Caturday with Cat-o'-Lanterns

Today is one of those days when I share with you a somewhat strange little doodle. Sometimes ideas just pop in my head, and then I go with it, and then I stare at it wondering why my brain works the way it does. Anyway, though this piece may be a bit odd, here are some cat-o'-lanterns for you nonetheless.

As is perhaps obvious, I am already excited for Halloween. I have always enjoyed this spooky holiday, probably at least in part because it falls in my favorite season. Carving jack-o'-lanterns is one of my favorite Halloween festivities, and when I mixed that with my love for kitties, the above doodle happened.

Now, of course, do be sure to visit Athena for the Caturday Art blog hop and see all of the amazing art that all of our friends have to offer!

We are wishing all of our friends a happy Caturday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

We all strive to keep our kitties and pups happy and healthy. In order to do this, it is important to recognize signs and symptoms of an ailing furbaby, so that we can catch things early and do our best to keep them feeling their best. This is why our next series of tips will be about how to recognize and understand some of the signs that might mean your furbaby is sick.

We'll start today with one of the first signs that a cat or dog is sick, and that is the coat and skin. In a sick animal, you might see a shift from soft and sleek fur to that which is instead dry and dull. Oftentimes, the fur will even become "feathered" in appearance, with it sticking together and sticking out in clumps. This is a sign of dehydration. In addition, the skin may become dry and dander may become prevalent. Also due to dehydration, the skin may lose elasticity and may have a more sagging appearance. Such issues often arise because the skin and coat are some of the first parts of the body to be neglected if ill, since the body will instead be focusing its attention on maintaining other more vital organs of the body. For example, cats with ailing kidneys or a faulty thyroid will often have lackluster skin and coat since their body is focusing on keeping the ailing organs functioning. So, do be sure to keep tabs on that fur, as it can say a lot about how your furbaby is feeling.

Friday Fill-Ins

Those of you who visit us regularly probably know that each week we enjoy participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge.

The ladies behind 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader are the wonderful hosts of this challenge, and they always give us fantastic fill-ins.

1. I am far too _________.
2. To save money, I _________.
3. _________ matter(s).
4. _________ makes me think _________.

I had to strap on my thinking cap for these, that's for sure.

1. I am far too content where I am to pack up and leave.
(This may seem like a strange answer, but I have actually had to say this out loud to others on many occasions. I have had a lot of people, such as neighbors and acquaintances, comment on the fact that I still live in the town where I grew up. Upon learning that I never left my roots, some people look intrigued, others look bewildered, and others outright ask me why I never wanted to go out and explore the world. The answer is that I like it here.)

2. To save money, I cook and eat at home.
(I hardly ever eat out. This is partially because of some dietary intolerances and restrictions, but also in large part because it really does save money. Sometimes I look at restaurant menus and think, "Seriously? I could cook that at home for a fraction of that price!" Then again, I like my food pretty plain and simple, so it is especially easy for me to eat healthy at home for a decent price.)

3. Believing in oneself matters.
(I am a huge advocate of believing in oneself. While some things may not be easy, if you have a little faith and optimism and at least a dash of self-discipline, almost anything is possible.)

4. Evan makes me think that anything is possible.
(I guess this sort of goes along with my answer for #3. My mancat Evan is proof, at least in my eyes, that anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself. For those who don't know, Evan is hind limb paralyzed. I used to worry myself sick that he would not be able to get around well, that he would hurt himself trying to get up and down from furniture, and all that paranoid stuff. But you know what? I worried for nothing, because Evan himself learned how to make do with what life threw his way. With unwavering dedication and plenty of zest for life, Evan showed me good and all that he can run and play, and even climb and jump. It's those like Evan who helped me truly realize that anything is possible.)


Now, of course, it's Eddy turn to star in this post. If you were hoping for another classically blurry, less than superb shot of Eddy, you're in for a real treat.

This is how you avoid having your picture taken. Eddy's a pro at that.

 Happy Friday!

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

We figure a lot of our blogging friends might be able to relate to this, so we're giving this magnet away to one of you, along with another goodie or two. Just comment on this post if you're interested. We'll randomly select a winner on Sunday night and announce the winner on Monday.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Is your kitty, or even your pup, a water dumper? Especially cats often like to dig at their water bowls, one reason being that this mimics the motions they make as kittens in order to stimulate their mama cat’s milk production. If your kitty is one of those who turns a water station into an ocean, there are ways to help prevent this. First, you can simply try using heavier bowls. Stainless steel bowls with weighted and often skid-proof bottoms might be one solution, for example. Sometimes even simply a thick, heavy ceramic or glass bowl that does not easily give in to a cat’s slapping paws will do the trick. You can even try getting a skid-proof mat, on which you can place a skid-proof water bowl to help even further reduce the chance of spillage onto the floor. There are also bowls on the market that are meant to help prevent spillage from digging, such as bowls situated in a stand with grates, so that spplashed water can drain into a basin beneath the bowls rather than onto the floor. If all else fails, you could even attempt a bowl that is in some way attached to the wall or floor, so that thecbowl is unable to move altogether. In such a case, though, still always ensure that the bowl can be removed as needed for cleaning and freshening.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Remember Me Thursday

That is quite a mouthful of a blog post title. But, it's all for good reason.

We're going to start today with the last part of that title. Today is indeed Remember Me Thursday. The Remember Me ThursdayⓇ website says it best:

"Remember Me ThursdayⓇ is a global awareness campaign uniting individuals and pet adoption organizations around the world as an unstoppable, integrated voice for orphan pets to live in forever homes, not die waiting for them."

According to the Remember Me ThursdayⓇ website, in 2016, those who used the tags #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue reached over 340 million people on social media. That is 340 million people being reminded of all of the beautiful animals waiting for their chance to be loved in a home of their very own. This year, we know we are not the only ones who hope that we can spread this message to even more people.

And so today, we are joining so many others in remembering and spreading the word about all of the animals in shelters and rescues who deserve their forever home. Anyone and everyone can spread the word, anywhere and everywhere you can. Use the tags #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue on social media, and light up the internet for all of the deserving, loving animals in the shelter and rescue system. These sweet critters cannot speak for themselves, but we can speak for them.

This year, you can post a photo of your rescue pet on Twitter or Instagram, using the tags #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue, and be entered to win funds, food, and toys for a shelter or rescue of your choice. You can also upload a photo directly to the Remember Me ThursdayⓇ website. This is just one way that you and your own rescue pet can assist cats and pups awaiting their forever homes, so do be sure to visit the website and spread the word!

Last year on Remember Me Thursday, we shared this doodle:

This year, we sort of redid that doodle, but with just a bit of a different twist on it. Here's this year's version:

Just like we mentioned last time around, our doodles often have a story to go with them, even if they are unvoiced or living solely in this human's head. Just as with last year's doodle, the story here of course ends with this little kitty going to its forever home with this little angel. On this Remember Me Thursday, we pray and spread the word in hopes that the same happy ending will happen for all furbabies awaiting their forever homes.

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The next part of this post is dedicated to the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by the handsome Angel Sammy and Teddy.

This week brings us to the letter P. As many of you know, our poems are inspired by our online friends. This week, our poem is inspired by and is in honor of a sweet little lady cat who just gained her wings on Monday. This one's for you, Phoebe.

Phoebe the Princess

 

 Surely you know Phoebe.

She is, after all, royalty.

In this particular instance,

Phoebe is a beautiful Princess.

Phoebe the Princess reigns from her throne,

And all over the world her dear name is known.

While some kings and queens rule with an iron fist,

Phoebe the Princess will instead blow you a sweet kiss.

She is compassionate and kind,

And sophisticated and refined.

She wears upon her head a most deserved crown,

And for her greatness Phoebe the Princess will forever be renowned.

Phoebe will always be there for her people.

All you must do is look up and you will see her grand steeple.

After all, she is Princess of a land far up high.

She is Phoebe, Princess of the Kingdom in the Sky.

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Now, of course, Thimble wants her time to shine.

Isn't Thimble so nice and shiny? Thimble just loves snapping glamour shots like this. And Thimble is very thankful for her glamorous, sunny life. So, she is of course entering Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thimble and all of us here are thankful for so much in our lives. We are thankful for each other, for our home, for the food in our bowls, for family, and of course for friends like you.

We also want to add that we are thankful for our wonderful veterinarians and for the care they give us. That being said, we thought we'd share that Astrid went to see our veterinarian yesterday. Some of you might remember how, nearly two years ago now, a growth showed up on one of the paw pads of Astrid's right rear foot. It was found to be benign, and to be a type of tumor called a histiocytoma, which often will ultimately go away on its own. Given the tricky location, Astrid's veterinarian recommended that we wait and see if it would go away on its own rather than jump right to surgery. We waited it out, always putting a protective boot on that foot when Astrid went outside. Finally, after a few months, the tumor did indeed go away. But, now it's back, and with a vengeance.

My sister (Astrid's "other Mom") and myself feel terrible, as we got bold and began putting Astrid's protective boot on less frequently, given that the tumor was seemingly gone. Well, that was a bad idea, and the tumor came back last weekend after she hardly wore her boot at all, including on walks outdoors on rough concrete. That was far too bold of a move on our part, and now poor Astrid's apparently hidden tumor has made a nasty recurrence.

This time around, the veterinarian has indeed deemed that it would simply be best to remove the tumor, especially given that it doesn't seem to have any intention to go away and stay away. A fine needle aspirate was done while we were at the appointment, in hopes to for sure rule out anything especially troublesome. The tumor's cells weren't cooperating all that well, though, and while the veterinarian is still guessing that it is simply a benign tumor, we will be sending it out for biopsy after it is removed.

Astrid's surgery will be on Tuesday, October 10th. In addition to the tumor removal, Astrid will also have a simple dental cleaning that day to remove some small amounts of plaque, since she will already be under anesthesia. We are hoping for a safe and sound surgery, but if you have any barks, purrs, and prayers to spare, Astrid and all of us would certainly appreciate them.

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We think that just about wraps up this lengthy post. If you've made it this far, kudos to you! Happy Thursday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Do you have kitties or pups who require separate feedings? This can occur if certain furbabies are on different diets, or if they require different amounts of food, such as if one is on a weight loss diet. While it is not always easy to do separate feedings, it is still often doable with at least a little work. For example, some cats who are more agile can be fed on an elevated surface, such as a counter or shelf, where other cats or even dogs cannot reach. In other cases, such as if you have a small cat or dog and a larger cat or dog, you can fabricate a box or other area with a small opening where the smaller furbaby can enter and eat without interference from the other, larger furbaby. Then there are times when when feeding in separate rooms might need to be attempted. This version often works best if feedings are scheduled, and during those times the furbabies are placed in different rooms while each of them eats their diet as needed. Though not always easy, there are methods that can be attempted for feeding furbabies on different diets, so don't lose hope if this is something your furbabies require.

Wordless Wednesday

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

Look familiar? This is just the puppy version of our kitty doodle from Monday.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Is your kitty or pup a fast eater? If your furbaby inhales their food, there are some potential ways you can help slow down their eating. One way is by placing something such as a golf ball or tennis ball, or another safe item, in the bowl. This can slow down eating since they have to eat around the item. Of course, do make sure that any item used is not a choking hazard, and also that it doesn't take up such a large portion of the bowl that would restrict the ability to eat altogether. There are also bowls on the market that have partitions that serve the same purpose, to slow down a dog or cat's eating. In this same vein of thought, sometimes all it takes is using a plate rather than a bowl, as having the food more spread out can also slow eating. Using methods to slow down eating can help help reduce problems that often result from rapid eating, such as regurgitating food and weight gain from overeating.

Tuesday Taste Test (#ChewyInfluencer)

First and foremost, we are sending our most heartfelt condolences, thoughts, and prayers to Mom Ellen and the entire family over at 15andmeowing, for yesterday they said goodbye to their sweet Phoebe.

As you've probably noticed, we're trying a new look for our blog. Our previous style was the same one it had been since this less-than-savvy human first set up the blog a few years ago. It was blue, which is strange, because blue has never even been one of my favorite colors. So, now we've decided to go for a bit of a vintage, natural, something like that sort of feel. If you totally hate it, please let us know.

The rest of this post is the kitties' review for this month's Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program. It's always tough picking something for the finicky felines in this family, but I do try my very best. This time around, we went with HaloⓇ moist cat food.

One of the absolute necessities to even possibly ensure the kitties around here will eat moist food is that it must be paté. We don't want chunks or morsels or bits or shreds or any of that nonsense in our food, no we don't. It must be paté, which this HaloⓇ moist food certainly is.

So, the paté part was a plus. This food is also chicken in flavor, made with real chicken, in fact. Since the kitties around here most often enjoy food of the chicken variety, that was another plus.

But, regardless of the paté or chicken status, the most important test was the taste test. So, I called over the taste testers and crossed my fingers.

Blurry Evan.

Blurry Toby.

Blurry Thimble, with a photobomb cameo by pup Astrid.

Unfortunately, none of these finicky felines would actually eat the HaloⓇ moist food. There was a good deal of sniffing, an occasional lick, but nothing past that. Let's be honest, though, and admit that this is not uncommon for the picky kitties around here. What I can say is that my parents have 11 cats, and roughly 9 or 10 of them readily ate the HaloⓇ moist food. So, despite my kitties' opinions, there is hope for HaloⓇ moist food!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Halo® moist cat food in chicken 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 friends have a tasty Tuesday!

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

Yet another magnet.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Especially for older, arthritic, or furbabies otherwise unable to get around well, try to place food and water bowls near their favorite places to sleep or hang out. If possible, you can also try to place bowls all throughout the house so that they have easily accessible options wherever they are at the time. This can help ensure that furbabies with less mobility are still getting proper nutrition and hydration.

Mancat Monday

Evan's Mancat Monday post might give you just a tad bit of déjà vu.

These shots probably look a lot like the selfies Evan shared yesterday. Rest assured, though, that despite what it might seem, these are entirely different photos altogether.

You see, Evan loves his front door, where both yesterday and today's photos were taken. But, it would seem that Evan prefers to stick to the same ol' pose when sitting at his beloved door.

Do any of our friends have a favorite place to hang out like Evan does? And do you have a favorite pose to strike for the flashy box?

Happy Monday to all!

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Keep in mind that, depending on factors such as a cat or dog’s size and health, some furbabies might require special considerations for the setup of their food and water bowls. For example, tall dogs, dogs with deep chests, older animals who have difficulty bending down, and animals with short snouts might do best with elevated bowls that are situated closer to the level of their chest or face. Food and water bowls elevated in this manner can allow for more comfortable eating and drinking, as well as easier chewing, swallowing, and overall digestion. Of course, on the other hand, do ensure that the bowl is not too elevated, especially for small dogs or cats, as having to reach up to eat would be uncomfortable for them as well. So, do be sure to take time to observe your kitty or pup’s dining habits, and to adjust their bowls to ensure they are able to dine comfortably.

Sunday Selfies for Zoe

For our Sunday Selfies post today, we are remembering all of the angels who have recently gained their wings. One of these is sweet Zoe, whose Dad and Mom are the humans behind Animal Shelter Volunteer Life.

Toby, our fuzzy black housemate, tried to snap a selfie in honor of house panther Zoe. But he had a bit of trouble staying awake for the photo shoot, and so it was postponed. Instead, to honor Zoe, Evan took Toby's place and snapped some more pensive selfies.

Today, we will continue to remember all our furry angels, including sweet Zoe. The Sunday Selfies hosts, the Kitties Blue of The Cat on My Head, are also remembering Angel Zoe today. Please do be sure to pay them a visit.

Our doodle for today is also in memory of Zoe. Fly high, Angel Zoe.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Don’t forget to regularly clean those food and water bowls! We sometimes might forget about the furbabies’ bowls, such as if they sit out of sight on the floor or in another room. But, do include these in your regular cleaning of dishes. Whether the bowls are metal, ceramic, glass, or plastic, grease or other debris from food, as well as dog or cat saliva, can indeed build up and lead to less than sanitary dining. So, do be sure to clean those bowls!

Autumn in Moonlight

We're not letting our uncharacteristic 90°F weather ruin the beginning of fall for us! We are all things autumn these days, and we will welcome the colorful leaves and the crisp, cool air, whenever it finally decides to arrive.

That all being said, I already knew that I wanted to doodle something autumnal for today. I just didn't know what, exactly. Then, just the other day, I saw an artist's lovely piece of art starring the moon, and I had an idea. I didn't know how well my idea would turn out, and I'm still not sure, but I at least had lots of fun doodling it!

Are any of our friends seeing any change in the leaves yet? Any trees losing their foliage? We still have a ways to go for that over here in our corner of the world, but we are looking forward to it!

Now, don't forget to visit the one and only Athena to see what other friends have created for the Caturday Art blog hop!

Happy Caturday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Continuing our tips on food and water bowls, also don’t forget to keep each furbaby’s preferences in mind. Just like us humans, our furbabies can indeed have types of bowls that they like more than others. For example, some cats or dogs might not like the ringing sound food makes when it hits a metal bowl, or perhaps even a ceramic bowl. Other cats or dogs might be wary of using a bowl with a design or picture on the bottom of it, as it is possible for them to think that is something sitting in their bowl. Though we might not think of such things, do keep such ideas in mind. Especially if your furbaby seems to be wary or hesitant of eating out of certain bowls, try to deduce why (though of course make sure that there is not a medical reason for food aversion!) they are avoiding the bowl and then do your best to remedy it.

Fall Time Friday

Today is the first day of autumn! In case you can't tell, we love us some autumn. Now, if only the temperatures would lower from 90°F, then it might actually feel like like autumn.

Not only is today the first day of autumn, but it's also time for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by our wonderful friends at 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader.

Before we delve into this week's fill-ins, we would like to say that we are sending lots of purrs and prayers to Phoebe of 15andmeowing. Phoebe is battling Stage 4 kidney disease, and her mom and dad are giving her lots of TLC. We want Phoebe to know that we're rooting for her! Do be sure to visit Phoebe and let her know that you're thinking of her and rooting her on as well.

Now, here are the clever fill-ins our hosts created this week:

1. I would never be friends with someone who _________.
2. I will never refuse _________.
3. I have never been to _________, but _________.
4. When it comes to _________, I _________.

And here are my completed thoughts:

1. I would never be friends with someone who is cruel to animals.
(I try not to be a judgmental person, but sometimes I am. When someone is cruel to animals, or honestly cruel in any regard, I could never see them as a legitimate source of camaraderie. Even simply hearing someone speak ill of animals, or speak ill of anyone, infuriates me. I can't even fathom how someone could treat innocent beings with cruelty.)

2. I will never refuse peanut butter.
(Peanut butter doesn't even really sit well with me when I eat it, yet I can't pass it up. I have something along the lines of zero self-control around it.)

3. I have never been to Disney Land or Disney World, but that's okay with me.
(My family didn't travel much when I was a kid. I will openly and proudly admit that when I was growing up, my family was far from wealthy. Paying for trips to amusement parks was never a high priority. And you know what? I'm perfectly fine with that, and I feel like it helped me stay grounded as a child and into my adulthood. Besides, I find little to no joy when at amusement parks, because that really isn't my thing. My idea of fun is making absolutely zero plans and spending a day at home with my furbabies.)

4. When it comes to books and cats, I can never have enough.
(I love books. They are my Kryptonite. And so are kitties. And puppies. And really anything cute and fuzzy, to be honest. I have to really restrain myself so as to not bring home every furbaby I see at shelters and the like. And I have the same sort of trouble when I enter a bookstore.)


All right, now, who's ready for Eddy?

This certainly isn't the best shot, but it's the best I could do since Eddy is back to her usual ways. You know, happy and active and perfectly blurry. That means I'm never granted time to prep the camera or alter any of its settings, and I simply have to take a shot in whatever split second I'm allowed.

Happy Friday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Happy autumn!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday we mentioned the importance of the material out of which a cat or dog's food or water bowl is made. Today, we’re here to remind you that size also matters when it comes to your furbaby’s bowls. As we’re sure you know, make sure the bowl is comparable to the size of the furbaby. A large dog will obviously require a larger bowl, while a small dog or cat might have difficulty eating from such a large bowl. Then again, also keep in mind the concept of whisker fatigue, especially when it comes to cats. Whisker fatigue occurs when a bowl is too small and the whiskers brush the sides when eating or drinking, which is often uncomfortable and therefore can lead to a reluctance to use the bowl. So, try to make sure that a cat’s bowl is wide and also shallow enough to allow for comfortable eating. Like us, our furbabies like to eat and drink in comfort!

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We've reached another Thursday! That means it's yet again the eve of Friday, as well as time for the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by none other than Angel Sammy and Teddy.

Though this here human has next to no experience with poetry, we're doing our best and are enjoying this challenge plenty! Continuing on with our usual theme, we have someone new for you all to meet today.

O’Malley the Ophthalmologist

I can see,

And you can see,

And for that we can thank Dr. O’Malley.

Whether they be brown, green, or bluer than the skies,

O’Malley the Ophthalmologist will take good care of your eyes.
 

Having trouble reading your book?

Let Dr. O’Malley take a look.

He’ll test how far you can see,

And how tired your eyes just might be.
 

You really need not fear,

And certainly don’t shed even a single tear.

After all, O’Malley the Ophthalmologist is the best of the best.

He’ll put your eyes through nothing but a painless test,

And after that will give them a rest.
 

Dr. O’Malley will know if you’re nearsighted or farsighted,

And then he’ll happily help you get that righted.

Dr. O’Malley will write you a prescription indeed,

If it’s a lovely pair of glasses that you need.

So do let O’Malley the Ophthalmologist take a look at your eyes,

For his knowledge and skill has earned him many a prize.

Our Dr. O'Malley was inspired by none other than Patty O'Malley, whom you can visit by simply clicking there on his name! And, here is O'Malley the Ophthalmologist in doodle form:

Of course, Thursday would not be complete without Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is of course bringing you our thankfuls. She is thankful for sunny weather and window views.

Thimble is also grateful for snoozies in the sun (snoozing while sitting up is perfectly normal, right?).

Do you see housemate Toby's whiskers yet again photobombing Thimble's shots here? Thimble is having trouble feeling thankful for Toby's photobombing skills, but she is nevertheless of course thankful to have family and furiends, like Toby and all of you!

Wishing everybuddy a terrific Thursday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Our next tip theme revolves around our furbabies eating and drinking habits. To start this off today, we’re here to remind you to be cognizant of what type of bowl you are using for your furbaby, most especially the material out of which the bowl is made. When possible, steer clear of plastic bowls. This is in large part because plastic can be easily scratched, and these scratches can harbor all sorts of bacteria and the like. This can lead to issues such as feline chin acne. Stainless steel bowls, or even ceramic, are often recommended. If you do use or have to use plastic bowls for any reason, be sure to clean them frequently, and to replace them as needed, such as if you notice scratches. This will help prevent bacterial growth and issues such as feline chin acne. Eating and drinking are of course crucial to our furbabies’ daily lives, so do be sure to pay attention even to details such as the types of bowl they are using.

Definitely Not Wordless Wednesday (#ChewyInfluencer)

We usually do our Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program reviews on Tuesdays, but since yesterday was dedicated to Talk Like a Pirate Day, Astrid is going to share her review today.

So, what did Astrid get to try out this month?

Astrid taste tested Natural BalanceⓇ Delectable DelightsⓇ Tender Cuts treats in the lamb variety. The best thing is that these treats are just how Astrid likes them – tender and chewy!

These goodies are advertised as being made with high-quality lamb. In addition, these Natural BalanceⓇ treats contain no corn, wheat, or artificial ps or colors.

Oh, and it didn't take long before I had an audience while I photographed these goodies.

Were these treats worth the wait for this pup?

They sure were (if you can even tell that from this photo). In other words, yum!


(Disclaimer: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received Natural Balance® Delectable DelightsⓇ Tender Cuts dog treats in lamb 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 have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Since we have been discussing first aid for our furbabies, we figured this would be a good time to remind you that human medications are of course not always safe for our furbabies. For example, pain killers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be incredibly toxic to cats and dogs. This is of course not the only human medication that is hazardous, as cardiac, blood pressure, and many other medications could severely affect our furbabies. For this reason, keep all human medications out of reach of your furbabies. As always, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Ahoy!

Ahoy, mateys! Who here knows what today is?

Aye, aye! That's right, mateys, it's Talk Like a Pirate Day! Of course, feel free to meow and woof like a pirate as well.

Sail ho! Do ye see that ship on the horizon?

Shiver me timbers, it's Captain Rosie!

Many of ye might remember our angelic Captain Rosie. She was the pirate of all pirates in our seas. One-eyed in her old age, she nevertheless never missed a thing, and she kept us all in line. Rosie may have sailed to the Rainbow Bridge in May of 2015, but she's still our captain!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday we mentioned compiling a first aid kit for your furbabies. Such first aid kits might contain antibiotic ointments, but do be aware that you should use these with caution. If consumed, these ointments could potentially cause gastrointestinal distress for some furbabies. In addition, some cats and dogs could possibly be allergic to these ointments, resulting in dermatological or other symptoms. Be especially careful with such ointments if they contain a pain relieving component, as this could be especially dangerous. So, while first aid can indeed be very important, do always be cognizant of what products and treatments you are using. It of course also would not hurt to ask your veterinarian’s opinion on what items to include in a first aid kit.

Mancat Monday

Since Evan got to star in our Sunday Selfies post yesterday, he agreed to let housemate Toby star in our Mancat Monday post. So, here's Toby!

I must admit that photographing Toby's black furriness is not my strong point. This fuzzy black mancat tends to either end up with a blue sheen in photos, or with all sorts of dust visible on that black fur. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it.

Happy Monday to all of our furiends!

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Our Artsy Fartsy Endeavor of the Day:

(I honestly don't know what to do with this one. I was going to make it a magnet, but does anyone really want their refrigerator staring at them like this?)

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Our Tip of the Day:

Though we may do all we can to keep our furbabies safe, accidents can and do happen. While injuries or sickness should always be addressed by a veterinarian as soon as possible, sometimes first aid can help or even save a furbaby if a visit to the veterinary office is not immediately available. For this reason, having first aid knowledge and first aid kits for your kitty or pup is a great idea. I would go into detail as to what items are beneficial in a first aid kit for your pet, but the ASPCA would do a far better job than me. Below, therefore, is an ASPCA infographic on compiling a first aid kit for your furbaby.