Please Pass the Pawsta (#ChewyInfluencer)

Last week, the kitties here got to review some food as part of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program. This week, much to her delight, is Astrid's turn. I wanted to let Astrid try out some new treats. After all, it is her birthday month. Now, as I've mentioned before, Astrid much prefers treats that are soft and chewy. She considers having to eat hard and crunchy treats to be all shades of animal cruelty. I know, the horror.

But this month, I did find a treat that looked right up Astrid's alley. They're the Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Pawsta™ beef-filled treats, and they looked good enough that even my mouth was watering.

Seriously, who doesn't like beef-stuffed pasta? To be honest, though, I was worried I was taking a bit of a gamble trying these out on Astrid. You see, while the girl loves beef, she hates pasta. If you offer her a plain old pasta noodle, she'll practically retch, I kid you not. If it's covered in cheese or accompanied by some meat, though, she'll usually at least give it a try. So, with these treats, I hoped for the best.

Mmmm. The Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Pawsta™ treats certainly look like something a pup would love. Even better, they're made with real beef. They also contain no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or meat by-products. That's the kind of treat I always hope my furbabies will love, the ones that are the real deal.

Luckily, they must smell good, too, because soon enough I had company.

Then came the real test, though. I asked Astrid if she wanted a treat, and of course she said she did. But, did she like them?

Gobble, gobble.

Yummy! Astrid sure did like them!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Pawsta™ beef-stuffed dog 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.)


Speaking of pasta, anybuddy hungry for some spaghetti?

We hope everybuddy has something extra tasty to eat today!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Here's yet another tip reminding you to always be cautious when feeding your furbaby human food! Not only can table scraps lead to weight gain and obesity in your pup or kitty, but many of them can lead to uncomfortable or even fatal side effects. What's more, some human foods contain hidden dangers that you might not think to consider when giving your kitty or pup even a small taste. Take spaghetti sauce, for example, which can often have a surprising abundance of less than ideal ingredients such as sugar and salt, not to mention the dangers of garlic and onion. The same goes for many common dressings and dips, as well as a variety of flavored potato chips. And also always be cautious when it comes to restaurant food, as you might not be aware of every spice or other ingredients used to prepare it. Of course, the size and health status of an animal will affect whether or not even a small taste of a potentially hazardous food will have a noticeable effect. Nevertheless, it is always best to err on the side of caution for you furbaby's sake.

Doorman Monday

Most of you know that around here, mancat Evan loves his front door something fierce. It's not like I can blame him for that, though. Where else but the door to catch some sun puddles and to watch those pesky squirrels dig up the yard?

So, I immediately knew which model to use when I found out that last week's subject for the Pet Photography Challenge was doorway. I didn't know how nice or artsy of a shot I could get at our front door, but it never hurts to try! That's why I opened that front door on a gorgeous and sunny day and just let the rest take care of itself.

And that is the shot we entered into last week's challenge. There's just nothing like a boy and his door.

Don't worry, after modeling for his shoot, Evan had a nice sun puddle snooze right there at his beloved door.

And now Evan is hoping that all of our furiends have a warm and snug snooze today!

Oh, but we can't forget our doodle of the day. We figured we'd have it go along with today's post here, and so for whatever reason this happened:

Happy Monday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

When possible, keep your furbabies in mind when selecting home features such as doors and windows. Keep in mind not only the safety of your furbabies, but also the fact that dogs and cats descend from creatures of the wild, with instincts to watch and hunt prey such as small wildlife. This means that, when possible, our furbabies certainly appreciate features such as doors and windows out which they can easily watch the outdoors. Take into consideration how high up the windows of screen doors begin, for example, as smaller animals or those with difficulty climbing or jumping might not be able to enjoy views out of doors windows that are too high up. Then again, if the door is an off limits zone to your furbaby, perhaps more heavily consider the home's windows and try to ensure that they are accessible and enjoyable by your furbabies. This being said, also of course consider the durability of doors, windows, and their screens, as while some animals might not be an issue at all, others might scratch or jump and put themselves at risk of escape. While it is of course not easy or expected to tackle the prospect of changing all the doors and windows in your house, it might not hurt to take note of the types of doors and windows you have, and whether your furbabies are able to enjoy nice views from them.

Deceptive Sunny Selfies

We always love taking sunny selfies around here. It means there is, well, sun! And sun means sun puddles.

See? Aren't sun puddle snoozies just the best?

Astrid decided on showing that not only is snoozing fun in the sun, but so is pouting.

And guess what? Even Eddy tried a sunny selfie this week! With a little help from the mom, and the camera's zoom feature, and a little sneaking up on an unsuspecting Eddy, the active little lady has this to offer this week:

But, to be honest, these selfies are quite deceptive. Despite the sun, and despite the fact that last week was a warm one, we've now returned to cold temperatures. We even got snow!

We are entering these deceptive sunny selfies into the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by wonderful Kitties Blue over at The Cat on My Head.

So, although we have sun, we've hunkered back down inside to stay warm. We're looking a little more like this today:

Are any of our furiends back to being hunkered down inside? At least that means more snuggles! And how about a warm drink?

Warm wishes to all!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

When training your pup, or even your kitty, you might consider teaching them hand signals to go along with verbal commands. Having hand signal commands can come in handy, such as if you're at a quiet location not conducive to verbal commands, if your furbaby is ever at a distance from you and out of easy earshot, or if your furbaby ever becomes hard of hearing. The hand signals can be as simple as holding a hand up to mean stay, or pointing downward to indicate lie down. You never know when silent commands might end up being needed, and it never hurts to be prepared!

Rain or Shine

Today is one of our favorite days of the week, in large part because it brings with it the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by lovely Athena.

Our art for today came about because of what Mother Nature has been offering us these days. We had ourselves some beautiful, Spring-like weather this week. Temperatures reaching 70°F, gorgeous sunshine, we had it all. But what else comes with Spring? Rain. That's right, yesterday those clouds overhead covered up the sun and sprinkled some rain on us

Around here, we have a complicated relationship with rain. Of course, getting soaked with rain is simply no fun. Just ask pup Astrid. She says that rain is liable to make you melt. Isn't that just downright obnoxious?

Really, though, even if I can't convince my pup of this, rain serves its purpose. Spring may mean rain, but rain means growth and beauty. Just picture those flowers that will all be blooming soon. It's not just the sun that makes them grow, but the rain as well.

So, long story short, those thoughts on rain led to today's art.

Can you see those little furbabies of mine? They're just hanging out in that little growing garden of theirs. To be honest, though, this is one of those drawings that I'm not quite sure about yet. Sometimes when I sit down to draw, I end up just winging it. That's what I did here, trying new techniques along the way. I'm not sure how I feel about the result yet, but perhaps it will grow on me. It may have to, as this piece is intended to become our Spring blog banner, or at least the first one.

Well, we hope all of you furiends of ours enjoyed our rainy garden party!

Happy Caturday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Many dogs and cats do not like the feel of rain, both when it comes to it falling on their coats and when walking on a wet ground. On rainy days, kitties are often lucky in the sense that they can keep their bathroom habits indoors, using their sheltered litter boxes. For pups, though, the world is most often their bathroom, and that means going out in the rain to do their business. If your pup does not like going out in the rain, brainstorm their situation and what solutions might help. You could try accompanying your pup outside and holding an umbrella over them. Another option is to ensure your yard has at least one area with overhead protection from rain, whether it be from a tree or something constructed, and to use that area for rainy day bathroom breaks. For those who will tolerate it and benefit from it, there are also raincoats for dogs, as well as boots to protect their feet from wet ground. Then again, sometimes all it takes is for you to accompany them outside in the rain, as they may simply need that added reassurance. And, of course, positive reinforcement is a great method, such as by praising your pup or offering treats when they succeed at going out in the rain and getting the job done. Rain can be a bit of a downer, but it doesn't have to prevent your pup's potty breaks!

Fill-Ins and Snooze Fests

Who here is ready for  Friday? We sure are! What's more, we're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by the wonderful 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

This week our hosts gave us these fun fill-ins:

1. I wish _________ would come back in style.
2. I always have _________ in my purse.
3. I think that I _________.
4. _________ is a pet peeve of mine.

I really had to think on these, and here's where that got me:

1. I wish hair scrunchies would come back in style.
(You know, those cute cloth things that tie back your hair? These days just those plain old hair ties are in style, it seems. But I remember when I was a kid how much I loved picking out new scrunchies. I had so many different colors, prints, some of them with fun little buttons or embroidered designs. I miss picking out scrunchies.)

2. I always have lip balm in my purse.
(I keep lip balm in my purse not only because I can't stand the feeling of chapped lips, but also because that seems to be the only place I can tuck it away without Eddy finding it and running off to stash it beneath the couch.)

3. I think that I was meant for an earlier era.
(As I do my best to deal with today's technology and overall advances, I realize that I think I was a bit postdated. What's more, I love watching shows and movies set in simpler times, such as those set during the Victorian era, and even the days of the pioneers. I know that life was far more difficult back then, but sometimes I crave a bit more simplicity in my days. That being said, I really wouldn't change my current life for anything.)

4. Rudeness is a pet peeve of mine.
(This is more than just a pet peeve, to be honest. I really just don't like rudeness. I can't stand seeing people lose their patience and get snarky, people becoming rude and callous to workers at stores or to an elder, people cutting in line, people demeaning another person or an animal, and all that rude jazz.)


And now, of course, we have for you an Eddy fix! This active little lady recently took a break from bouncing off of walls and attacking her big brother's legs in order to grab a snooze, and this human of a mom took advantage of that.

I know, those two shots are almost identical. But Eddy actually really was sitting still, yet I was still so proud of having obtained not one but two shots of her in one sitting. Then I reined myself in and let her snooze on.

Speaking of sleepy time, does this ever happen to anyone else?

Happy Friday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Though you never want to startle them or make napping a feared event, keep in mind that a relaxed and resting furbaby often makes for a more amenable one. If your furbaby is in need of a nail trim, for example, try doing so when they are in a snoozie and therefore calm mood. The same can be said for brushing them, brushing their teeth, and even perhaps administering medication, including if they need to be pilled, need medication in their ears, or require subcutaneous fluids. With this in mind, take note of when your furbaby is most likely to nap, and where, and be prepared. If they like to snooze on your nap during evening TV time, for example, perhaps keep a nail trimmer or their medication near to you then. If bedtime is their most relaxed time, then keep nail trimmers and such in your bedside table. And don't forget that nap time is also, of course, a good chance to grab photos of furbabies that are otherwise usually active. This all being said, if your furbaby begins to grow uncomfortable or fidgety during nap time treatments, that might be a good time to call it quits for the time being. Though a snoozing furbaby is indeed easier to work with, you wouldn't want your furbaby to become wary of resting and relaxing around you.

Thankful Thimble Thursday

Thimble and all of us here have been enjoying us some serious sun puddles lately.

Is that your happy face, Thimble? Hmmm. Well, anyway, we are still in February, right? It fees like Spring, and we are loving it!

Of course, with Spring comes those seasonal allergies. There's pollen out and about, maybe a sneeze here or there. But that's okay, because who doesn't love Spring? Besides, I can always count on Thimble to grab me a tissue when my allergies get the better of me.

 
Thank you, Thimble! Now excuse me while I blow my nose.


Now, Thimble wanted our doodle for today to be one showing off her lovely Spring fashion.

We are entering our gratitude for lovely weather into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

We are, of course, also so very thankful for all of you! We hope all of you furiends of ours out there are having as lovely weather as we are!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip is a repeat one, but it seems fitting to give a little reminder about pets and allergies. Just like us, our furbabies can indeed have seasonal allergies. They can be allergic to pollen, dust, mold, and any number of things nature and the environment has to offer. For many cats and dogs, Spring is a tough time, due to budding trees and blooming plants, growing grass, insects, and so forth. Allergies in our furbabies can manifest as itchy skin, rashes, sneezing, coughing, ocular or nasal discharge, or even more severe reactions, including difficulty breathing and asthma attacks. If your furbaby has known allergies, or starts to display signs of allergies, it is certainly wise to discuss this with their veterinarian. Of course, simple fixes might include keeping windows closed, and keeping floors swept and cleaned of grass, pollen, and other allergens. If simple fixes are not enough, though, then a veterinarian can suggest medications or other treatments best suited to help your furbaby cope with allergies.

Wordless Wednesday Window Whiffies

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Spring will be springing soon enough. It is always wonderful to air out the winter from your home. Keep in mind, though, that winter can be a trying time for not only us and our furbabies, but also for the home itself, including the windows. Before opening up the windows for the first time this spring, it might be wise to do at least a quick check of them. Snow, ice, and winter winds can wreak havoc on window screens and the like, so always make sure that all is in tact prior to opening your windows for the spring. Check for loose or torn screens, and any other damage or defects that might have occurred during the winter months. Of course, once you're confident all is in place and the windows are open, don't forget to always keep an eye on your furbabies to make sure that they are not pushing or tearing at the screens or in any danger of escape. And don't forget to enjoy that fresh air!

Tuesday Taste Test (#ChewyInfluencer)

Astrid would first like to thank all of our furiends for the birthday wishes yesterday! She had lots of fantastic fun celebrating with all of you!

But now, though, the kitties around here recently tested out some new food as part of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program. Feeding these kitties can be so very interesting, since they all have such refined tastes, you know.

Since we hadn't tried out any new moist food lately, we figured we'd give the Solid Gold Purrfect Pairings™ food a try. My little kitties more often than not prefer anything having to do with chicken, so we went with the chicken and goat milk variety of this food.

This food is labeled as being holistic and free of grains, gluten, corn, and soy. It is also indicated as being a mousse, or paté, and the first thing I noticed upon opening the container was indeed how soft and smooth it is.

Since the kitties around here will only eat food in a soft paté form, I hoped they'd enjoy this food. But since I don't get to be the judge of that, I set it on the floor and let the feline flock swoop in.

The thing is, all of the kitties (save for Eddy, who thinks any and all moist food is poison) licked it once or twice, and that was it. Even a lick is sometimes great news for these finicky felines, but in this case it simply meant they tried it, rejected it, and didn't give it a second thought. Though I left it out for a while in hopes they would come by later and give it another chance, no one took me up on that offer. Well, pup Astrid did, and she says this food is great, but I don't think her vote counts in this one.

I did take some of the food to my parents' house for their 7 kitties to try. And you know what? Their kitty who refuses just about every moist food loved it, while the kitty who scarfs down everything you put in front of her simply refused to eat it. What it comes down to, I guess, is that the Solid Gold Purrfect Pairings™ chicken and goat milk moist food landed me with lots and lots of mixed kitty signals. But, while my kitties will have none of it, that doesn't mean other kitties out there won't enjoy it.


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Solid Gold Purrfect Pairings­­™ chicken and goat milk moist food 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.)


And now, as for our doodle of the day, I'll let this one explain itself.

Happy Tuesday, everybuddy!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

If your kitty or pup doesn't eat a full can of a food, be sure to wrap up the leftovers and store it in the refrigerator. Keeping an opened can of moist food out in warm or room temperatures, especially for an extended period of time, can lead to spoilage, and ingestion of spoiled food could potentially lead to vomiting and diarrhea or even pancreatitis. That being said, many furbabies don't like to eat cold food straight out of the refrigerator, and many might even get an upset stomach and vomit if cold food is ingested. In this case, consider setting refrigerated food out slightly ahead of time, so that it warms up to room temperature prior to feeding it. You can also microwave food to warm it, but do be careful if using this method. Use a microwave safe bowl, of course, and also be careful not to warm it for too long, and to ensure the food is at an even and tolerable temperature prior to feeding it to your furbaby. Sometimes a microwave will unevenly warm food, making some of it painfully hot while the rest of it is still cool, so please do be sure that your kitty or pup doesn't end up with a burnt mouth. You can help combat this by stirring the food or putting a safe covering over it while it warms in the microwave.

It's someone's birthday today!

Can anyone guess whose birthday it is?

Anyone?

Need a hint?

The birthday furbaby has four legs. Does that help? No?

Okay, how about another hint? This birthday furbaby is a little lady.

Except, she's not really very little. And the birthday baby, she isn't a cat.

Oh, did I just give it away? Well, it is indeed the birthday of the resident pup, Astrid!

To be honest, it's more like this girl's "maybe birthday", as we don't know her actual date of birth. But I digress. Today, we are celebrating Astrid's 4th birthday! And, yes, she sure did get a new chew bone to help her celebrate.

Now, feel free to join the party! Astrid let me know what she wanted served at her birthday party.

So, grab yourself a donut! That is, if Astrid has left any for our guests...

Happy birthday, Astrid! Your peeps and your kitties love you bunches!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Do you know a pup with a birthday and want to make them a pup-friendly cupcake? It is possible! There are many recipes out there for puppy cupcakes (pupcakes!). These goodies for your dog can be made using peanut butter, pumpkin, banana, apple, carrot, and even beef. So, if your pup likes special treats such as those, consider looking up some recipes to make them an extra special treat for their birthday. Of course, the same can be done for your kitties, such as by using tuna or another safe goody to make a kitty cupcake. When looking up any such recipes, do of course be sure to select ones that are safe, without any unhealthy ingredients. Keep in mind that added sugar is less than ideal in your furbaby's diet, and that some dogs and cats may be sensitive to ingredients such as wheat flour. And of course also be sure to divvy out the goods in moderation. That being said, when your furbaby's birthday rolls around, perhaps consider trying your hand at making them their very own cake or cupcake. They'll thank you for it!

A Special Sunday Celebration

Today is a special day. It is of course the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by our pals over at The Cat on My Head.

But that's not all. Today is also the day that Angel Sammy's new little brother Teddy is being welcomed to this family of bloggers. Onespoiledcat is now TWOspoiledcats, thanks to Teddy! This fantastic celebration for Teddy is being hosted by Dory's Backyard.

Like Angel Sammy, Teddy is a ginger boy. That's why Evan, of course an orange tabby himself, asked to be the one to snap some selfies and welcome Teddy today.

Teddy, Evan and all of us here welcome you! We know that you have found your way to wonderful home, with a fantastic forever family. We know that you will know lots of love and snuggles, Teddy, certainly with plenty of treats and toys and of course some good ol' whiffs of nip here and there.

And of course Evan also wishes you many sun puddles, Teddy! As your first bit of advice, Evan would like to suggest that you find the best window or door in the house, the one with the most sunshiney goodness, and claim it as your own. That's what Evan did, and he's been the king of sunshine ever since. Evan hopes you become the sunshine king at your home, too, Teddy!

Don't forget to visit our pals over at The Cat on My Head as well as Dory's Backyard, to join in on the selfie fun and to welcome Teddy yourself!


And now, for our last bit of business today, we'll share with you our drawing of the day. For yesterday's always fun artsy fartsy blog hop, we shared an illustration of Evan as none other than Supercat. Astrid, Thimble, and Eddy had all already shown off their heroic drawings earlier in the week. But we're not quite yet done with these heroic pieces. Why? Because of course Angel Rosie needs one! And so, I tried my best to do Rosie proud, and I doodled this up for my little angel heroine:

A terrific Sunday to one and all!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Our tip today is simple. It is, as I'm sure most of you know, to always have patience when making any major changes that affect your furbaby. This could be anything from making home renovations, to moving, to bringing a new furbaby or other addition in to the family. Such things most certainly affect your furbabies, and one of the best ways to help them transition through such change is to simply give them time. Do not force them to explore new territory, such as a redecorated room or a new home, and nor should they be forced to meet a new member of the family right off the bat. Rather, have patience and try letting them do it on their terms. In many cases, when given sufficient time to explore and to get to know a new environment, a furbaby will come to accept and even come to enjoy their new circumstances. So, never forget that patience is a virtue!

Supercat to the rescue!

You may have noticed that we've been having some heroics going on around here this week. Astrid debuted a hound hero on Wednesday, Thimble showed off a furry feline heroine on Thursday, and Eddy had her very own colorful caped kitty art yesterday. So, who does that leave? Evan, of course!

Evan, for those who don't know, is hind limb paralyzed due to a coyote attack that occurred when he was roughly 6 weeks old. But don't worry, because he doesn't let this get him down! He can run and play, and certainly does plenty of both. With the help of a few stools placed here and there, he can get up onto chairs, couches, and beds. In short, Evan believes he is just like any other cat, and I certainly have no reason to believe otherwise myself.

So, how best to illustrate my brave boy Evan? As Supercat himself, of course!

Supercat Evan is our contribution to this week's Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by the lovely Athena

This is one fun, artsy fartsy blog hop, and we look forward to it each and every week. To check out the art of so many of our furiends, be sure to visit Athena!

Wishing everybuddy a happy and heroic Caturday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Does your kitty ever seem to get bored of their cat tree? One easy way to perhaps rejuvenate their interest in it is by simply turning the cat tree, such as by rotating it 90 or 180 degrees. Having it face another direction can give your kitty the impression of having a whole new view of things. Another option is to relocate the cat tree, such as by moving it to the other side of the room, to a different window, to a new room altogether, or maybe even just by a few feet. Again, many kitties love the thrill and adventure of a moved object in the home, and all the better when it's something such as their cat tree! These suggestions could also be used to help your kitty find new joy in other items, such as if you occasionally rotate or move their favorite cat bed or toy. Of course, if your kitty seems distressed by such change, it might be best to put all back in its original place. But, if your kitty is bored and in need of a new adventure, do consider trying to put a simple twist on their cat tree or other favorite items.

Happy Friday!

Welcome to the eve of the weekend! It's Friday, and we've been ready for this week's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge since, well, we posted last week's. I really do enjoy this sort of challenge, and this particular one is hosted by our good friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

Today's fill-ins are as fun as ever. See?

1. Snow _________.
2. My favorite kind of soup is _________.
3. When no one is around, I _________.
4. _________ is my _________.

It's challenges like these that I really do need sometimes, as they give those creative juices up in my head a good stirring. This time around, here's how I fared:

1. Snow is a dangerous beauty.
(I have always loved snow. There really aren't many sights more beautiful than the earth covered in a thick layer of fresh snow. That being said, I wish snow didn't have to mean freezing temperatures, not to mention the driving and other various dangers it brings with it. Still, though, I always hope for at least one good snow every winter.)

2. My favorite kind of soup is my dad's potato soup.
(My dad makes the most delicious potato soup. It's creamy, with tender potatoes and ham chunks, and with the most amazing dumplings, which I years ago learned from my great-grandmother are called rivels. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.)

3. When no one is around, I sing at the top of my lungs.
(I sure do love to sing, but I usually try to spare those around me. When all other humans are out of range, though, I sometimes just belt it out. My poor furbabies never know whether to come to my aid or run and hide.)

4. My angel Rosie is my muse.
(Many of you already know this. For those of you who might not have met Rosie, she's the beautiful calico over there in our blog's sidebar. She was with me from the time I was 4 years old until I was 26. Talk about a friend for life, huh? I can't even begin to describe how much impact Rosie had on me as I grew up, and how she inspired me to be the person I am today. All the way from my smallest hobbies to my career path, Rosie always seemed to play a role. People I've met who are not cat lovers or animal lovers never seem able to grasp this concept, never seem to realize how much of an impact our furbabies have on us. I'm so grateful that all of you blogging friends of mine do.)


Well, I bet you all know what's coming up next. That's right, it's your weekly Eddy fix! Of course, despite all the begging and pleading I could muster, Eddy said no and no again to any semblance of sitting still this week.

Even in a sitting position, this girl is like a roller coaster.

Can I really blame her, though? She's young and happy and there is just so much for her to do and see!

That being said, it's Eddy's turn to have some superhero art, and I decided to doodle something up that I hoped might at least in part show off her true colors. With that in mind, I came up with this:

Happy Friday, everybuddy!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

We all know that there are certain scents that our furbabies dislike. It is often relatively easy to remove some such scents from the home, such as by cleaning out an odoriferous litter box, or by discontinuing the use of a perfume that your kitty or pup dislikes. There are other scents, though, such as that of certain foods, that might be more difficult to simply remove from the home. For example, many cats and even dogs dislike the smell of citrus and bananas, and of course scents such as that of cayenne pepper. If these foods are part of your diet and your furbaby indeed shows a dislike for their stench, try keeping such foods away from your furbaby and the areas of the house that they frequent most. Also, if you eat something such as an orange, wash your hands and try to remove as much of the smell as possible before petting your furbaby. Don't worry, you can still eat those favorite foods of yours, just be sure to keep in mind the proximity of your furbaby when you peel that stinky orange or sprinkle on that spicy pepper.

Thankful Thimble Thursday

Thimble is here today, of course, and she is very thankful.

We have been having lots and lots of sun lately, and you know what that means. Lots and lots of sun puddles!

Spring may actually be upon us. For now, at least, it sure feels like it. We hope it does for all of our furiends out there, too!

So, we of course have the beautiful sun for which to be thankful. Add on top of that all of you furiends of ours, and we are so very grateful indeed! And so we are, of course, entering Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

And how about the doodle of the day? Yesterday we shared with you a little hound hero. We promised that today we would be sharing with you all a furry feline hero, so here you go:

Happy Thursday!

***

Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday we went over some tips on what to do if your pup or kitty is choking, including the Heimlich maneuver. For today, how about a little lesson on CPR? Although it is of course something we all hope to never have to perform, it never hurts to have the knowledge. First, never perform CPR on a conscious, breathing animal. You can check respiration by watching to see if their chest rises and falls, or by placing your hand in front of your pup or kitty's nose and mouth and feeling for airflow. Also check for a heartbeat, which can often best be felt by pressing your fingers either on the inner thigh or between the ribs just behind the elbow. If the animal is not breathing, place them on their side, hold their mouth shut, and blow into their nose. If you cannot find a heartbeat, also begin chest compressions, by placing your flattened hands just behind the elbow and pressing down.

Just as with yesterday's tip, we have a diagram to give you a better visualization of how to perform CPR on your furbaby, should the need arise.

(This infographic was created by Kurgo™. Please note that this is not an endorsement, and we are not being compensated by Kurgo. We simply find this infographic helpful and so wanted to share it with you!)