Fill-Ins and Feral Cats

It's always good to wake up and realize that it's Friday. It's even better when that means it's time for the fun Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by the always wonderful 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

This week's fill-ins are:

1. I wish I could afford to hire someone to _________.
2. Zucchini _________.
3. One summertime memory I recall is _________.
4. This summer, _________.

I really liked these when I first read them, and I really wanted to do them proud. I don't know how much success I achieved in that arena, but here are my fill-ins nonetheless:

1. I wish I could afford to hire someone to be my tech support. (Seriously. Being my tech support would be a full-time job. Help wanted.)
2. Zucchini bread is delicious with cream cheese icing on top. (My mom makes the best zucchini bread. But, she makes even better cream cheese icing for it. I could make myself sick eating that icing itself.)
3. One summertime memory I recall is my parents taking my sister and me to the grassy hill across the street so that we could roll down it over and over and over again. (One of my childhood homes had a big hill right across from it. I remember going out there on summer nights, especially if our air conditioning was broken and it was cooler outside. My sister and I would run up the hill only to roll right back down, over and over again. I remember thinking that was so much fun. At the same time, I remember often feeling nauseous from all the rolling. It also seems pretty dangerous, in hindsight. I guess entertainment was different back then.) 
4. This summer, one of the neighborhood feral cats has turned my back patio into his home. (I'm totally okay with this. I give him fresh food and water at least once a day. I also just got my hands on an outdoor children's playhouse that I'm going to turn into a little shelter for him. Some days he comes and goes, and other days he hangs around for hours at a time. I call the little guy Hicks, and although he still won't let me get close enough to pet him, he and I have made a lot of progress over time. As a side note, I do know it's a male, as his neuter status is plain as day. That being said, I hope to trap him and have him neutered down the line.)

Speaking of shy and sly kitties, Eddy's attempted photo shoot from this week was a bit of a bust. She didn't want to be in any pictures, and only managed to make a rather pathetic appearance, and only with some coaxing from big brother Evan.

Have a fantastic Friday, furiends!

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Our Tip of the Day:
For today, I'll revisit an older tip topic, and that is summer care of feral or other outdoor cats. Especially in extreme heat, it is always beneficial to leave out fresh water for the cats outdoors, and to refill the water bowls with fresh, cold water as often as possible. Food is of course also important for these cats, but it's also important to remember that, if left out for too long in extreme heat, food can spoil and potentially make a kitty sick. This may be most likely with moist food, but regardless of the type, try to swap out old food with fresh food at a reasonable frequency. Of course, offering areas of shade can help keep feral or other outdoor kitties cool in the summer heat. Whether it be a specially built shelter or even just a chair, if you can offer the kitty an area of shade, it can allow them somewhere cool to spend the day out of the direct sun. And, as with all furbabies, be sure to keep an eye out for heat stroke in any outdoor kitties. If you see signs of heat exhaustion or stroke, such as lethargy or collapse, seek veterinary assistance.