Friday Fun

Isn't Friday such a fun day? It's fun for more reasons than one, including the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by none other than Ellen of 15andmeowing and Annie of McGuffy's Reader.

It's always exciting to find out what the fill-ins are for the week, and this week's are no exception.

1. The Winter Olympics _________.
2. I think the most romantic movie (or book) is _________.
3. Recently, I had an odd experience when _________.
4. I believe that love _________.

Here's how I filled in the fill-ins:

1. The Winter Olympics include at least one sport that I enjoy watching.
(I'm mainly referring to figure skating, which I have enjoyed watching since I was a child. Sometimes I watch hockey as well, but it often gets a bit too rough and tumble for me to enjoy.)

2. I think the most romantic movie/book is Pride & Prejudice.
(To be completely honest, I am not generally a fan of the romance genre, especially anything that is sappy and over-the-top. That being said, I do enjoy the classic tale of romance that is Pride & Prejudice. I think the fact that Elizabeth is independent, genuine, and bookish makes the story especially appealing to me. My favorite movie version of this tale is the one starring Keira Knightley, and now I'm itching to read the book and watch the movie again.)

3. Recently, I had an odd experience when Eddy brought a live mouse to my room at 5 o'clock in the morning.
(I awoke on Tuesday to the sounds of some rather lively events going down in the kitchen. Seconds later, Eddy showed up in my bedroom doorway with a mouse dangling from her mouth. She then proceeded to chase it around my room, with me chasing her in hopes of gaining possession of the mouse myself. Eddy did not seem interested in killing the mouse, but she also clearly didn't feel like sharing it. I only got a lucky break when Eddy dropped the mouse from her mouth into one of my winter boots. The mouse couldn't escape its confines, and I snatched up the boot before Eddy could dive in. I released the mouse into the wild, and I hope it stays there this time. Eddy was not impressed with the outcome.)

4. I believe that love is unconditional.
(True love should not come with any ifs, ands, or buts. This is probably why my true loves in life are of the cute and furry sort. Love doesn't get much more unconditional than theirs.)

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Our Friday wouldn't be complete without giving you all a dose of Eddy. So, here's the little mouser herself, having some blurry and ill-lit fun on her beloved cat tree.

We hope you all have a fun and fantastic Friday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Today's little doodle is one that was recently created for this human's sister, who happens to be our housemate Toby's mom.

Yesterday was indeed the birthday of Toby's mom! We celebrated with lots of fun and food yesterday, but we failed to share this doodle on the big day itself. But, better late than never, right?

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Our Tip of the Day:

February is not only Spay/Neuter Awareness Month and Pet Dental Health Care Month, but also National Cat Health Month. We've already given tips on the first two, so now we're of course moving on to some tips for keeping those kitties healthy. Our first such tip is to take your cat to the veterinarian for a checkup on an annual basis at the least. In general, a health check is recommended at least every 6 to 12 months. More regular vet visits are of course recommended for any cats with known illnesses, such as kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and cancer, among others.

Visits with the veterinarian do not always just simply mean a quick exam, though. Depending on your furbaby's health, lifestyle, and any other important factors, you will of course have to take into consideration vaccinations, bloodwork, urinalyses, fecal exams, and so forth. Your veterinarian will be able to discuss and offer recommendations on how and when to proceed with these. For example, discuss with your veterinarian your cat's risk for certain illnesses, and discuss any related vaccinations. When it comes to bloodwork and urinalyses, these are often recommended at least yearly for seniors cats, such as those who have reached 6 or 7 years of age. This could allow for early detection of certain diseases. More frequent bloodwork is, of course, recommended for those with known kidney disease, diabetes, and a variety of other diseases.

The long and short of this tip is that your cat should be seen by a veterinarian at least once a year, or more frequently if needed. A veterinarian's exam, as well as bloodwork and other tests, can help reveal any issues that might be arising, whether or not your kitty is showing any signs of illness. Cats are professionals at hiding disease, so exams and tests could, quite literally, be lifesavers.