Saturday, April 7, 2018

A Great Catsby Caturday

It's the weekend! Hooray! Now, don't mind us while we hunker down and weather out this springtime snow storm.

In other news, we're on the seventh day of the A to Z Challenge.


The seventh letter of the alphabet is, of course, G. As per usual, our A to Z Challenge theme this year involves putting animal-inspired twists on classic story titles, and then illustrating them. Can you guess what we did for G? Let's be honest, the title of this post totally gave it away.


We're thinking most of you have at least heard of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. But, wouldn't something like The Great Catsby make for a great classic as well?

Our G contribution to the A to Z Challenge is also our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art blog hop.


Don't forget to pay Athena a visit, so that you can see all of the art she and all of our friends have created!

Warm wishes to all!




***
Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday we discussed the topic of fleas and the importance of using preventatives. We briefly noted on how a flea infestation can lead to a kitty or pup being infected with tapeworms. Today, we are expanding on the topic of these nasty, wormy invaders.

To begin, as we just stated, a tapeworm infestation can be the result of a flea infestation. This is because fleas can carry tapeworm larvae, and when a cat or dog grooms and thereby ingests a carrier flea, that furbaby can then become infested with tapeworms. Fleas are not the only hosts of tapeworms, though. A cat or dog can also become infected by ingesting a rodent, rabbit, or bird that is carrying them. For this reason, some veterinarians will recommend that outdoor cats and dogs remain on tapeworm preventatives regularly, to prevent infestation in the event that a tapeworm host is ingested during a hunt.

Now that we know how a kitty or pup can end up with tapeworms, let's give a brief summary on the signs. One obvious sign that a furbaby has tapeworms is visually seeing it in their feces, or around their anus, or even in an area where they frequent. What you see in the feces of an infected cat or dog are actually segments that break off of a tapeworm, and these segments are perhaps best described as looking like grains of rice. Other symptoms of tapeworms include a cat or dog scooting their rear end on the floor, to alleviate the itching, irritating sensation of the tapeworm and its segments. In severe cases, such as after a lengthy tapeworm infestation, side effects can include lack of growth or weight loss, or even intestinal blockage as a result of tapeworms.

If you have any concerns that your furbaby might have tapeworms, take your furbaby and a sample of their stool in for your veterinarian to examine. There is the possibility that tapeworms may not shed consistently, and some stool samples may come back as negative even when tapeworms are present in the intestines. This is why it is also important to explain and describe to your veterinarian any signs you have seen, such as tapeworm segments in the feces, scooting, weight loss, and so forth.

These days, treatment for a tapeworm infestation is relatively straight-forward and easy, with the use of parasiticides. Thereafter, prevention is of course also key. Flea preventatives are imperative in ensuring that your furbaby does not become infected with tapeworms by way of fleas. If your cat or dog is often outdoors, and especially if they are known to hunt or ingest wildlife, you can also discuss with your veterinarian giving preventatives more heavily geared toward tapeworms. Tapeworms can hinder your furbaby's ability to thrive, so of course be sure that you understand their risks and do your best to prevent these wormy pests.

13 comments:

Lone Star Cats said...

Luv it!

Marg said...

What a great drawing and the title of the post. Well done. You all have one terrific day.

pilch92 said...

This is my favorite so far, I love this time period and flappers. Great drawing. Excellent tips, I remember the first time I saw a tape worm. It was on Stinky and I was wondering how she got rice back there- and then it moved.ICK!

The Swiss Cats said...

Lovely drawing ! Purrs

Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat (Katherine Kern) said...

We did a post on catified literature - but we missed this one. We'd read yours too! Happy belated birthday to Lorianne :)

Unknown said...

That is such a cute drawing.
Yael from PlayingInCatnip.com

The Island Cats said...

We love this one!

Melissa, Mudpie and Angel Truffles (Mochas, Mysteries and Meows) said...

Oh, I love flapper kitty!

Cathy Keisha said...

I think TW would have enjoyed the movie a lot more if it was The Great Catsby.

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

Great idea :-) Love the drawing.

Unknown said...

That is a such a cute drawing! :)

Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty said...

Great drawing!

Purrs xx
Athena and Marie

Anonymous said...

We love your doodle of the Great Catsby!
It would be fun to be all dued up like that...at least for a little while...
Purrs
Marv