some catnip in a sealed bag prior to gifting it to your cat. You can also use old clothes to make knotted or braided toys for a dog, as long as the dog is not know to eat such items. Even a lone or unwanted sock could be used as a toy, such as simply by rolling it into a ball that a cat or dog could bat around or chase.

You could even try your hand at making an interactive toy for your kitty, or even your pup. One such idea is to take a Tupperware container, cut roughly golf ball-sized holes in its lid, put some of your kitty's toys or treats in the container, put the lid on, and let your kitty use the holes to have fun trying to access their goodies. Then again, a cardboard box might work just as well for this DIY interactive cat toy. Interactive toys such as this can be great for a cat or dog's physical as well as mental health, especially if they are spending extra time closed up indoors due to the weather. It's even better when you can save money by creating such toys yourself.

The options for making your own cat toys, or even dog toys, are endless. You can even take cardboard boxes to make a cheap castle for your kitty. So, if you're looking to save some money, or if you want to find a use for safe yet unused items such as clothing, then consider how they might be used to create something fun for your furbaby. If you want further ideas, there are an astonishing number of ideas online, so look into all of your options if you wish to. Of course, always make your furbaby's health and happiness your highest priority, and do not create any toys that might put them at risk.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Pretty Eddy

Hello, 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-ins statements, and I came up with the second two.

1. I tend to forget _________.

2. I celebrate the 4th of July by _________.

3. I was a fan of _________ before it became popular.

4. I see _________ in my future.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I tend to forget the name of the plant known as the clematis.
(At least one climbing plant known as clematis has been growing at my parents' house, that being my childhood home, for decades. It has beautiful flowers, and I always recognize it when I see it, but the name of it always eludes me. My brain always wants to call it a chrysalis, which is decidedly not a plant. That, or I almost call it an unsavory disease of an unspeakable part of the body. My brain will come up with anything but the word clematis.)

2. I celebrate the 4th of July by eating hot dogs and watching movies.
(Our country's 250th birthday is a wonderful thing. That said, I'm not a big partier, and I'm also not the biggest fan of fireworks, mostly because I don't like how much they distress animals and those with related PTSD. So, I opt to spend the day at home, having a cookout with my parents and sister and watching even a slightly patriotic movie. My family always gets Nathan's hot dogs. You know, the brand they use for the 4th of July hot dog eating contest. They're honestly pretty darn good, and it's one of the only days all year that I enjoy a hot dog, or usually two or three.)

3. I was a fan of my current favorite book series before it became popular.

(I'll try not to ramble on too much here, as I've mentioned these wild and crazy books so very many times on this blog. It's the Dungeon Crawler Carl fantasy series by Matt Dinniman, starring a talking Persian tortie cat named Donut. I stumbled upon the books when the author was still independently published and had 6 books out in the series. The series has since become very popular, has 8 books out with 10 total set to be released, has been picked up by a traditional publisher, and is even going to be made into a TV show. While I'm not one of the earliest fans, I did find the books before they really blew up, and I'm glad I got to enjoy them before the craze.)

4. I see lots of kitty cuddles on the couch in my future.

(Like many people, I have a 3-day weekend. Though there will of course be plenty of chores needing done, I still want to spend as much time as possible hanging out with my kitties. I plan to use the long weekend to cozy up with them on the couch and read, write, and draw while watching some movies.)

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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Who's ready for an Eddy fix? We're sure all of you are. And so, the pretty tabby girl is here to grace you all with her presence.

If you look closely and squint your eyes, you can see Thimble's cameo in that there photo of Eddy. Though, Eddy isn't too keen on getting photobombed, so she hopes you all just focus on her.

Happy Friday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is one I scribbled up for Independence Day a few years ago. I can't remember what prompted me choose to get patriotic in this particular way, but I remember having fun drawing it.

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Tip of the Day

We're doing a bit of a repeat tip today, since it is, after all, the day of fireworks. I think we even shared this tip around Memorial Day, but we're going to share it again. On this 4th of July, there are ways to help keep your furbaby calm and safe during the often booming festivities. While those fireworks go off outside, close all window and doors, as well as blinds and curtains. This will help reduce the sights and sounds of the fireworks. You can further drown it out by putting on a movie or some music, and turning up the volume enough to mask the sounds of the fireworks. Just make sure it's not so loud that it is uncomfortable for your kitty or pup's sensitive ears.

What else can you do to help keep a nervous dog or cat calm during the fireworks shows? Try to distract them. Start a game inside with them, such as fetch or hide-and-seek. You can also offer some treats or a special meal. Sometimes simply talking to them can help, or even reading a book out loud to them.

Still, there are a few more potential ways to help a cat or dog feel as calm as possible while fireworks are set off this time of year. You can use a ThunderShirt, which, as many of you know, may help reduce anxiety in dogs and cats. You can also fashion something makeshift yet similar, using a blanket, towel, or even one of your shirts. If nothing else, simply provide a scared or anxious furbaby somewhere safe to hide inside the home. Ensure that they have somewhere to retreat that is pet-friendly, whether that be under a bed, behind a couch, or in another nook or cranny. You can also offer them boxes in which to settle down, if that helps your furbaby feel safe.

Lastly, in the unfortunate event of an escape or other emergency, ensure that your cat or dog has identification on them. Of course try to ensure that they are safe indoors and unable to get out of the house, but should they escape, be prepared. Many animals are uncertain of the sights and sounds of fireworks, and so if they find themselves outdoors on days like today, they might very well run and hide. This is why it is so important that, today and every day, your furbaby have an updated microchip and/or an identification tag to help them find their way back home. Of course no one wants to think of their furbaby escaping and getting lost, but it is always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: Blurry but Cute

Hello and hi! It's Thursday, which means Thimble is here and ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for how cute she is. I'm so very thankful for her adorable little self as well. Thimble is glad that she's adorable even when she gets overly excited about having her photo taken and so ends up blurry and rolling all over the place.

Thimble genuinely loves having her photo taken. She loves attention and cuddles in general, so that's probably why shoving a camera in her face and oohing and awwing over her makes her so excited. And I'm more than fine with that. My only other kitty who at least somewhat likes having her photo taken is Tonks, as, like Thimble, she loves the attention. Evan tolerates photo shoots, and my sweet and sassy Eddy kind of hates them.

Happy Thursday to all!

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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 tend to forget _________.

2. I celebrate the 4th of July by _________.

3. I was a fan of _________ before it became popular.

4. I see _________ in my future.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is from a few years ago, and it's an odd one. But I promise it makes sense, at least to me. When Thimble was a kitten, her meows sounded so mechanical, as if she were a robot. While her meows are not quite as noticeably robotic-sounding anymore, they're still more than a little bit like that. All that said, ever since she was a kitten, I sometimes call her RoboKitty. So, I drew Thimble as exactly that.
 

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Tip of the Day

We're continuing with our pet parenting hack tips. So, yesterday we mentioned wrapping sisal rope around furniture legs in order to create money-saving scratching posts that also save you extra floor space. That's not the only way furniture can be used to create something special for your kitty, though. We all know that cats love cozy places to relax, including, of course, hammocks. If you yet again want to save money and floor space, you can suspend a hammock from beneath an end table or other similar piece of furniture. You would start with some cloth, which could be securely attached to or tied around the legs of the table. You could use velcro, some safely tied rope, or even just the corners of the cloth to suspend the hammock. In this way, you could create a cheap, easy, space-saving DIY hammock in which your kitty could snooze.

Adventures with Angel Astrid and Fried Chicken

Today's memory of my sweet angel pup Astrid takes us back to a few years ago, when we randomly found an abandoned tray of fried chicken while on a walk.

That chicken sat under that tree in someone's yard for days. Astrid pulled me past that house every chance she got so that she could see if it was still there, and for multiple days it was. The poor pup was devastated that I never let her take a taste of the chicken, but she still regularly checked on it until it finally disappeared.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I recently shared a flashback doodle that was concept art for the weird story I'm writing. It starred Hobo, a hind limb paralyzed cat in a wheelchair. I'm going to share another concept art flashback doodle today, but since it's Woof Woof Wednesday, this one stars a corgi named Bunny.

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Tip of the Day:

Are you interested in saving the money or space that comes with store-bought cat scratching posts? One simple option is to securely wrap sisal rope around table legs, chair legs, banisters, or other similar furniture or home features. This also can spare said furniture from damage from kitty claws. Therefore, this sort of DIY cat scratcher is not only simple and easy, but can also save you money, space, and damage to certain pieces of furniture or areas of the home.

Tonks Tuesday in the Window

Hello and happy Tuesday, friends! More specifically, it's Tonks Tuesday, and so the calico is of course here to grace you with her presence.

No matter what is on the back of that couch, Tonks will sit on it in order to watch out or snooze in the window. That window looks out into our back yard, where wildlife traffic is very heavy. That's probably why it's one of Tonks's favorite places to hang out.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is one I scribbled up many summers ago for my mom. It stars her fuzzy calico, Gilly, who loves hanging out in kitty tunnels.

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Tip of the Day

Our previous pet parenting hack was to use rubber gloves to remove furbaby hair from sofas, car interiors, and so forth. We failed to mention another option, and so we'll go ahead and do that today. If your clothing, bedding, or similar item is covered in pet hair and you're looking for a quick fix, you can try tossing it in the dryer with a dryer sheet. The anti-static nature of dyer sheets will help keep the hair from sticking to the clothing, bedding, or whatever item is in question. The hair will instead make its way to the lint trap. You could also try just rubbing a dryer sheet on the hairy item, as that sometimes will also help remove hair with the aid of its anti-static nature.

That all being said, though, please do keep those dryer sheets out of your furbaby's reach. This is because dryer sheets often contain potentially toxic components. So, keep those dryer sheets well hidden, and find and toss stray dryer sheets before dispersing the laundry. Of course, if you have any concern for your furbaby's safety, then simply refrain from using this method altogether.

Mancat Monday: Sunbathing...in a Cage

Last week Evan went to our vet's groomer for his routine bath and sanitary shave. I always love how, when he's done and knows he's going home, he is so happy and purrs all the way home. What's more, he also seems to really enjoy watching out the car windows and soaking up the sun.

I never thought Evan would look so happy to be sunbathing in a cage, but alas, there he is.

Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday! Though Evan enjoys the sunshine in the car after his grooming visits, he still hopes you all get to enjoy a day free of any vet visits and unwanted excursions.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I've mentioned probably an obnoxious number of times how not only do I love to write, but I'm currently writing a weird and wacky fantasy book that co-stars a hind limb paralyzed cat like my Evan. Except this kitty's name is Hobo. And, unlike Evan, he lets his human put him in a wheelchair and enjoys going for walks outside. I was again going through old drawings, and I found the series I drew for last year's April A to Z Challenge, pretty much all of which starred this kitty named Hobo. Like this one here.

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Tip of the Day

We've decided to do a repeat series of tips on life hacks for pet parents, especially cat parents. These hacks may be all sorts of random, and most of them are indeed repeats of tips from the past. But, we hope these might offer some pet parenting tips for saving money, saving space, saving time, and, of course, keeping your furbaby happy and healthy.

Do you have furbaby hair on your sofa? What about in your car? Surely not on your clothes? Our pet parenting life hack for today is to keep some rubber gloves on hand. Why? Because, aside from the more commonly used lint roller or piece of tape, rubber gloves can be a reusable tool for removing furbaby hair from surfaces such as sofas and car interiors. You just put on a rubber glove and run it over the hairy sofa or other surface. The rubber glove and a little thing called static electricity will help lift the hair from the surface, and the hair will instead stick to the glove. When you're done using the glove to remove furbaby hair from your furniture, one easy way to get said hair off of the glove is by submerging the glove in water. The hair will float off of the glove, and then you can dip the hair out of the water and toss it. So, if you're looking for a quick, easy, reusable tool for removing your furbaby's hair from your furniture, consider giving the rubber glove trick a try.