Toesies Tuesday

It's that day of the week. You know, the day all about the toesies! We have two sets of toesies to share with you all today. First up? Astrid!

Those are some big toesies, aren't they? Our next toesies are much smaller, and belong to none other than Evan. See?

Do those look a little, well, different? Well, for those who don't know or might not remember, my boy Evan is hind limb paralyzed. He has little to no feeling in his back legs, which tend to twist at odd angles, and which have claws that do not retract. This is all the result of a coyote attack that happened when Evan was roughly 6 weeks of age, just days before I met him. Evan was the sole survivor of the attack that killed his momma cat and litter mates. He lost the use of his hind legs, but not his spirit!

And, on the topic of toesies, here is today's doodle of the day:

One my favorite quotes. And, we're sending lots of four-legged love to all of our furiends today!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Try to minimize giving baths to your pups, as well as kitties, in the winter. Cold, dry air can cause dry, itchy skin, and this can be exacerbated by baths. This is because bathing can remove some of the oils of the skin and coat, which of course means removing some of the moisture. Therefore, please try to give as few baths as possible to your pups or even kitties when the weather is cold and dry. If a bath is needed this time of the year, look into getting some safe moisturizing shampoo for your furbabies, such as ones sold at your vet's office. This can help keep your furbaby clean yet also moisturized and therefore far less dry, itchy, and uncomfortable.

Closeups and More Cake Please

Evan decided that he hasn't been showing off his handsomeness well enough these days. So, for this Mancat Monday, he wanted to give you all a nice, good, up close and personal look at it.

He'll start you off with a sideways smoldering glare.

And now how about a better look at those dashing nose freckles?

And of course Evan can also do a pensive profile shot.

And how about those whiskers? Evan thought he'd sneak those in there, too.

Did any of our furiends get up close and personal on this Mancat Monday?


Now, for yesterday's furry foodie art, I drew our housemate Toby with an olive-heavy martini, in honor of his love for those little green fruits. Remember what I said, though, about having another foodie Toby piece to share today? You see, there are two types of human food for which Toby will hunt you down. Olive is one of those. And the other? Strawberries!

We hope everybuddy has a delicious Monday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Keep in mind that it is not all that uncommon for some kitties and pups, especially those with light skin and coat colors, to be born with or develop freckles on their noses, lips, and even eyelids. You might notice that, as your kitty or pup ages, brown or black spots might start appearing where the skin was once pink. Often, this is a normal process and is nothing of concern. However, to be on the safe side, always be sure to keep an eye on any spots on your furbaby's body, and monitor them for any abnormal changes. If any freckled area seems raised, sore, itchy, or in any way concerning, do consult a veterinarian. Also, always try to ensure that your furbaby, especially if of a lighter skin or coat color, is not spending too much time in the sun, as this can damage a furbaby's skin just like it can a human's. The skin is the largest organ of the body, so while freckles are most often nothing to fret over, diligence is still wise!

Selfies from Down Under

Despite the title of this post, no, we did not go to Australia. Too many big spiders down there for this human!

But, we did participate in last week's Pet Photography Challenge over on Facebook! The challenge was to get a shot from a lower perspective, and Thimble made that nice and easy for me by climbing up onto her beloved library desk and posing away.

Thimble thought this was a perfect place not only for photos for the challenge, but for dazzling selfies to share in today's Sunday Selfie blog hop, hosted by our pals over at The Cat on My Head. Both Thimble and I sure were loving the sunshine during this selfie shoot.

And of course she had to get a selfie of those adorable little whiskers of hers!

We're not done with selfies yet, though. You see, even though he couldn't manage to look at the camera, let alone to line up a straight shot, our housemate Toby (who also happens to be one of Thimble's litter mates) wanted to snap a selfie for today as well. Here's the fuzzy boy himself!

It's perfectly appropriate for Toby to make an appearance today, as he also stars in today's furry foodie art. To be honest, Toby actually gets two pieces in this edible series of drawings, as I couldn't pick between his two favorite food addictions. Can you guess what two human foods Toby can't get enough of? We'll reveal the first one today. And it is...olives!

Ever since he was a kitten, Toby has had a habit of quite literally chasing down anyone with olives. To be honest, though, Toby doesn't even try to eat them. His favorite thing is to roll in them. Because, well, that's what you do with olives, right? Now, if you want to know what Toby's other food obsession is, tune in tomorrow!

We're wishing all of our furiends a superb Sunday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

As I've noted before, please do not take my drawings as any form of good advice! Alcohol is very dangerous and potentially life-threatening to the furbabies in your life. Never leave alcoholic beverages unattended around your pup or kitty. Also always keep in mind what other items might contain potentially dangerous alcohol, one example being vanilla extract. It's prohibition for those furbabies!

Cake on Caturday

In case you missed it, this week we've been featuring furry foodie art. There's been Evan and his cupcake, Astrid and her ice cream, Thimble and her pork roast pig pal, and Eddy and her giant glass of milk.

And now for today, in honor of none other than Athena's Caturday Art blog hop, all the furbabies came together for a bit of a foodie party. And of course where there's a party, there's cake.

Wishing everybuddy a fantastic Caturday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

When living with furbabies, don't forget the importance of always securely storing food so as to protect against thievery on the part of said furbabies. When possible, keep food contained in a safe place, such as the refrigerator or a cabinet. In the case of food not kept in the safety of the refrigerator or cabinet, make sure to store it as out of reach as possible, such as away from the edge of the counter. And of course also try to store all food in securely sealed containers that are furry thief proof. For example, opt for lidded containers rather than keeping food in bags, as bags are easier for a furbaby to break in to, not to mention their ease of smelling food through said bags.

Fill-Ins with a Side of Fang

Happy Friday! We've been looking forward to this fun day of the week since, well, Monday. Now, we're all ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our amazing friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

This week's fill-ins are as fantastic as ever.

1. I have seen _________ on Broadway.

2. My Chinese zodiac sign is _________.

3. Celebrities _________.

4. A _________ day is _________.

My answers are, well, I'll let you be the judge of that.

1. I have seen zilch on Broadway.

(I have never been to a Broadway show. To be honest, that's never really been my kind of thing. My sister loves it, but it's just never really appealed to me.)

2. My Chinese zodiac sign is the Earth Snake.

(I keep getting online ads for shirts that say "Real cat ladies are born in April" and "Made in the '80s". I guess the internet knows me well.)

3. Celebrities are just people.

(I wish more people realized this. It seems like celebrities are so often idolized and treated as some otherworldly creatures. They're just human beings, though, just like us common folk. That's something I think more people need to realize, both for the sake and happiness of the celebrities and ourselves.)

4. An apple a day is no longer allowed for me.

(And that's doctor's orders. I know - say what?!? I think I've made brief comments on our blog here before about having some sensitivities to certain foods. Well, that's worsened over the last year, so this week I was officially put on a highly restrictive diet by a digestive doctor. This new diet cuts out even certain "health" foods, like apples, because of the components that comprise them. If you're curious, it's known as a low FODMAP diet. It looks pretty bad, but to be honest, I'm making do just fine on it.)

And of course we also have your weekly Eddy fix now! She decided to remind you all how amazing and adorable she is, snaggletooth and all.

For those who may not know or don't remember, I adopted Eddy as a special needs kitten. After being trapped and brought in by a local rescue at roughly 10 weeks of age, she developed a sudden head tilt, facial nerve paralysis, and began walking in circles. Although she had been scheduled for humane euthanasia by her foster mom due to her condition, when the doctor showed up, she said that she didn't think that little kitty was ready to go just yet and instead began her on a some potent antibiotics for potential toxoplasmosis. Around that same time my parents were adopting two kittens (Gemma and Freya!) from that same rescue group, I found out about Eddy, met her, and the rest is history. A year and a half later, and Eddy still has her adorable head tilt, and what I like to call her Elvis snarl, due to her facial nerve paralysis. She no longer walks in circles, though, but rather is the most active and agile kitty in the home. Go, Eddy, go!

Oh, and her favorite toy is the ring from a milk jug. Since she will literally eat no food besides her beloved dry Royal Canin, she asked that her foodie art of the week honor her favorite toy. So, here you go:

Happy Friday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:
This is one of those days when I repeat an old tip. It's a simple tip dear to my heart, and it's to please never forget the value of special needs animals. Furbabies with special needs are often passed over at shelters for their so-called "imperfections", but these amazing animals have so much to offer on so many levels. So, next time you adopt, foster, sponsor an animal, volunteer at a shelter, or spread the word about animals in need, please do consider and shed some light on those furbabies with special needs. They really are special indeed, and in more ways than one!

Thimble Thursday: Wake-Up Call

Thimble informed me that, since you all already know what a fantastic model she is, she wanted to go for something a little different today. Instead of model poses, she would like her furiends to see just how fantastic of an alarm clock she is. After all, she always tells her mommy when it's time to rise and shine.

Good morning.

Nothing like a good ol' slap fest to wake you up in the morning.

And of course, once the human is awake, it's nap time!

Do any of our furiends like to wake up the humans? Who else besides Thimble is a living, breathing, cuter than cute alarm clock?


Now, wake-up calls aside, it's Thimble's turn to show off her furry foodie art. One of Thimble's favorite treats is none other than ham baby food. Thanks to angel Rosie and her geriatric diet, Thimble was introduced to ham baby food early on, and she has loved it every since. It's not like this human here can say no to the little ladycat, so of course ham baby food is always kept on hand here at our house. That being said, I just wasn't feeling it when I went to draw Thimble enjoying herself a pork roast, nor was an artsy bottle of baby food all that aesthetically pleasing. So, ultimately, this happened:

Thimble wants to know what all of her furiends like to eat as a nice little treat? Does anybuddy else have a piggy affinity?


Happy Thursday to all!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Don't forget to always have a nighttime routine that allows both you and your furbaby to get sufficient rest. For example, make sure your pup or kitty has at least one or more sleeping places that they know is just for them and where they can therefore turn in for the night, whether it be a special pet bed, piece of furniture, or even a particular spot on your bed. For those furbabies who tend to get hungry at night or wake you up for food, perhaps save one of their meals for just before bedtime, so that they feel full before retiring for the night. And, for those furbabies such as kitties, who might have a tendency to be nocturnal, make sure there are toys available in the house for them to entertain themselves should they feel the urge to play at night. Also always make sure that your pup has had a chance to use the great outdoor restroom before bed, and that your kitty's litter box is clean. As always, if you have any concerns regarding your furbaby's sleep habits, contact your veterinarian.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

(In case today's furry foodie art didn't make it obvious, Astrid loves ice cream.)

***

Our Tip of the Day:

As we've discussed here before, and as I'm sure most of you know, many cats are lactose intolerant. This means they have difficulty breaking down the sugar found in most dairy products. Did you know, though, that many dogs are lactose intolerant as well? Milk contains a significant amount of lactose, as does ice cream, and giving such treats to a lactose intolerant pup or kitty will likely result in intestinal symptoms such as gas or diarrhea. If your pup or kitty has an affinity for dairy, though, and you on occasion want to indulge them in a little treat of it, yogurt is often a go-to as it contains a lower amount of lactose. But did you know that some cheeses, such as cheddar, are almost completely devoid of lactose, and can therefore more safely be consumed in small amounts? Of course, always remember that human food should not be doled out to your furbaby often or in large quantities. But, should you have yourself a furbaby who is a fan of dairy, then an occasional small treat of cheddar or other similar cheese is the safest way to go, and can even be used to hide and administer pills for those cheese-loving furbabies. Of course, as always, when in doubt, ask a veterinarian!

Tasty Tuesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

Last week pup Astrid gave her monthly review as part of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, and now it's the kitties' turn.

To put it simply, it's never easy to select a product for the kitties around these parts. One product might be a hit, another might fall flat, and many products are well-loved by roughly one kitty or maybe even two, while the other felines reject it wholeheartedly. That being said, this month I selected for the kitties a treat I hoped would at the very least entice the two treat eaters (that's right, all two of them) in this house.

And so, for this month's review, the kitties are trying out Halo Healthsome® real chicken treats.

These treats are indicated as indeed being made from real chicken, in addition to fruits and vegetables, including pumpkin. It even has catnip thrown in the mix to really entice those furbabies. These Halo Healthsome® treats contain no corn, wheat, fillers, or added sugars.

For us humans, always looking for those aesthetics, these treats are even pretty darn cute.

See? Nothing like feeding your furbaby tasty little hearts and flowers.

That being said, did the furbabies around here eat these treats? Well, first I tried them out on the main treat guru, Evan. And I am pleased to say...

...they passed his taste test!

Now, remember how I said that there are an impressive two kitties in this house who will actually eat treats? Well, the other is housemate Toby. So, I called him over to see if he wanted to give these a shot. Before I could even divvy some out to him, he stole Evan's!

Apparently these treats are so good they warrant thievery. Well, needless to say, I gave each boy their own delectable pile of goodies, and all was well.

So, since neither Thimble nor Eddy will eat any treats, at all, we'll be fair and only count Evan and Toby's votes here. And that means 8 out of out of 8 paws up for Halo Healthsome® treats!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Halo Healthsome® real chicken treats in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


Now, this post got me in the mood for some food art. But, given that I can't help but draw me some furriness as well, this happened:

That's Evan for you. I wanted to draw him with a food he actually liked, but since hard kibbles are admittedly not all that fun to draw, and since butter just doesn't come across quite as magically as a cupcake, this is what landed on the paper in front of me last night. I did make muffins over the weekend, though, and Evan did enjoy some licks of butter during the process, so I guess this sort of relates? Anyway, I've been in a real food mood lately, so prepare yourselves for some more furry foodies this week.

We hope that everybuddy has a fantastic Tuesday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

When giving your kitty some catnip to enjoy, always keep in mind that sometimes too much of a good thing can end up being not so good. Especially when giving a kitty catnip for the first time, start by doling it out sparingly, so that you can learn your kitty's catnip playing techniques. While some cats seem to get next to nothing out of catnip, others might become hyperactive or even aggressive. So, when it comes to catnip, learn your individual kitty's reaction to it, and then use it accordingly. When in doubt, only give small amounts at a time, to avoid any hyperactive, aggressive, or other unsafe side effects.

Open Sesame

Evan wants to know why, exactly, his door is closed.

So what if it's winter? So what if an open door makes for a cold house?

Now, how to get that door open?

Hmmm. The doorknob is up there. Way, way up there. And, of course, there's that lack of opposable thumbs thing.

If only a mancat could just squeeze through that crack there. That would be nice.

Okay, enough is enough. "Mom! I demand you open this door at once!"

Hooray!

And of course, on this Mancat Monday, I told Evan I would do a little doodle in his honor. So I drew a wide-eyed, bushy-tailed orange fella, in honor of Evan's feelings for that magical front door of his.

I just hope this poor little guy's gigantic eyes don't pop right out of his head.

We're wishing everybuddy a happy Monday! And Evan hopes that all of you furiends of ours have a bright, sunny, open-doored day!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Do you have a kitty or pup with a proficiency for opening doors? As I'm sure many of you know, some furbabies are fond of opening cabinet doors, while others figure out how to open even larger doors. While sometimes this is harmless, it could certainly pose a problem if the doors being broken into are ones housing danger. For example, does your kitty open cabinet doors behind which are detergents or other chemical hazards, or behind which are hot pipes or electrical cords? One easy solution is of course to keep any and all potential dangers out of any cabinets or rooms to which your furbaby might find entrance. This is not always possible, though, and in such a case another easy solution is to essentially baby proof cabinets and other doors. So, if you have yourself a furry door opener, it might be best to look into some sort of (fur)baby proof locks. As always, better safe than sorry!

Sibling Selfies

All of our furiends here know none other than little lady Thimble, right? She's the model of this family, always ready to pose for the camera. That's probably why she has this side shot selfie all ready for the fantastic Sunday Selfie blop hop, hosted by our Kitties Blue pals over a The Cat on My Head.

Thimble isn't the only tabby around here who wanted to partake in this fun blog hop, though. Which brings us to our next question. And that is, who here remembers Trapper? The short answer is that Trapper is Thimble's look-a-like litter mate, and he owns my parents (Thimble's Pawpaw and Gammy). When I visited my parents' house with my camera in hand the other day, Trapper was all over the opportunity. He realized Sunday was coming up, and Sunday means selfies, so he eagerly offered up this:

Can you see the resemblance? Trapper has 10 lbs on Thimble, though, being a big boy who weighs in at 20 lbs. But, that doesn't mean the handsome fella can't strike a pose like Thimble, or have the cutest little Thimble-esque expressions, or get called Thimble all the time by this here human because sometimes he just looks so much like the little girl herself.

Do any of our furiends have a doppleganger? A look-a-like? A twin?

Speaking of mirror images, here's our doodle for today:

Happy Sunday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Always consider whether even a seemingly simple or commonplace item in your home could potentially harm your furbaby. Just one example of this is a reclining chair. Such chairs, especially those that have a leg rest that swings out, could easily get a kitty or pup into trouble. A cat or small dog, for example, might crawl under the chair when the leg rest is out, which could lead to them not only being trapped in the chair but injured in the process. For that matter, even a typical chair must be moved with caution with a furbaby is around. After all, without caution, a chair leg could land on a kitty or pup's furry toes if not careful. Therefore, always simply be cognizant of the items in your home and how to keep your furbaby safe around them.

Cozy Caturday Art

Though our winter has been feeling rather mild these days, we are still only in January. Where we live, winter can easily strike in full force in February, and sometimes even into March or April. So, that of course means that we're still the mood for some winter art!

For today's Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by lovely Athena, we wanted to show how even a cold winter night can be perfectly cozy. The furbabies and I all love snuggling up on such nights, enjoying the company of each other, and that of a good book or TV show, and of course a hot cup of cocoa. Long story short, that all resulted in this:

How do all of our furiends out there like to spend their winter nights? Snuggling, we hope!

Wishing everybuddy a warm and cozy Caturday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Always be cautious when leaving anything hot in a cat or dog's presence, including a drink such as hot coffee, tea, or cocoa. Just like our tip yesterday noted, our furbabies, especially those kitties, often not only have a high tolerance for pain but also hide it well. They also do not necessarily have the same understanding as we do with regard to an object being hot. So, in order to prevent your kitty or pup from dipping a paw or lapping their tongue in your hot drink, be sure to leave it out of their reach, and never leave them unattended with a hot item. Scalds from hot liquids and burns from objects such as a stove or open flame can turn into serious injuries, so always keep all hot items out of your furbaby's reach!

Friday with a Little Footsie

Welcome to the day that means it's almost the weekend! In other words, happy Friday! Let's get right to the fun with the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our good friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

I always look forward to the fill-ins, each and every week. Not only are they fun, but I can always use a little something to get my brain going on Fridays. And our hosts sure did great at that this week, with these fantastic fill-ins:

1. _________ makes me feel old.
2. _________ makes me feel young.
3. I have _________.
4. _________ is _________.

After stirring at the sloppy mess of creative juices sitting all stagnant up there in my head, I got to work on these. And, here's what I came up with:

1. The neighbor kids make me feel old.
(My neighbors needed a last minute babysitter for their 3 young children the other night. Even though babysitting kept me busy throughout high school and college, I hadn't done a true babysitting gig in years. Despite that, I headed over there. Luckily, they're great kids. Nevertheless, even at 9 o'clock at night, they run around and play like sleep is a thing for slackers, like they possess some bottomless pool of energy. Honestly, what does that even feel like?)

2. Animated movies make me feel young.
(I guess this sort of, oddly enough, goes hand-in-hand with the answer I gave above. While the neighbor kids wore me out and made me feel like a crone, the movies I finally got them to settle down and watch made me just as happy as those wide-eyed children. I have always loved fun and fantastical movies, and now as an adult, watching them makes me feel all giddy and like I'm a kid again. Perhaps that's why I watch so many movies like this.)

3. I have never broken a bone or had stitches.
(I've never really been all that careful or cautious of a person, to be honest, so I'm always sort of amazed that I've made it this far in life without a trip to the emergency room. I used to do acrobats, and I used to sled down icy hills and jump off of swings. I once worked at a large animal clinic, where I helped care for sick and at times aggressive horses and cattle. And then I worked at a cat clinic, where it was a daily occurrence for an enraged kitty to flash its claws at me. And how about that time that a game of soccer in PE got me kicked square in the shin by a Hulk of a kid in my class? That last one at least got me in an x-ray room, but my bones proved happy as could be. Not that I'm complaining, though, and I sure hope I can keep this up.)

4. Love is a four-legged word.
(I just really love this saying. It rings so true in my life. So, it seemed the perfect thing to put there.)


Speaking of the four-legged furbabies in my life, Eddy wants to show off her attempts at a photo shoot this week. She has heard of peoples' fondness for furry footsies and toesies, and so she wanted to get in on the action.

Oops, she sort of missed the mark on that one.

There. Not bad, Eddy, not bad.

Then Eddy asked me to draw something as cute and cuddly as her. Well, that was a very loaded request on Eddy's part, but, here is what I managed:

Happy Friday, everybuddy!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Never forget that our furbabies, like those tough little kitties, are often very good at hiding pain. For this reason, if your kitty or pup ever experiences an accident or traumatic event, even if they don't appear to be displaying excessive symptoms of pain afterwards, it never hurts to have them seen by a veterinarian. In some cases, even a fractured or broken bone might come across simply as a mild limp in that tough little furbaby of yours. So, if your cat or dog is ever involved in an accident, whether it be something such as a failed jump or a vehicular accident, of course keep a very close eye on them, and certainly get them to a veterinarian if there is any cause for concern. This is important not only to ensure your furbaby's immediate safety and health, but also because delayed treatment of an injury could potentially lead to further problems later in your furbaby's life. Always remember that it is indeed better to be safe than sorry!

Thimble Thursday: Sunny Side Up

Thimble hopes you don't get bored of her sunny shots. But, she realized that she didn't show off her profile enough in last week's sunny post, and she wanted to amend that. So, she's back today with some sunny side shots.

Knowing that she's cute and pretty and all bright and shiny, Thimble told me that today's art had to be the same. She told me I could stick to my current mood of fantastical, whimsical eccentricity, but that it had to be something as cute and pretty and sparkly as her. Well, Thimble, you sure are one-of-a-kind, and so I don't know how well I succeeded in your request. But, here's a bright little unicorn for you nonetheless.

Now, of course we didn't forget Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble is again so very thankful for her bright and shiny sun and her beloved window seat. And all of us are of course so very thankful for all of you, our friends!

We're wishing all of our friends a bright and shiny Thursday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

It never hurts to be prepared. That's why, in the potential case that your furbaby gets loose or that you come across another loose dog or cat in need of catching, try to think ahead to what tools might be handy to store in your car, purse, or even pocket. Consider having a bag of treats in your glove compartment or purse. You can also keep a spare leash stashed away for emergencies such as this, or even a cat carrier, such as a collapsible one in the trunk or beneath a seat in your car. Even items such as a spare blanket can be good to have, and perhaps even a first aid kit with the essentials, should you come upon an emergency.

Wordless Whisker Wednesday

***

Our Tip of the Day:

If you ever find yourself witnessing a serious cat fight, whether it be between your own cats or feral cats outside, never try to break it up with your bare hands, lest you end up with serious bites or scratches. Rather, try to find another way to quickly yet safely separate the fighting cats. You can of course try yelling or clapping, but if they do not respond to that, perhaps go for something more jarringly loud, such as banging metal or a car horn. Another option is to splash or gently spray them with water, such as from a spritz bottle or a garden hose. Or, you can grab an item such as a blanket or coat, or even a broom or shovel, and use it to urge the cats away from each other. Cat fights do happen, both indoors and outdoors, but there are ways to scatter the fighters without putting yourself in danger. Of course do your best to be gentle with the cats, but also keep in mind that breaking up a cat fight and thereby potentially saving the life of one or both cats might indeed require a method such as spraying a cat with water or scaring it off with a broom. If this is necessary, always do your best to keep yourself safe, as well as the fighting cats, and of course any other animals or people present.

Tasty Tuesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

It's that time of the month again. You know, that time of the month when we review our Chewy.com goods as part of the Blogger Outreach Program!

This month, Astrid is up first. This girl has been loving her treats lately. Chewy, beefy treats are her thing. That being said, this month I wanted to have Astrid try something along these lines, yet also a tad different. That's why we chose Evanger's® beef liver treats.

(You may notice that the label indicates these as being treats for dogs and cats, as well as ferrets.
I gave these to pup Astrid only, as the kitties around here can never seem to hold their beef.
I have yet to find a ferret on which to test these.)

Astrid has always made it very clear that she loves loves loves tender, chewy treats. She might suffer her way through a hard, crunchy treat one time, and then the next time just leave it on the floor. Sometimes for days. Until the human finally gives in and picks it up and throws it out for the wildlife to enjoy. True story.

But, I digress. The point is, I avoid getting truly hard and crunchy treats for Astrid, for the very reason mentioned above. Sometimes, though, I like a challenge. Not to mention, treats of a crunchier sort can serve to aid in dental health, and so I would indeed like Astrid to eat something along these lines at least on occasion. So, when I saw that Chewy.com was offering the aforementioned Evanger's® beef liver treats, which are indicated as being gently dried, I had to give them a try for my picky pup.

Gently dried is the perfect way to describe these. They are not truly hard and crunchy, but they're also not soft or gummy in texture. I had hope for them. And I wasn't the only one.

That girl there can smell beef from half the world away, I tell you. And since these treats are 100% beef liver, that being the single ingredient comprising them, Astrid sniffed them out the second the delivery man dropped them off.

And did Astrid enjoy these Evanger's® treats?

I think that's a yes, Astrid did enjoy them. Enough that the "No Counter Kleptomaniacs Allowed" rule flew right out the window. If my math is correct, that converts to a 4-paw review, with an added tail wag to boot!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Evanger's® beef liver treats in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


We hope all of our furiends find themselves enjoying some tasty treats today, too!


Oh, but we can't forget our art for the day. I told you how I've been in a mood to draw subjects of the whimsical sort as of late. So, how about a mutt of Merlin today?

Abracadabra, and have a lovely day!

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Our Tip of the Day:
Liver can make for a great treat for your furbaby. This is not only because many dogs and cats enjoy this meaty goody, but also because liver is a great source of protein and fat as well as a number of other essential nutrients, such as vitamin A and iron, just to name a couple. You can feed your furbaby cooked liver, as long as it is safely prepared (as in, no additives and the like). Of course, liver can also of course be given in the form of pet treats. All of this being said, though, do be careful to never feed your furbaby too much liver. If fed too much liver, a dog or cat can be susceptible to what is called hypervitaminosis A, which is essentially an overdose of vitamin A. This in turn can result in a number of dangerous side effects, such as weakness, intestinal distress, and weight loss. So, while liver is a great source of nutrients, it is a food that must be given in moderation. Of course, if ever in doubt about your furbaby's diet, always consult a veterinarian.