Mancat Monday

As Evan indicated with his selfie yesterday, he plans on making his favorite window his co-star in a great many photos. Pup Astrid gets away with countless window photo shoots, so why not Evan?

There's only one problem, though.

Why is this window not open more? How can a mancat enjoy window whiffies if he can't even reach the whiffies? Is this mistreatment or what?

Happy Monday, friends! We hope you're enjoying some window whiffies today!

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Doodle of the Day

Cue the Halloween doodles.

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Did you know?

Did you know that study findings indicate that cats are capable of recognizing their owners' footsteps from hundreds of feet away? Similarly, studies have also found that cats do indeed recognize the sound of their owners' voices, and that they know the names their owners have chosen for them. Even more so, further studies indicate that when a cat ignores an owner who is calling for them, it's largely because cats never evolved to respond to humans. Cats are not as social of creatures as dogs and humans, and so if they do not deem a call to them to be significant, they might very well ignore it.

Sunday Selfie

Evan is taking a page out of pup Astrid's book. He found out she likes to pose in the window for an unreasonably large number of photos, and so now he decided he's going to make you all see him in the window for roughly a gazillion photos in a row. So, here's a selfie of Evan yet again posing in his favorite window.

Evan hopes you enjoy! Happy Sunday!

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Doodle of the Day

In yesterday's doodle, angel Rosie was hanging out with some pumpkins, and she appeared to have some plans. Want to see what she had up her furry sleeve?

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Did you know?

Did you know that big cats can't purr? Lions, tigers, and essentially every big cat except for the cheetah are incapable of purring. It is believed that when small cats purr, the larynx vibrates, which causes the hyoid bones in the neck to vibrate, and purring results. In big cats such as lions and tigers, though, tough cartilage runs up the hyoid bones, preventing purring. That being said, this aspect of big cat anatomy is also why they have the ability to roar.

Caturday Art

We're really gearing up for Halloween. It's sort of a favorite around here. That being said, what do you think doodled up Rosie has planned?

That there doodle is of course our contribution to Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop.

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that straw repels moisture? This is why it is such an ideal bedding material for feral cat shelters, as well as for barns and other forms of shelters. Blankets, hay, and other forms of bedding can become and remain wet and uncomfortable in rain, snow, and other similar conditions. Straw, on the other hand, remains largely dry, or quickly dries. This means that it can far more easily keep feral cats or other animals dry and warm in the months that they need these comforts. So, do consider tossing some straw in shelters you might have set up for feral cats or other animals.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

Today is the day of the Friendly Fill-Ins. We're going to start by again sending our most heartfelt purrs, woofs, and prayers to co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing following the loss of her sweet Noel.

In case you missed the fill-in statements yesterday, we'll share them again here. Ellen came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I think it would be fun to _________.

2. I have a hankering for __________.

3. _________ is a memory I will never forget.

4. If I were given the choice to be immortal, I would _________.


I tried my hand at filling these in, and my answers are below in bold.

1. I think it would be fun to meet a panda bear.
(I love pandas. I always have. I've been to a few zoos in my life, but I have yet to see a panda bear. They always look so sweet and huggable, and I certainly wouldn't mind a panda meet-and-greet.)

2. I have a hankering for Halloween candy.
(Due to some issues my intestines decided to develop over the past couple of years, I don't eat candy very often. One of the times I always do, though, is Halloween. That is just one of the many reasons why I can't wait for Halloween.)

3. Going on a road trip with my calico angel Rosie is a memory I will never forget.
(I've never been much of a traveler, but one of the few times I was away from home for multiple days was when my angel kitty Rosie was nearly 20 years old. Though her health was steady at the time, she had kidney disease, required daily treatments, and would not eat, take medications, or cooperate in general for anyone other than my mom and myself. My entire family was going on this road trip, including my mom and myself, as we were going to visit my uncle. Rosie had mellowed out quite a bit in her old age, and we didn't want her health to decline due to missed treatments while we were away, so we ultimately made the decision to see how she did if we took her with us. Long story short, she did phenomenally. She didn't mind the car ride, which was many, many hours long, though of course with breaks. She didn't mind sleeping in a hotel. Rosie seemed to only care that she was with her family, and that made me so happy. That being said, every memory of Rosie makes me happy.)

4. If I were given the choice to be immortal, I would turn down the opportunity.
(I'm not saying the thought of death isn't a scary one. It certainly would be handy to be capable of doing whatever you want without having to worry about your own safety. But, when I think about it further, I wouldn't want to be immortal and live forever while my furry and human family members remained mortal and would eventually disappear from this earth. If I were immortal, I'd be stuck here on the earth knowing I would never see them again. I'll pass on that.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.



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The next bit of Friday fun is none other than the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, hosted by Melissa and Mudpie of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

Our blooper star is, of course, Eddy. This time around, she went for a tad bit of indecent exposure during what was meant to be a tame photo shoot.

I mean, not that I'm biased or anything, but that is a pretty darn cute rump.

Happy Friday, friensd!

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Doodles of the Day: Flashback Friday

We're actually sharing two flashback doodles today. These doodles were first shared last year, the first on September 30, and the second on October 1. I scribbled these up last year in honor of the fact that September ending and October beginning is sort of the official gateway to Halloween. That being said, I am rarely able to actually make it to October, and I've already started on decorating for Halloween and watching Halloween movies.

So, this is the doodle we shared last September 30:

Yes, of course it stars my angel Rosie. So does the doodle I shared last October 1. See?

I'm sharing both of these today because I honestly am struggling to refrain from scribbling up and sharing Halloween doodles. I've been trying to hold off during September, in order to make October extra spooky and fun. But, truth be told, I already have a variety of Halloween doodles planned out and some even sketched up. For that reason, tomorrow will probably be our last plain autumn doodle. It will actually be an homage to the first image above, and then Sunday we'll go for a Halloween doodle that is an homage to the second doodle above. I apologize to our friends who aren't fans of Halloween, but as a Halloween fanatic, I just can't help myself.

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Did you know?

Did you know that the scientific name for the panda bear is Ailuropoda melanoleuca? This most literally translates to "black and white cat-foot". In Chinese, panda bears are often referred to as daxiaongmao, which translates to "big bear cat". Some sources say that panda bears are referred to as this in China because their head is similar to that of a cat, but on a bear's body.

Remember Me Thursday

As we're sure most of you already know, today is Remember Me Thursday. The Remember Me Thursday website explains this day with one poignant sentence: "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." Just like most of you, around here we are huge proponents of adopting kitties, pups, and other companion animals from shelters and rescues. That's why our post today is indeed centered on this significant topic.

We decided to find a way to incorporate our usual Thursday blog hop participation into our Remember Me Thursday post. We'll start with a poem for Remember Me Thursday. This poem of course coincides with the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by Angel Sammy.

As always, our poetic host shared a photo prompt to guide us. This week's prompt is this beautiful image here:

I already knew that, no matter what photo was chosen as this week's prompt, I was going to do my best to somehow make it contain a message in honor of all animals awaiting their forever homes. So, when I saw that image, I got to thinking. This time around, my thinking session led me to remember a headline I saw the other day regarding the show The Bachelor. Though I mean no offense to anyone who does enjoy this show or reality TV in general, I myself have no warm feelings for reality shows like The Bachelor. That is most definitely not my thing, but that's also most certainly beside the point. The headline I saw the other day indicated that on The Bachelor, the man seeking his one true love in a group of strange women apparently gives a rose to the one woman he ultimately chooses as his soulmate. I wanted to put a more meaningful twist on that, to the best of my ability, so I scribbled this up:

A Rose for Henry

Sarah's workday was long but rewarding.

Not a second of it was bland or remotely boring.
Sarah felt great purpose in her work every single day.

She helped those in need in her own inspiring way.

When Sarah returned home from work one crisp afternoon,
She found her roommate Emily watching television in the living room.
Emily was mesmerized by her most favorite show.
If Sarah was being honest, this show was no good, though.

The television show was deemed a reality about finding romance,
Starring a bunch of strangers who blindly dated and danced.
They all hoped one of the other strangers would be their true love.
They even gave a rose to their chosen one in a manner over the top and above.
Sarah thought it was all made worse that the whole event was televised.

She could not help but cringe and avert her eyes.

As Sarah tried to retreat to her room, though,
Emily wanted to discuss with her something on the show.
Sarah sighed and frowned as Emily showed her a fellow on the screen.
Emily said, "Isn't he just the man of every woman's dreams?"
Sarah's answer was a roll of her eyes and, "No."
Emily still kept on talking about the man, though.

"His name is Henry," Emily said with a clap.
"Isn't he just the most handsome chap?
Just look at his dreamy green eyes.
And that tuxedo he's wearing makes him look so wise."

"I know a Henry," Sarah said with a smile.
"He's been at my workplace for quite a while.
This Henry, he's also looking for the love of his life.
He even has a tuxedo and the most dreamy green eyes."

Emily clapped and smiled wider than wide.
She asked, "Oh, Sarah, will you please introduce me to this guy?"
"Sure thing," Sarah said and grabbed her coat.
"We can go meet him right now, so let's go."
From a vase on the kitchen counter Emily grabbed a red rose.
She said, "I want my Henry to have a rose, just like on the show."

They stopped outside Sarah's workplace while Emily fixed her hair like umber.
The building was built of stone and its sign read, ANIMAL SHELTER.
"What does Henry do here?" Emily asked.
"Does he play with the dogs and feed the cats?
Never mind, it doesn't matter.
I just hope that when he meets me he's flattered."

Sarah led the way inside when Emily was finally ready.
She knew exactly where she would find this boy Henry.
To a room full of cats they made their way.
The felines ran here and there as they played.

A big cat of black and white made his way over.
Emily looked this way and that and over her shoulder.
"Where's Henry?" she asked Sarah as she look around.
Sarah smiled and said, "That's him there on the ground."

The big cat of black and white looked up at Emily and said, "Meow!"
Emily looked from Sarah to the cat and asked, "Wait. What? How?"
Sarah said, "This Henry is better than any man on a television screen.
Thinking otherwise is really quite obscene."

At first Emily looked nothing if not confused.
Henry rubbed her leg, purred, and mewed.
In reply, Emily let out a smile and a laugh.
Then she reached down and gave Henry a pat.

Henry rubbed Emily's hand and even gave it a lick.
Perhaps that was the moment when everything clicked.
Emily scooped Henry the cat up in her arms.
Clearly she had fallen for his green eyes and charm.
Emily gifted Henry the rose she also still held in her arms.

That day, both Emily and Henry found their one true love.
The two fit each other like a perfect glove.
From that day on, Emily and Henry never left each other's side,
Sometimes even serving as perfect partners in crime.

***

Thimble is now of course going to share an unsurprising bit of gratitude on this Remember Me Thursday.

Thimble and all of the furbabies here are thankful for their forever home. I myself am just as grateful to have my furbabies in my life. We purr, woof, and pray every day that all homeless animals, and all those who have found their way to a shelter or rescue, will know the comfort of a forever home with a loving forever family.

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Before we share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, we want to send our most heartfelt purrs, woofs, and prayers to co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing. Yesterday she helped her beloved Noel cross the Rainbow Bridge, and she remains in our thoughts.

Tomorrow's fill-in statements are below. Ellen came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I think it would be fun to _________.

2. I have a hankering for __________.

3. _________ is a memory I will never forget.

4. If I were given the choice to be immortal, I would _________.

We'll see your tomorrow, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that the average cost per day of basic pet care is only an approximate $3? That's less than luxuries like fancy drinks from coffee shops.

Did you know that roughly 25% of shelter dogs are purebred? Breeders are not the only source of purebred animals, because both purebreds and amazing mixed breeds can be found at shelters.

Did you know that a vast majority of shelter animals are already spayed or neutered and up-to-date on certain vaccinations prior to adoption? That means you'll pay the adoption fee and thereafter won't need to schedule or pay the typical cost of a spay or neuter or certain vaccinations.

Did you know that animals can make our lives happier and healthier? Science has proven this on multiple occasions.

Some of the above facts are ones you animal lovers out there certainly already know, and some are ones we've already shared in the past. Now we need to spread the word. Shelter animals have so much to gift us. They are special and filled with love. Let's get them out of shelters and into homes.

Woof Woof Wednesday

We had us a tad bit of a health scare with Astrid these past couple of days. On Sunday, my sister found a raw, red spot on the same foot on which Astrid lost a toe to a malignant tumor in October of 2017. That cancerous mass from the past started out as what seemed like a mere wound, and then ultimately morphed into a tumor deemed malignant. That's why finding another raw, red spot on that very same foot was alarming. I called the vet first thing Monday morning, requested an appointment with the doctor who knows Astrid's entire history, and we took her in yesterday afternoon.

Long story short, the vet thinks this new spot is a simple abrasion that will heal itself. Between the time we found the lesion on Sunday and when we took her to the vet yesterday, the area of concern went from red and raw to a very classic scab. The vet even noted that it's so flat and scabbed over that a fine needle aspirate would probably yield no useful information, because there's nowhere for the needle to really go. The vet has instructed us to keep a close eye on it, especially given Astrid's history with issues like this. If the abrasion hasn't mostly healed itself within a week or so, then we will proceed with further testing. We're all optimistic that this really is nothing, though, because in just two days the area already seems to be healing very well.

Want to know a fun fact? Some Dairy Queens offer what are called "pup cups", which are small cups of vanilla ice cream that you can give to your dog. What a strange thing to say at this point time. It'll make sense in a second, I promise. Astrid is a huge fan of ice cream, so more often than not, after she goes to the vet, she gets rewarded with a pup cup from Dairy Queen. She now knows we're going to Dairy Queen long before we arrive, and she gets incredibly excited at that realization. The photo we shared above was snapped just yesterday and is an image of Astrid watching the car ahead of us in the Dairy Queen drive-through being handed their ice cream through the window. She was certain they were taking hers. Astrid made sure to also tell the car behind us to keep their hands off her ice cream.

Of course, we also have a photo to share of Astrid eagerly watching the Dairy Queen worker preparing her ice cream through the window. Patience is not pup Astrid's strong suit.

Astrid can barely contain herself in the back seat when she sees the worker handing over the ice cream. Her love for ice cream runs quite deep.

I know that looks like a lot of ice cream. That's because it kind of is. Don't worry, Astrid doesn't get ice cream that often, and certainly not in such large volumes. This was definitely a celebratory ice cream adventure.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

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Doodle of the Day

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Did you know?

Did you know that dog paws come in different shapes? And did you know that dog paws are often categorized based on their varying shapes? Most commonly, dog paws are considered either cat feet, webbed feet, or hare feet.

Dog paws categorized as cat feet are, indeed, very much like cat feet. These are round and relatively small, with arched toes that help provide a good grip on problematic surfaces. Breeds with cat feet might often include the Akita, Standard Schnauzer, and Doberman Pinscher.

Webbed feet are, of course, at least slightly webbed in between the toes. This webbing helps a dog to swim. This foot shape is therefore often found in dogs who work in water, such as the Laboratory Retriever and Newfoundland.

Hare feet are longer in shape. The two center toes on a paw of this shape protrude farther out than the toes surrounding them. This shape of dog paw allows for easier, faster running. Of course, breeds with this type of paw include the Greyhound and Whippet.

Trouble Tuesday

What happens when you ask your cats to please not climb up onto your desk and onto the boxes containing some of your craft supplies?

Winky informed me that my rules are silly and are made to be broken.

Winky will actually try to get comfortable and nap on those boxes. Sometimes she'll spend hours up there. Looks cozy, doesn't it? It's not like there are cat beds or blankets or soft pieces of furniture to sleep on.

Happy Tuesday to all!


P.S. Please note that the pine cone you see in the above photos is just a decorative one, and that my furbabies have all proven to ignore it completely. Though you'll find varying information on the topic, it is possible for pine cones, or for substances or chemicals found on some pine cones, to be harmful to animals. Horses are especially susceptible to pine toxicity. All in all, be aware of the potential effects of any and all items you bring into your home, and ensure that an item is both safe and properly ignored by your furbaby. I'm thinking you all knew that already, though.

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Doodle of the Day

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Did you know?

Did you know that some sources cite the black cat as being the most popular Halloween costume? Some sources even indicate it's the most popular costume for both children and adult women. There are a variety of store-bought options for black cat Halloween costumes, but it's also known as one of the most common costumes to DIY. I know that I for one was a DIY black cat for Halloween at least once as a child.

Mancat Monday

Happy first day of autumn! I think I'd feel a tad bit more festive if it wasn't still over 80°F. Apparently I need to get used to it, though, because the temperature isn't supposed to dip below 80°F for at least another week here in our corner of the world. Come on, Mother Nature, show a little mercy.

Anyway. Today, Evan wanted to share a couple more shots of him enjoying some window whiffies. It is supposed to be window whiffies season, after all.

Evan is curious, though, if you all see the same issue he does here? Evan is not impressed with how much, or more like how little, his mom here opened the window. Talk about stingy.

This human here gets nervous opening the window any more than that. One main reason is because a certain skinny little calico named Tonks can fit in the window if it's open farther than that, and I don't trust her to not push her way through the screen. Sorry, Tonks. And sorry, Evan.

Has autumn arrived for any of you? Are you enjoy some autumn window whiffies? We sure hope you are!

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Doodle of the Day: Flashback Monday

I don't usually share a flashback doodle on Mondays. I usually do that on Tuesday and Friday. Honestly, though, my weekend went a bit haywire and I didn't yet get the final touches put on my doodles for this week. So, it's a flashback doodle today, and then new doodles over the next couple of days.

That being said, today's flashback doodle was originally scribbled up last September. As you'll see, it involves a scarecrow. Truth be told, I have mixed feelings about scarecrows. I've always liked the concept of them, but a lot of scarecrow decor out there kind of freaks me out. Perhaps for the same reason that I'm not a fan of clowns or most dolls, scarecrows with certain types of faces just don't do it for me. Ultimately, I've decided that I primarily prefer scarecrows with a quirky sort of twist on them. This flashback doodle from last year is an example of a type of twist I enjoy in a scarecrow.

I love pumpkins, so obviously a scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head is the way to go. Of course, adding some black cats to the mix makes things even better.

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Did you know?
Did you know that you can purchase window screen repair tape? I've mentioned this in the past on more than one occasion. We're referring to a kind of tape that is manufactured out of a material much like window screen. This is a topic we thought worth discussing because of how much cats enjoy watching out windows, but also because their claws sometimes simply don't mix well with window screen material. If your window screen does become torn, perhaps by something such as cat claws, maybe try patching it up with window screen repair tape. Of course, always test to ensure that the tape is holding the screen as is necessary, especially if a furbaby is going to be enjoying the window. Also, though, be careful that your furbaby does not eat the tape, as some cats are drawn to adhesive material.

Sunday Selfie Sniffing

Evan intended on snapping a traditional selfie today, but then he got distracted. After all, the window was open, he smelled something real intriguing outside, and so the selfie ended up a bit unlike Evan expected. He hopes you enjoy a selfie of his nose sniffing the outside world.

Those whiskers almost stole the show, didn't they? Anyway, Evan and all of us here wish you a stupendous Sunday!

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Doodle of the Day

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Did you know?

Did you know that lentigo is the technical term for the genetic condition that results in a cat's freckles? We're talking about the brown or black spots you often see on the noses of orange tabbies, for example. Lentigines is the technical term for the freckles themselves. It's a lot easier to just refer to them as freckles, though, and so that is the commonly used terminology.

Caturday Art

Don't be shocked, but we have for you today yet another autumnal doodle. 'Tis the season.

It's almost officially autumn. Now, can someone give Mother Nature the memo? This heat and humidity is getting kind of old.

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that cats are said to have anywhere from 60,000 to 120,000 hairs per square inch of their body? Some sources even cite as many as 130,000 hairs on one square inch of a cat. This means that an average cat might have something like 30 to 50 million individual hairs on their body.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday, friends! Are you ready for this week's installment of the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? Yes? Good. In case you missed the fill-in statements yesterday, I'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. Never have I ever _________.

2. I won't _________ again.

3. I believe I have good knowledge of _________.

4. _________ is my worst enemy.


I filled these in myself, and my answers are below in bold.

1. Never have I ever had a pumpkin spice beverage.
(I love autumn, and I like pumpkin pie and pumpkin in general. That being said, I've never felt compelled to jump onto that pumpkin spice bandwagon. I think a lot of these drinks are also coffee in nature, if I'm not incorrect. Since I'm—gasp!—not a coffee drinker, perhaps that also plays a part.) 

2. I won't feed Thimble beef-flavored food again.
(Just like my angel Rosie, if Thimble eats beef-flavored food, it ends projectiled all over the floor. I don't know why both of these girls of mine have had such reactions to any beef-flavored food I fed them, but we'll just avoid it altogether.)

3. I believe I have good knowledge of cats.
(I'm not any form of recognized expert, but I feel like kitties have taught me a feline thing or two.)

4. Time is my worst enemy.
(Sometimes I have a good handle on time management. When I don't, though, trying to fit everything I want to accomplish into the hours a day provides is such a daunting feat.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.



***

Now, are you ready for your Eddy fix? Yes? Good. I recently tried to sneak up on Eddy as she gazed out one of our embarrassingly dirty windows, and this is what I managed:

I snapped this photo with my phone, and of course failed to alter any settings for an ideal shot. Anyway, Eddy hopes you enjoyed this rare shot of her being non-blurry!

Have a fantastic Friday!

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Doodle of the Day: Flashback Friday

I actually meant to share the following flashback doodle last Friday, in honor of the full moon. I forgot to share it then, though, so I'll share it now. Of course, it also involves some autumn vibes, because obviously.

If I'm not mistaken, this was one of the very first moon and silhouette doodles I scribbled up. It's from almost exactly 2 years ago, created around this same date in September of 2017. It was an experimental doodle, and some of my doodling techniques have changed since then. But, these days, I've grown to really enjoy adding all sorts of scribbled up moons and silhouettes to my sketchbook.

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Did you know?

Did you know that nutmeg can be toxic to cats and dogs? Some similar spices, such as cinnamon, are not considered toxic to our furbabies, but nutmeg indeed contains the hazardous component known as myristicin. Small quantities of nutmeg likely won't be fatal, but it could cause gastrointestinal distress. In larger quantities, though, nutmeg could have more severe side effects. The potential toxicity of nutmeg is something to keep in mind when you're baking, for example, and is one reason why it is advised that you refrain from feeding your pup or kitty pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin itself can have a great many benefits for our kitties and pups, but it should be fed in a more pure form, not in a form that includes spices, which often will include dangerous ingredients such as nutmeg. So, for the safety of your kitty or pup, keep those pumpkin spice snacks out of your furbaby's reach.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Ahoy, mateys! Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day. Shiver me timbers, we mean Meow and Bark Like a Pirate Day! Aye, aye. That be more like it. Would ye like to sail the seas with us?

That there be a 2017 flashback doodle of Captain One-Eyed Rosie. She says ahoy to all ye mateys!

***

We hope you don't mind, friends, but the rest of this post is going to be in boring ol' regular human speech. I intended and even tried to write a longer post in pirate lingo, but I'm really just no good at it, and it kind of makes my brain hurt. To celebrate this day, though, I did scribble up a sort of piratey poem for Angel Sammy's pirate-inspired Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge this week.

Isn't that a perfect photo prompt for this week's poetry challenge? Our host sure knows how to make our poetic endeavors fun and festive.

I actually did try to scribble up a poem in pirate verse. Like I mentioned above, though, pirate speech is not my forte in the least. So, it's still that boring ol' human speak for my poem today. At the very least, though, my poem is about a pirate! Actually, it's about a pirate, and some other really weird stuff I felt compelled to write because come September all I can think about are pumpkins and all things autumnal. Sounds like a real wacky poem, doesn't it? That's because it admittedly is. All I can do is apologize and slap the poem here:

Pirate Pete and the Pumpkin King

Pete was a skilled and world-renowned pirate,

All the way until he disappeared in retirement.

Pirate Pete had sailed the seas for years and years,

Seeking treasure and winning loot without any fears.

But when his hair turned grey and his bones grew weary,

Pete said goodbye to the pirate life, only slightly teary.

That is, until Pete realized he had squandered away his retirement loot.

Had he really bought that many hats, boots, and, well, booze?

Indeed, all of that gold and jewels he had won as a pirate,

It was now all gone and he was an impoverished man in retirement.

Pete did the only thing he could think to do.

He reclaimed his title as pirate and sailed the seas anew.

Pirate Pete began his new travels at the end of winter.

After all, who wanted to sail the seas in cold that could blister?

Throughout the spring he sailed from shore to shore.

He had nearly forgotten how looting was really never a bore.

He followed his maps and found treasure on land after land.

Pirate Pete's boat landed on every shore and its sand.

He continued on throughout the heat of summer,

None of his travels proving even remotely a bummer.

Pete worked so hard and was such a skilled pirate,

He thought by the next winter he might be able to reenter retirement.

By the time autumn rolled its brisk way around,

Pirate Pete had just one land left to which he was bound.

He had heard tales of great treasures buried on Autumn Isle.

Of course, he would have to risk all that was said about that land so wild.

Very few pirates returned from journeys to Autumn Isle,

And those who did seemed to have lost any bit of their mind that was worthwhile.
These poor souls spoke of nonsense quite obscene,
Like living pumpkins and their pumpkin king.

Pirate Pete was not the least bit scared, though.

Certainly he wouldn't fail to win treasure on Autumn Isle, no.

After all, he was the world's most proficient and prolific pirate.

A trip to the Autumn Isles certainly wouldn't cause his life or mind to spiral.

And so, with brisk winds blowing at the sails,
Pirate Pete steered toward the Autumn Isles in search of treasure and tales.
It was a long trip but would certainly be worth it.
Pirate Pete looked forward to the loot that would allow another retirement.

Finally, after days and days at sea,
Land could be seen ahead by Pirate Pete.
He slowed his ship and prepared to land with care,
And just as soon felt a strange chill in the air.

It felt like a brisk autumn day, indeed.
But even more chilling was what Pirate Pete could see.
Autumn Isle was lined with skeletal trees,
Interspersed with pumpkins that Pirate Pete found quite creepy.

His ship was still a good ways out at sea,
And so a true judgement had not yet been made by Pirate Pete.
Finally, his ship alighted the sand of Autumn Isle,
And Pirate Pete immediately wondered if this trip would be worthwhile.

When he had been distracted with bringing him ship to shore,
Pirate Pete had not paid attention to anything offboard.
Now, though, he looked up and gazed out past his ship,
And what he saw drew a great scream from his lips.

On Autumn Isle was the strangest sight Pirate Pete had ever seen.
Shiver me timbers, he thought, is that the pumpkin king?
A tall figure in black stood ashore with a lantern in hand,
The figure's carved orange head much, much brighter than the sand.
It wore an equally orange bow tie around its neck,
Which matched quite nicely with its unmistakable pumpkin for a head.

As if a figure with a pumpkin for a head wasn't strange enough,
Pirate Pete caught sight of yet more pumpkins by the dozen.
These weren't just any pumpkins, though, mind you.
They were pumpkins with pointed ears and whiskers, and that did meow and mew.

"Hello!" the pumpkin-headed figure declared with a wave.
"Would you like to come over for a meal in me and my cats' cave?"
Pirate Pete more or less shuddered at the thought.
This whole situation was absolutely insane, was it not?
Tales he thought raving mad seemed now to be true.
No wonder Autumn Isle was the most feared land in the ocean blue.

Could there really be treasure here worth my while?
Pirate Pete could not help but ask himself that with a sigh.
He was torn between the hope of treasure and the chance to escape.
He needed to make a decision, for the night now grew late.

Again, the figure with the pumpkin head gave him a wave.
"I'm the pumpkin king," it said, "and I promise to behave.
My cats and I don't get many visitors around this place these days.
We'd be happy to show you around, if you'd like to stay."

The pumpkins with the pointed ears and whiskers began to hop onto the ship.
Weird meows and purrs rolled off of their weird pumpkin lips.
At least they didn't bite, or at least they hadn't done so yet.
They simply hopped around Pirate Pete with mews exiting their pumpkin heads.

Pirate Pete felt a nagging at the back of his mind.
Actually, he felt two naggings there, he wasn't going to lie.
On one hand, the absurdity around prompted him to skedaddle.
On the other hand, he had never lost a treasure-seeking battle.

From the shore, the pumpkin king waved and welcomed him again.
On the boat, the weird pumpkin cats continued to meow and spin.
At last, Pirate Pete made up his mind.
If we didn't tell you his decision, would that be unkind?

Well, that was weird. I had a certain vision in my mind when I started this poem, but the end result is in a completely different realm from that original vision. But, I hope you enjoyed even a half a second of that weirdness!

***

As is the case every Thursday, Thimble of course has some Thankfuls to share for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Though she certainly wishes that window was open much farther, Thimble is at least grateful for window whiffies. They're still few and far between, though, because on most days it's still roughly 90°F here. But on the nice days, when it feels like it might actually be autumn someday this year, Thimble sure does love her window.

Can you see that dog paw behind Thimble in that there photo? Thimble and pup Astrid were battling over the window seat again. They both won this time, because they actually shared the window. I myself am thankful for that. When your kids don't fight, it's always a good day.

We also want to thank you all for your making this blogging community the wonderful place it is!

***

Last but not least, we have for you the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. Never have I ever _________.

2. I won't _________ again.

3. I believe I have good knowledge of _________.

4. _________ is my worst enemy.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Did you know?

Did you know that there have been several famous seafaring felines in history? We've previously mentioned Unsinkable Sam. In the times of World War II, this lucky kitty lived on 3 separate ships, all of which sunk, and all of which Unsinkable Sam survived. After the third sunken ship, Unsinkable Sam was retired from life at sea and lived out the rest of his years in the presence of sailors on land. 

There was also Blackie, a cat who resided on HMS Prince of Wales, a Royal Navy battleship that played a role in World War II. Blackie became especially famous when photos were snapped of him being petted by Winston Churchill, who once traveled on the Prince of Wales on a trip to visit Franklin D. Roosevelt. After this, Blackie was more or less renamed Churchill.

Just one more of many historical cats at sea was Simon. Simon was the ship cat of the HMS Amethyst, which was involved in the 1949 Amethyst Incident, also known as the Yangtze Incident. Simon was injured in this event, but he recovered and continued with his rodent-hunting work. Simon was said to have been a source of comfort and morale for the sailors, and he was much-loved on his ship. When Simon passed away, he was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, an honor first instituted in 1943 for animals who in some way served in World War II. Simon was also buried with full naval honors.

The above are only just a couple of famous seafaring felines. There was also Camouflage, Convoy, Felix, Peebles, Tiddles, Trim, and even more cats who served at sea. You might be surprised to discover all the cats who have played roles off of land.