Hello, Friday!

Hello, Friday! As always, we'll kick off this eve of the weekend with the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our friends over at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

The fill-ins our hosts created for us this week are as fantastic as ever. They even have some in honor of the upcoming July 4th holiday here in the United States.

1. My next _________ will be _________.
2. Fireworks _________.
3. Freedom _________.
4. This week, I am thankful _________.

I did my best to do these fill-ins proud.

1. My next book to read will be a cozy cat mystery.
(I have just recently gotten into this genre, somehow having never before venturing into it. I am currently reading a book in my long beloved fantasy genre, but the next one up is indeed a cozy cat mystery. And it's one that none other than Mudpie and Melissa reviewed not too long ago!)

2. Fireworks could be enjoyable if they were kept in controlled moderation.
(As a kid, I loved going to fireworks shows on the 4th of July. As I got older, I still enjoyed the concept of them, but I also started to realize and understand the dangers of them. I wish fireworks could somehow be truly left to professionals only, in controlled locations, and only in moderation. I don't like when random folk decide to take matters into their own hands by setting off fireworks in their own yards or neighborhoods, thereby putting themselves, all people around them, and nearby furbabies and wildlife at risk.)

3. Freedom should not be taken for granted.
(Freedom comes in many different forms, and certainly not everyone is lucky enough to know what it feels like to truly be free. Freedom is something for which to be thankful, and I wish more people realized that.)

4. This week, I am thankful for my life in the United States.
(I'm not one to get political here, so I won't. I love my country and I appreciate the life I live here. Don't worry, though, I still love all of the other countries, too, and all of the friends we have in every corner of the world.)


Now, active Eddy wanted to show you something today. You see, I recently inherited my grandma's dining table. I have currently, although perhaps not permanently, placed it in our library. I was worried this would affect the ambiance of our bookish little room, but have already begun turning the table into a display area for books, and so all is well. That's beside the point, though.

Back to Eddy. To fit the table into the library, I had to move my desk out of there. The desk, therefore, went into my bedroom, and you know what? That made Eddy one happy little lady cat.

Whereas Eddy used to have to rely on my headboard to see out the high window in my room, she now loves to use the desk.

Don't worry, though, as the headboard still gets plenty of traffic as well. In case you can't see in that terribly dark photo above, Eddy loves to stand on both the desk and the headboard at the same time.

Multitasking at its finest.

Whoa! Hello, bright and blinding sun!

And for those who might be wondering what resident librarian Thimble thinks of all this, she's also quite happy with the new arrangements. She loves having a whole table from which to reign over her library. And, she also loves using the desk that is now in the bedroom. Before, short-legged Thimble could never climb or jump onto the headboard in order to see from the window above my bed. With the help of the desk, though, she now can, and it's like a whole new world out there to her.

We hope everybuddy has a fantastic Friday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Weird, huh? The other day I was perusing that fun site known as Etsy, and I saw that someone had quite masterfully crocheted a doll that they called a caticorn. It was, essentially, a cat with a unicorn horn. That's when this doodle happened.

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Our Tip of the Day:

As we say each year and for each holiday, we'd like to remind our US peeps to take their furbabies into consideration this 4th of July. Fireworks can be loud and scary to our cats and dogs, parties can lead to risks of escape or other dangers of high foot traffic in the home, and barbecues can lead to the consumption of potentially toxic foods by our kitties and pups. These are just to name a few, though, and any number of festivities can potentially be hazardous for the kitties and pups in your life. So, please do ensure their safety, even if that means giving them a room of their own during any festivities, where they can stay safe and sound.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We are really enjoying our first go at Angel Sammy and Teddy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge each week, which of course means we look forward to Thursdays now even more than we already did before.

This week brings us to the letter C, which means we have a little C of a someone for you to meet.

Calista the Carpenter
  
Her name is Calista.

No, she is most certainly not a barista.

No, she will not pour you a cup of coffee.

And no, she will not add a shot of toffee!

Calista does not deal in beans and brews,

But, rather, in nuts, bolts, and screws.

So, do you wish for a house up there in that tree?

Calista can climb right up there and build it for thee.

Or maybe you’d like a house for your dog?

Calista can make a masterpiece out of any old log.

Oh, so it’s a great big mansion that you desire?

No biggie, Calista can even add a turret and a spire.

Now, if you don’t mind, let’s get started.

Calista never goes at her job half-hearted.

Could you please hand over that trusty old hammer?

Yes, it’s that metal thing that makes a great whammer.

And don’t forget that big box of nails.

Without them we’ll never get wind in our sails.

Let's start by putting this wall here.

No, it won’t blow over, don’t you fear.

Calista more than knows the tricks of her trade,

Of that you certainly need not be afraid.

Before you know it, the job will be done.

For Calista the Carpenter, she’s second to none.

And, since we are also challenging ourselves to illustrate our weekly workers, here is Calista the Carpenter:

Does this Calista look familiar to anybuddy?


Well now, all of these career paths we've been trying to poeticize really have Thimble pondering. She's already a model, and proud of it, but she's also wondering what else she could be.

Thimble wants to know what her furiends suggest. What do you all think Thimble should be when she grows up?


Oh, and of course we did not forget Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble would like to begin by saying how thankful she is for her skills as a model. We are all also thankful for the jobs that those around us do each day. We're thankful for our mail carrier, for the delivery drivers who bring us all sorts of goodies, for those who work at the gas stations and shops that keep our car running, and for those who pick up and dispose of our trash each week. And, of course, we're thankful for family and furiends like all of you!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Remember to keep that tool box away from the furbabies! Hardware, including nails and screws, can be incredibly dangerous if ingested by a pup or kitty. Not only can they become lodged in throat or other region of the gastrointestinal tract, but they can lead to perforation of the bowels. Even placing such items on a counter or workbench might be dangerous, such as if you have a kitty who likes to bat at small items, or if you have a curious and enthusiastic pup who jumps up on things. Similarly, tools themselves can be potentially dangerous. For example, we all know how sharp a saw can be, so be careful where you keep tools such as these. Even hanging from a wall in the garage, it is not impossible for such tools to be a danger to curious pups or kitties. So, keep all hardware and even tools locked away somewhere safe, because it's always better to be safe than to be sorry.

Not So Wordless Wacky Whale Wednesday

Going to the pet store is one of this human's favorite things. One reason is that our local pet store has the most adorable cookies for pups. I always ogle all of the cute little designs, and of course always bring at least one home for a certain pup named Astrid. This time around, she got herself a pink little whale.

I think I was just as excited as she was.

Don't be fooled by that seemingly friendly, innocent face. Astrid had no regrets gobbling that whale right on down.

Wishing everybuddy a whale of a Wednesday!
 

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Our Doodle of the Day:

All in good fun, Astrid! (Even if this quote does scream your name sometimes.)

Did we ever tell you furiends of ours how, if we're to be honest, we consider ourselves as having two Astrids? We have Astrid, the sweet and smart and comical pup who can light up any room with her gigantic, sunny smile. And then we have what we call "Other Astrid". "Other Astrid" made far more appearances back in the days of puppyhood, but she still surfaces sometimes. "Other Astrid" is the turbo version of Astrid, the version who will suddenly, out of nowhere, go wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, and then go on a lightning-fast run throughout the house, bowling over anyone and anything that gets in her way. "Other Astrid" is essentially a 70-lb hurricane who registers as roughly an 8.3 on the Richter scale. But we love both our Astrid and our "Other Astrid".

I guess today's doodle is in honor of "Other Astrid".

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Our Tip of the Day:

Did you know that, in some cases, hyperactivity in dogs and cats can be a result of their diet? For example, some types of dog or cat food are indeed higher in sugars, and these are indeed known to potentially cause hyperactivity in both animals and humans. But did you know that even too much protein can cause hyperactivity in dogs and sometimes cats? Foods formulated for young puppies and kittens often contain higher amounts of protein, since these help growing bodies form necessities such as muscles. As an animal ages, though, too much protein can lead to less than ideal side effects, hyperactivity being one of them. This being said, always research the ingredients in your furbaby's food to ensure they are eating a diet suitable for their age, size, and overall health status. Most importantly, though, discuss all questions regarding your cat or dog's diet with your veterinarian, so that you can ensure you are finding foods adequately beneficial to your furbaby.

Tuesday Taste Test (#ChewyInfluencer)

This week, it's the kitties' turn to try out something new. As part of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we got to choose from some wonderful products, and ultimately settled on Evo­™ chicken and turkey moist food in gravy.

As we've mentioned before, the kitties here are finicky eaters. And that's putting it lightly. You'll be lucky to find a moist food that even one of them will eat, let alone one that all of them will eat. But, I believe in miracles, and so I decided to have those finicky felines try out some Evo­™ for the first time ever.

One of the requirements for my kitties to be the least finicky as possible is that the food must be paté. Luckily, this smelly goodness is just that.

This Evo™ chicken and turkey moist food is also 95% animal protein, as well as free of grains and gluten. Sounds great, right? Well, the kitties got to be the ultimate judges of that. So, I called those blurry judges in...

...and not a single one of them ate it. To be honest, not even pup Astrid would eat it, and she loves cat food (more so than dog food, in fact). Finicky felines and picky pups abound here at our home.

But, fear not! My parents have 11 cats (some of you may or may not remember that, at last count, that number was 7, which means you have 4 newbies to meet soon). Out of those 11 kitties, 8 of them gobbled down the Evo™  moist food like it was going out of style. So, while it gets 0 paws up from the cats at our home, it gets 32 paws up from the kitty clan that owns my parents.


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Evo™ chicken and turkey moist cat 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.)


Happy Tuesday to everybuddy!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

(This one's in honor of the love my parents' kitties' showed their new Evo™ food. Gold stars all around!)

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Our Tip of the Day:

Always be sure to take your furbaby's size, age, and health into consideration when setting up their food station(s) in the home. For example, large dogs and those with deep chests do best with an elevated food bowl, as having to reach to the floor to eat can be both difficult and perhaps even dangerous for them. Older dogs as well as cats often do best with elevated food bowls for similar reasons. Speaking of age, for furbabies who are old and arthritic, try placing their food and water dishes near to their favorite snoozing spot, so that they don't have to travel far to obtain a meal or a drink. Also be sure to observe and see what your furbaby seems to prefer with regard to mealtime. For example, while some cats or dogs might enjoy eating in the thick of the home's action, with their humans, others might eat better if their food and water is removed to a secluded area of the home. Food and water intake is of course essential, so always be sure to make these necessities easy for your furbaby to enjoy.

Mountain Climbing Mancat

It may be Monday, but that doesn't mean you can't conquer the world. After all, Cat World Domination Day was just this past weekend. But that's beside the point, sort of. Anyway, it's Monday, so who's ready to kick this week in the rear end? Mancat Evan sure is!

Evan always reminds this momma of his here that anything is possible. So what if your hind limbs are paralyzed? That doesn't mean you can't climb mountains.

And that's exactly what my hind limb paralyzed boy does. If he wants to climb the cat tree mountain, he makes it happen.

What is it they always say? Oh, yeah. Where there's a will, there's a way. That's it.

So, take Evan's advice, and climb a mountain or two on this Monday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Depending on a cat or dog's physiology, age, and overall health status, you may have to provide them with mobility aids, such as stepping stools, pet stairs, or ramps. These can be placed beside taller pieces of furniture, such as cat trees, beds, and couches, in order to help the furbaby to more easily reach them. As is obvious and which you certainly already know, this may be necessary for furbabies with various levels of paralysis, for those who are stiff or arthritic, and even for those who are simply overweight and therefore have difficulty jumping or climbing. For the kitties who are aging or arthritic, also ensure that their litter boxes have low sides for easy entrance, or place a short stool in front of it. Such as is Evan's case, you can even try putting more easily attainable pieces of furniture adjacent to those less so. For example, we have our low and therefore easily climbable couch directly next to the cat tree, forming a little highway for Evan's ease of travel. Sometimes all it takes is a little redecorating and a tad bit of creativity to make your furbaby's life a bit easier!

Sunday Selfie Serenity

We won't lie. Our selfies for today's Sunday Selfies blog hop are kind of cheat shots. They're selfies that this here human had to snap on behalf of the participating furbabies. But, we couldn't help ourselves, as we simply had to show off the Sunday serenity at our house.

See? Thimble and Eddy discussed a truce very recently. Eddy has decided to stop hissing and growling at Thimble, as she no longer smells so strongly of that V-E-T place after being there on Thursday. With those nasty smells worn off, Eddy agreed to cease combat.

Ah, we can finally sign the peace treaty. What a relief.

Last time Thimble went to the V-E-T, Eddy was perturbed with her for over a week.This time, it was only 2 days. I can handle that. Anytime any of the other kitties in the house need to make a trip to the stabby place, I'll be sure to use the same method of cleaning them off and wiping them with a blanket containing their pre-vet smells when they get home, to minimize Eddy's reaction.

We hope all of our furiends are having Sundays as serene as ours!

Now, be sure to head on over and visit the Kitties Blue at The Cat on My Head for more selfies!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Care for some iced tea?

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Our Tip of the Day:

Summer heat can of course be bothersome or even dangerous to our furbabies. If your cat or dog seems sensitive to the heat and is uncomfortable, even when indoors, perhaps consider looking into a cooling products for them to use. For example, there are mats available on the market, which can help your furbaby feel cool when they lie on it. There are even similar cooling vests, such as for dogs to wear when going out on a walk in the heat. Cooling bandanas, collars, and other cooling products are also available on the market. Always be sure, though, that you are selecting one that is indeed pet-friendly, with non-toxic manufacturing. The summer heat can be a real drag, but there are ways that you and your furbaby can beat it!

Cupcakes on Caturday

Who doesn't love Caturday? This lovely day not only means the weekend is just beginning, but is also the day of Athena's Caturday Art blog hop.

Now, we have found out that this week, Athena is unable to host the Caturday Art blog hop like she typically does. We were still up for some artsy fartsy fun, though, and so we still created a bit of a doodle.

EDIT: Never mind! The Caturday Art blog hop is up and going, so be sure to visit Athena and join in!

We've had cupcakes on the mind lately, it would seem. So, feel free to grab one and enjoy!

Happy Caturday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

How about a bit of a fun tip today? Some restaurants, and other business, actually offer special treats for the furbabies in your life, so perhaps look into where in your area you might find such places. Dairy Queen, for example, will prepare a "pup cup" for you if you ask, which is a small cup of ice cream for that puppy in your life to enjoy. Then again, there are certainly some kitties out there who might enjoy a little lick of ice cream as well. This "pup cup" is typically free of charge. In many areas, there are other businesses that will also serve treats to dogs and perhaps even cats who are accompanying their humans. For examples, many banks will send a treat out for a pup waiting in the car with their human in a pull-up lane. And then there are stores into which your furbaby is even allowed to go with you, including pet stores, of course, as well a variety of home and farm stores, or some hardware stores. So, if you're interested in treating your pup or kitty, or taking them on an outing with you, do some research into pet-friendly locales in your area. Of course, though, only allow ice cream and other treats for those furbabies who can tolerate them, and only take a furbaby out on the town if it is reasonable and safe to do so.

Happy Friday!

Whew. We made it to Friday! As per usual, we're going to go right into the always fun and fantastic Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by the one and only 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

As always, we were given some clever as ever fill-ins.

1. A recurring dream I have is _________.
2. Turn _________ into _________.
3. _________ is driving me crazy!
4. Lately, I have been _________.

Here's how I fared:

1. A recurring dream I have is....none?
(I either rarely dream, or just rarely remember my dreams. I'm not sure which one. I can easily count on one hand the number of dreams I remember having so far this year.)

2. Turn lemons into lemonade.
(When life throws you lemons, make lemonade! I have always liked this saying. If things seem sour, just add a little sugar.)

3. The heat is driving me crazy!
(I'm not the kind of person who likes hot and humid, yet that's what Mother Nature has been doling out to us these days. And I'm not the only one, either. My furbabies, even with the air and fans on in the house, are a bit cranky some days. Especially pup Astrid. Even a simple trip outside to empty her little bladder these days seems like the ugliest form of torture for the heat intolerant pooch.)

4. Lately, I have been worried about one of the longtime neighborhood ferals.
(Does anyone remember me mentioning Hicks before? He's a feral cat who has been living in my neighborhood for years and years, and I have been feeding him and have a shelter in my yard for him. I had even been trying to think up a plan for trapping him, without instead getting the neighbor's cat or any of the other nearby family's kitties who love my yard, and at least having him neutered. But, Hicks has disappeared. In general, this is not all that unusual for him, but he's been gone for weeks and weeks now, and this time I know there were two events that precipitated his disappearance. First, construction workers began tearing up the street outside our house, making lots of racket as well as a giant canyon out front. Second, an aggressive, territorial brown tabby suddenly started showing up in my yard, and it took an immediate disliking to Hicks. Now, I pray every day that Hicks returns. I feel like I failed him, and I want nothing more than to remedy that.)


Now, as is the case every Friday, it's Eddy's turn to show off her shots of the week. These past couple of weeks, she's actually given you all some lovely views of her. She's even sat still for some of them, so that you could see her cute little face and pretty profile. Today, though, she's back to old habits.

There's my blurry girl. I was wondering where you've been.

Eddy didn't want you all to forget how she looks, though, so she requested that I doodle up a version of her that's not quite as blurry.

Now, changing topics yet again, if you saw our post yesterday, you'll know that Thimble was at the V-E-T for a recheck urinalysis after being treated for a UTI. She and I are both happy that there is no longer any sign of infection!

The not so great news is that, despite my attempts to prevent this, Eddy is yet again showing some non-recognition aggression towards Thimble since her return from the V-E-T. Since Eddy doesn't travel well I didn't take her along with Thimble, but instead gave Thimble a thorough wipe down and rubbed her up and down with a blanket that smelled like her when she got home. Eddy is not fooled, and clearly has a great nose. At least this time it is a far more mild of a reaction from Eddy. Well, that is, until Thimble decides to play it up and chase the hissing and growling Eddy around the house. Oh, my girls, you sure are giving your mommy a run for her money. Don't worry, it only took a week of hair-pulling last time to get the girls back to being friends. We'll survive.


That all being said, we wish everybuddy a happy Friday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Don't forget that cats, and even dogs, can be prone to urinary issues, such as UTIs or blockages. When it comes to UTIs, they often stem from the fact that cats' and dog's urogenital tracts are in such close proximity to the anus. This is why it is important that these furry rear ends remain clean, and that any fuzzy and shaggy furbabies are kept groomed back there so that fecal matter cannot get trapped and lead to a UTI. As for issues such as urinary blockages, this often relates to the fact that in the wild, cats and dogs don't go around feasting on dry kibble. Rather, they eat prey, which is composed heavily of moisture. So, furbabies on highly dry diets might find themselves with crystals or other reasons for blockages. For this reason, offer plenty of fresh, enticing water to your kitty or pup. Moist food is obviously another great way to add moisture to their diet. Sometimes you can get creative to get your furbaby to drink more, such as by using ice cubes. Some dogs like to chew on and eat ice cubes, for example, while some cats can be enticed to drink water from a bowl in which fun ice cubes are floating around. If you are concerned about your furbaby's urinary health or water intake for any reason, of course talk to your veterinarian.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Where to start today? How about a bit of poetry first? We're participating in Thoroughly Poetic Thursday, hosted by none other than Angel Sammy and Teddy of Two Spoiled Cats.

Last week, for the letter A, our poem introduced you to Annie the Astronaut. Today, with the letter B upon us, we have someone else for you to meet.

Bubba the Baker

Bubba is neither doctor nor farmer,

And he could never consider life as a snake charmer.

It is not the life of a librarian that Bubba enjoys,

Though storytime is something he quite often employs.

And, no, his life is not that of a candlestick maker.

Bubba is, instead, a mighty fine baker.

If you find yourself craving a fine pumpkin pie,

Then, lo and behold, Bubba is certainly your guy.

Or perhaps you would rather a slice of chocolate cake?

Well, that’s Bubba’s very favorite thing to bake!

Oh, and don’t forget a peanut butter cookie.

Bubba can whip one up better than any ol’ rookie.

Bubba’s bakery is surely heaven on earth,

After all, his scones bring forth nothing but mirth.

Cupcakes and muffins and pastries galore,

You’ll surely be going back for more and more.

Now, if it’s donuts you seek,

Please, don’t be meek.

Take yourself a dozen,

And then grab another for your cousin.

Strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate glaze,

The options will leave you in a bit of a daze.

Whatever you crave, please help yourself.

Grab any sweet goodie you see on the shelf.

Really, please, for heaven’s sake,

Any and every goodie is yours to take,

For there is nothing that Bubba the Baker cannot bake.

Just like last week, we decided to give Bubba the Baker a little illustration of his own. So, here he is with one of his strawberry donuts:

Now, Thimble says that it's her turn. Thursday is Thimble's day to tell you all what she's been up to. Today, she wanted to show off how she tried to win this mom of hers over with a peace offering.

Thimble thought that, if she showed me that adorable tummy of hers, I wouldn't make her go to the V-E-T today. Unfortunately, though I did snorgle that tummy plenty, Thimble still has to pay a visit to the V-E-T. But, it's simply for a recheck urinalysis, to make sure that the UTI she had a couple weeks back is all gone after her round of antibiotics (which tasted nasty, she wants you to know!).

Thimble is acting her purrfectly usual, happy, and adorable self, and so I have hopes that there will be no signs of infection this time around. Still, we'll let you all know what that stabby ol' doctor says.

My main worry, to be honest, is how Eddy will react to Thimble's return from the V-E-T. Some of you might remember how, last time around, when Thimble came home from her time at the V-E-T, Eddy was not impressed with how Thimble smelled, and so Eddy hissed and growled at her for days and days. Eddy has gotten over it, though, and she and Thimble are back to happy coexistence. And now, I have plans to hopefully keep it that way this time around.

Many of you gave the great suggestion of taking Eddy to the V-E-T with Thimble, to help keep her from reacting as she did before. However, Eddy is about the only furbaby in our entire family with whom this isn't really an option. To put it lightly, getting Eddy in a carrier and traveling with her is a bit of a nightmare. She loathes, and I mean loathes, being confined, and she lets everyone around her know it. She is also terrified of any and all people who are not her momma. I reduce her stress by taking her to the V-E-T only when she absolutely has to go.

So, with the option of taking Eddy along not really an option at all, I've resorted to Plan B. I've wiped pre-vet Thimble down with a blanket in order to transfer her smell to it, and when she returns from the vet I will do my best to clean her of the V-E-T smells, and then wipe her down with her pre-vet blanket in order to transfer her normal smells back onto her. There will also be much Feliway involved. I can only hope this will all help make Eddy accept Thimble this time. If it doesn't, then we'll probably just have a repeat of last time's post-vet week of mayhem, and then be back to normal again.

That all being said, despite her V-E-T visit, Thimble says she is thankful that she is feeling fantastic these days, and that those nasty antibiotics are all gone. She's so thankful for that, she's entering it into Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

We're thankful for the health and happiness of all of our furiends and family as well!

Happy Thursday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Before your furbaby goes in for any veterinary appointments, tests, or procedures, always make sure that you have clear instructions for what is required of you and your furbaby. This way, all things can run as smoothly as possible, with as little stress on you and your furbaby as possible. For example, do you need to bring any stool or other samples? Does your furbaby need to be fasted, such as prior to anesthesia or certain blood tests? If so, how long should the kitty or pup fast? If your furbaby is having a urinalysis performed, can urine be collected at home, or is a sterile collection at the vet's office required? If a sterile collection is needed, is a morning appointment available, so that your furbaby can stay there in the case that their bladder is empty and needs to fill up? Making sure that all such factors are addressed can ensure that your furbaby can be in and out as quickly as possible, without any need for rescheduling or return visits due to misunderstandings. There is no such thing as a stupid question, no matter what anyone tells you, so never hesitate to ask the vet or the staff whatever questions you have.

Wordless Wednesday

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Did you know that some of the most common items that dogs, as well as cats, choke on or get lodged in their gastrointestinal tracts are their very own toys? This is why it is so important to know your pup or kitty's individual preferences and behaviors, and to only bring home toys that take this into consideration and that are therefore as safe as possible. For example, if your dog chews on plastic or rubber, or enjoys removing squeakers from toys, avoid such toys so as to avoid an emergency situation. Similarly, if your kitty enjoys chewing on or swallowing small items, do not purchase any toys with small bells or other similar parts and pieces. In addition, for safety reasons, it is always important to take into account a particular toy's suggestions on size or weight. For example, if a chew bone says that it is for small dogs weighing 25 lbs or less, that is because it is likely very small and could potentially be dangerously swallowed by a larger dog. Of course we want our furbabies to have fun toys, but be sure to put safety first!

Tasty Tuesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

Pup Astrid always loves seeing if a new food is good enough to eat. After all, more often than not, the food currently in her bowl is old news. This finicky pup insists on having a wide variety of dry food available to her. We currently have something like 4 or 5 bags of food that we mix and match and rotate through on a daily basis, lest she get bored and refuse to eat. Even then, she often refuses to eat her dry food anyway, and instead waits for her daily treat of moist food.

That all being said, we're always on the lookout for new and yummy dry foods for Astrid to enjoy. That's why, as part of Chewy.com's Blogger Outreach Program, we decided to give a shot at American Journey™ chicken and sweet potato grain-free dog food.

I always love seeing Astrid get excited for some new food. This time around, I didn't even get the bag out of the beloved Chewy box before Astrid was stalking me throughout the house for a taste.

Not only was I happy that Astrid was already interested, but I also was happy that this food has real chicken as the first ingredient, and is grain-free, without corn, wheat, or soy.

Morsel size is also a huge factor for picky Astrid. She does not like to chew large pieces of dry food, and she'll often pick food formulated for small dogs over that for dogs her 70-lb size, in large part because of the small kibble size, I believe. These Amercian Journey™ kibbles are right in the middle, not tiny and not large, and so I had hope.

I'm the mean mom who then made Astrid pose with that there bowl of food.

She refused to look at me, and I can't say that I blame her. I quickly snapped the shot, though, and then told her she could have at it. And did she like it?

You bet she did! This American Journey™ chicken and sweet potato food was a huge hit with Astrid. She kept begging for more. After 3 bowls, I finally had to go hide the bag. Given her extreme pickiness towards dry food, finding one that she likes this much makes this momma giddy with glee.

Needless to say, this food gets 4 paws and 2 thumbs up!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received the American Journey™ chicken and sweet potato grain-free dog 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.)


We hope everybuddy has a tasty Tuesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

If you like being in the kitchen and spoiling your furbaby with healthy treats, there are a great many homemade treats you can make for your furbabies. For example, you can make your own chicken jerky strips for you dogs or cats. A variety of recipes can be found online (just make sure all ingredients and steps are safe!), but this is nearly as simple as cutting chicken into thin strips, tenderizing it with a meat hammer, and placing it on a cookie sheet to bake on low for a couple of hours. Another option is making sweet potato dog chews, which essentially involves cutting sweet potatoes into slices and baking on low for a few hours. Though many store-bought treats are safe and even sometimes healthy, sometimes recalls and unknown ingredients can make homemade treats sound like the way to go. There are tons of these such recipes out there, so don't be afraid to give it a go!

Box Bonanza!

Evan always looks foward to Mancat Monday. He is, after all, a studly mancat. This time around, though, Mancat Monday is even better than usual. Why? Because it's also International Box Day!

Not only is Evan a mancat, but he's also the resident king of boxes. If there's a box in sight, most likely Evan's lurking inside of it. That's why he, of course, knew that he was the purrfect candidate for showing you our celebration of International Box Day. Oh, and remember, Evan is hind limb paralyzed, so boxes around here are best enjoyed on their sides. You gotta do what you gotta do!

But a good box sure is hard to hide. You always have to be on the lookout for invaders.

You know, like giant canine sorts, who like to steal your spotlight.

That's when you have to relocate your beloved box. You have to pack up and move, yet even then you still always have to keep an eye out for any more of those invaders.

But a good box sure is worth it!

Happy International Box Day to all of our furiends!

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Our Tip of the Day:
A box can make for a fun cave or castle or even snoozie spot for our kitties and even pups. That being said, always first inspect and pet-proof any boxes you gift your furbaby. Consider what was shipped or stored in the box, and if it was anything dangerous or potentially hazardous, select a different one for your cat or dog to enjoy. Remove outer tape and stickers if needed, especially if your kitty or pup is a chewer of such things. Some boxes are even held together with staples, so be sure to check for these and to avoid any such boxes that could potentially injure your furbaby. Boxes can be great fun, but don't forget to always make sure they're safe!