Woof Woof Wednesday

Today's photo of pup Astrid could very well be considered a blooper. It's blurry, it's overexposed, it's seasonally confused, and all that awesome jazz. But, it's currently the only one I have at my disposal to show you what I want to show you. You see, I realized recently that I don't think I've ever, or at least that I've only rarely, shown you guys Astrid's 3-toed foot. Wanna see it?

As some of you might remember, back in October of 2017, Astrid had to have the outer toe of her back right foot removed due to a cancerous growth. Astrid never seems to notice that she's missing a toe on the foot, and her ambulation didn't change one bit after her toe was removed. This could be because, for some harmless congenital reasons, Astrid's back right leg is slightly shorter than her back left leg. Therefore, her weight goes on the inner part of that foot when Astrid walks, which means losing the outermost toe didn't bother her at all. She hardly used that toe anyway.

For those who might now be wondering, Astrid has been cancer-free since October of 2017. That makes this here mom of hers very, very happy. So many of you purred, woofed, prayed, and sent good thoughts her way back in those worrisome days. Clearly, you all helped her get back to 100%. We thank you for that!

Oh, and do you see the cat-o'-lantern pillow hanging out in that blurry photo of Astrid and her 3-toed foot? Can you believe that cat-o'-lantern is present despite the fact that this photo was snapped on Christmas Day? I've told you I'm quite the fan of Halloween, and that means that certain Halloween decor simply never gets put away at my house. That cat-o'-lantern pillow my mom sewed for me is one piece of decor that will always be out and about in my house all year round.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

This will be the fourth day in a row we've shared a flashback doodle from last winter. This is because I pulled a muscle in my neck and shoulder and had to put aside my sketchbook for a few days. I'm right as rain now, though, and our usual schedule of 5 new doodles and 2 flashback doodles per week should resume tomorrow.

As for today's flashback doodle, it stars pup Astrid and a kitty cup. Remember the flashback doodle we shared last week of Winky enjoying a hot drink from a cat mug? Well, it would seem pup Astrid borrowed that mug to have a warm drink herself.

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Tip of the Day

As you all certainly know, cats often seek out heat. Those pups out there sometimes do, too. For this reason, when it's cold this winter, monitor your furbaby around any sort of heat source. This of course goes for fireplaces, which should be sufficiently blocked so that kitties and pups can't directly access it or end up with burns. But, this also goes for various space heaters, radiators, and even floor or wall registers for the furnace. Especially if your cat or dog is known to park themselves incredibly close to, or even on top of, such heat sources, be sure to keep a very close eye on them when heaters are being used, or when the furnace is running. If they are near a heat source, check on them regularly, and feel them to make sure that they, and their fur, are not getting dangerously hot. Depending on the kind of heat produced by various heat sources, burns and other injuries can occur if a kitty or pup sleeps on or near it. If needed, such as if your kitty or pup insists on keeping a heater or furnace register company, consider blocking direct access to them. For example, there are safe, fire-proof covers for furnace registers on the floor or wall. When it comes to space heaters, if needed, place them in areas where your kitty or pup does not have access. In other cases, you might be able to find a way to safely block direct access to heaters and radiators, so that your furbaby can enjoy the heat without the risk of burns. Of course we want our furbabies to stay warm in the winter, but it is also important to ensure that your kitty or pup does not end up with burns or other injuries.