Guest Sunday Selfie

I've mentioned here before that my parents have 12 cats, and I'm pretty sure I've shared photos of them all here as well. Today, one of those 12 kitties is sharing a guest selfie. This kitty is brother to my Thimble. He is also brother to our housemate Toby, as well as his own housemate Talon, another of my parents' 12 cats. While Toby and Talon are relative look-alikes, Trapper and Thimble are even more so look-alikes. Their main difference is that Trapper is literally twice Thimble's size.

Anyway. I'll stop rambling and show you the selfie star.

Handsome, isn't he? Dapper Trapper is his nickname for a reason, after all.

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm feuding with my scanner again. I'm working on a new series of doodles that, perhaps unsurprisingly, stars books and cats. My scanner does not want to cooperate so that I can share these doodles, though. I will get this scanner situation sorted out for good today, but for now, here's another flashback doodle. I picked one that sort of leads up to the new series I will be sharing this week.

I don't use a ruler when I draw, which means lines in my doodles are bound to be crooked. This is one of those doodles in which that significantly happened. Just don't mind the tipsy window in the background.

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Did you know?

Did you know that kittens in one litter can have multiple fathers? We've shared this fact at some point in the past, but we'll expand on it just as tad bit today. Cats are what you call induced ovulators, which means the act of mating itself stimulates the release of eggs to be fertilized. This means that when a cat is in heat, depending on how many males she encounters during that time, eggs can be released and fertilized by multiple males. Though perhaps not likely, it is not impossible for every kitten in a litter to have a different father. Superfecundation is the term that defines the act of multiple eggs from the same heat cycle being fertilized by multiple males. Though far more rare, this can also occur in other species besides cats, such as dogs.

Caturday Art

Now that I finally got my scanner up and working again, I can finally share the doodle I created as an illustration for my weekly poem. I enjoy participating in Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge each week, and I also do my best to illustrate the poems I scribble up. If you have not yet read and would like to read the poem I wrote for this past Thursday, click here. Whether or not you've read the poem, here's a doodle with a kitty, some books, and a balcony.

Wishing you all a sunny sort of day!

***

Tip of the Day

Yesterday we finished up our tips and other tidbits relating to COVID-19 and our pets. Now I decided I'm going to challenge myself and for at least a little bit try to make each day's tip in some way relate to what was shown or discussed in that day's post. So, today we're going to talk about balconies and the safety of our furbabies.

If you have a balcony, or if you travel with your furbaby to a location that has a balcony, of course be aware of the surroundings and keep your kitty or pup safe. There are multiple factors that could make a balcony dangerous to an animal. The height of the balcony is an obvious one, as falling from a balcony at an elevated height can cause injury, or worse. Another consideration to make is how low the railing of the balcony is, and whether or not your particular furbaby is able to jump onto the railing or even over it. This of course relates to what we just said about falling off a balcony. Also keep in mind the size of the gaps or the slats of the balcony's railing. Some balconies have railings without gaps or slats, but for the ones that do have them, be aware of their size compared to your furbaby. This could lead to dangers of not only going through the slats and falling from the balcony, but also getting stuck and causing injury, choking, or other similar dangers.

If you do have a balcony, there are ways that your furbaby can enjoy it safely. First and foremost, stay with your furbaby while on the balcony and closely watch them to keep them safe. Furthermore, there are ways to at least somewhat pet-proof balconies, similarly to how some people child-proof them. This might include putting a play pen or in some way blocking off one area of the balcony where your furbaby can safely stay enclosed. You can also use baby gates or other similar blocks to prevent access to the balcony railing. When and if possible, another way to prevent falls or other injuries is to use screen, netting, plexiglass, or some other material to block a cat or dog from falling or jumping over a balcony or through its railing. In this type of way, you can turn your balcony into a mock catio, for example, and prevent it from having points from which your kitty or pup can fall or otherwise injure themselves.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

Happy Friday, friends! Are you ready to fill in some fill-ins? Yes? In case you missed the fill-in statements yesterday, we'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.


1. I would like to improve my _________ skills.

2. My _________ is _________.

3. My current to-do list includes _________.

4. I finally _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I would like to improve my musical skills.
(I used to play the piano as a child, but now I haven't played in years. I'd love to take it up again, and I think muscle memory might help me get back into it. I'd also love to learn to the play the cello, or even the violin. I'd honestly rather be able to play those than the piano, if I'm being honest, as I love the song of a string instrument.)

2. My furry family is my pride and joy.
(I love my kitties and pup so much. They make me smile and laugh every single day. Even when they're being a tad bit naughty they make me happy. What else could I ask for?)

3. My current to-do list includes reorganizing my book collection.
(I love books just like I love cats. I have lots of books, and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I also love organizing my books and decorating my bookshelves, but I haven't done so in quite some time. I'm honestly looking forward to my future book organizing session. I'm sure I'll have plenty of cats snoopervising me along the way.)

4. I finally made my first ever strawberry pie.
(I love making pie, and I make pies for my family all year round. For some reason, though, I have always been too afraid to make a fresh strawberry pie. I finally did recently, though. It was not nearly as painful as I thought it would be.)

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.

***

There's even more fun to be had today. Why? Because today is the day of the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop, hosted by Mudpie and Melissa of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

Eddy, our blooper queen, never disappoints. The photo she shared last week was one of her and her gnome pal Chompsky enjoying some window whiffies. That photo shoot certainly had its fair share of bloopers, most of them involving Eddy, Chompsky, or both of them looking the wrong way.

Wishing you all a fantastic Friday!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm sharing another flashback doodle today. I shared a flashback doodle yesterday as well, because my scanner was not cooperating with me and would simply not allow me to share a new doodle yesterday. My new doodle yesterday was actually supposed to be the illustration for my weekly poem.

Even though I'm sharing another flashback doodle today, I believe I should have my scanner up and going to have new doodles going again tomorrow. I'll probably share the illustration for my poem for the Caturday Art blog hop tomorrow. It stars books and a cat. In fact, the newest series of doodles I'll be sharing next week will all star cats and books. To go along with that upcoming series, today's flashback doodle, which I first shared roughly one year ago, is yet another one starring books and a cat. I remember scribbling this one up last year in honor of my angel Rosie, who was always my reading buddy growing up.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit relates to coronavirus, but not the one that causes COVID-19. Today we're briefly discussing how coronaviruses exist in far more forms than just the novel coronavirus that is behind the current pandemic. Coronaviruses are already known and common in cats and dogs, and each species has coronaviruses specific to it. There's the canine coronavirus, for example, which can cause a contagious gastrointestinal disease in dogs. There's also the feline coronavirus, which can cause the deadly, devastating disease that is feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP. These particular types of coronaviruses are not zoonotic, which means they are particular to a certain species and so cannot spread from pet to human. So, sadly, there are a great many forms of coronaviruses in the world. The virus behind COVID-19 is just one of many worrisome coronaviruses in the world.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Sorry for posting so late in the morning! I've been having a battle with my computer, with my internet, with my scanner, and all that jazz. Some days, technology and I just don't see eye to eye. But, here we finally are, hopefully better late than never.

So, happy Thursday! We're first of all here to rhyme. Thanks to Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday, we get to do so every week.

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

I've never had a balcony, but the view from one must be nice. If I did have a balcony, I would love nothing more than to get cozy in front of a good view, with a good book and of course with a kitty or two. Actually, that very thought gave me the idea for the poem I'm sharing to today. If you're wondering how I went about this, feel free to read on.

The Battle on the Balcony

Bethany happily moved into her new place.

Making it feel like home became a race.

Her favorite part of the new house was the balcony,

Which offered a view that was really quite pretty.

There were already great plans for the balcony in Bethany's mind,

And so just the right moving boxes she searched for and did find.

These boxes contained every last one of her books.

After all, she wished to turn the balcony into a reading nook.

The room adjacent to the balcony was lined with shelves,

Which Bethany lined with books numbering at least twelve times twelve.

She placed a chair on the balcony,

The perfect place for a cozy session of reading.

While Bethany prepared the balcony and the books,

From her cat she received lots of help, and a couple dirty looks.

The cat was the best friend of Bethany.

It was an orange tabby named Persephone,

Despite the name, he was actually a boy,

As a kitten he'd hid his gender, quite coy.

Persephone was never one to slack.
When she worked, his supervision Bethany never lacked.
As she lined her bookshelves, Persephone surveyed the scene.
He even hopped onto the shelves and with his paw helped some books careen.

On the balcony Bethany placed her favorite cozy chair.
At it, Persephone tilted his head and stared.
"Now don't you dare take my seat," Bethany told him.
"Here, I'm placing your favorite pillow right next to it."

Bethany straightened a few things and then wished for a break.
On the balcony with some books that break she did take.
She settled in her chair and began to read.
Persephone at first settled on his pillow, yes indeed.

After a while, though, Persephone sat up and looked about.
On his face was something along the lines of a pout.
He left the balcony and returned to the shelves just inside.
Onto a top shelf he jumped and proceed to throw books down from side to side.

"Persephone, what are you doing?" Bethany said.
From the doorway to the balcony peeked her head.
She asked Persephone, "Did you really need to do that?"
Jumping down and leaving the scene was the reply of the cat.

Bethany picked up the books and returned them to the shelf.
When she returned to the balcony, she was beside herself.
"You did that on purpose," she said at the sight in front of her.
Persephone was now curled up in her chair, offering her a purr.

Bethany smiled at the cat as she said, "You're lucky you're cute.
If you weren't, I'd tell you to scoot."
Wishing to continue story time on the balcony,
She sat on Persephone's pillow and continued reading.

In truth, this became a daily battle.
Persephone was never open for a haggle.
Bethany could beg and offer all the pillows and cat beds in the world.
Persephone would simply curl up in her chair and happily snore.

And so, that's how Bethany lost the battle on the balcony.
Every day, she wound up sitting on a pillow to read.
In the end, she really didn't mind so much, though.
After all, on the chair Persephone was a happy fellow,
And she could still read on the balcony as the wind did blow.

This is usually where I share the illustration for my poem, but it appears I'm overdue for an issue with the scanner I use to share my doodles. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I've not been having the best of times with technology. So, since my scanner is acting up and doesn't want to scan my illustration, I'll share a bookish flashback doodle here instead. I've chosen one not only starring books, but also of course a cat. The only thing it's missing is the balcony aspect, but let's pretend the window in the doodle leads to a balcony, shall we?

I'll perform some of the usual tests and tricks to get my scanner up and going again, and then we'll share the bookish balcony doodle starring Persephone the mancat in the next day or two. I guess I'll thank my scanner, and all of technology, for always keeping me on my toes.

***

Thursday of course means it's time for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Thursday is Thimble's day to star on the blog, and so of course she has a thankful to share for today.

Thimble shared a selfie similar to this on Sunday. In that selfie, that teddy bear was lurking in the background. At first that annoyed Thimble, but then she realized that she's grateful she's cuter than any ol' teddy bear.

Thimble says you ain't got nothing on her, teddy bear.

Happy Thursday to all!

***

Last but not least, how about 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. I would like to improve my _________ skills.

2. My _________ is _________.

3. My current to-do list includes _________.

4. I finally _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit relating to COVID-19 and our furbabies is more of just a little factoid. Did you know that scientists have been tracking and studying which species are most likely to contract the novel coronavirus? Obviously, humans are the most likely. Though far less likely than humans, cats are one of the other most likely animals to contract it, which we've already discussed. After all, though few and far between, there are cases of house cats and tigers, for example, contracting COVID-19. Dogs are far less likely to be affected by the novel coronavirus. Can you guess some of the other species of animals that have at least one case of COVID-19? Ferrets and minks would be two correct guesses. All in all, though, as we've mentioned before, humans are the most likely to get COVID-19. What's more, animals are not very likely to pass it to humans. Humans are more likely to pass it on to another animal, though even that is not terribly common.

Woof Woof Wednesday

Though the photo is too bright, overexposed, and all that jazz, pup Astrid nonetheless wanted to show you all her snout. It's white with wisdom. See?

Astrid wishes you all lots of happy napping today!

***

Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is another random piece of concept art. This is one of my rare doodles that does not star a cat or dog. Instead, it stars a horse.

I'm quite fond of horses. Right out of college, my first job was at a large animal clinic at the university I attended. I worked very closely with horses, and I really enjoyed their company. One of the horses was named Jeffrey, and he was one of the tallest horses I've ever met. He was also the most docile, calm, sweet, and easy to handle horse I have ever met. Jeffrey the friendly horse was a bay, like the one in the doodle above.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit regarding COVID-19 and furbabies is the fact that there's no reason to believe that animals in shelters and rescues should not be adopted during this pandemic. First of all, as we've already said, it's been deemed very unlikely for a cat or dog to spread the novel coronavirus to a human. In addition to this, many shelters and rescues are regularly cleaned and sanitized, helping to reduce the chances of pathogens such as the coronavirus spreading within them. So, don't be under the impression that adopting an animal from a shelter is off limits during this time. This all being said, if you wish to visit a shelter in hopes to find a new member for your furry family, do first contact the shelter and learn their current protocols. Some shelters are currently only adopting animals out through appointments, for example, so make sure you know what the pandemic protocols are at your shelter or rescue of choice.

Going along with the above statements, it's also important to realize that adopting an animal is not the only way to offer support to a shelter and the homeless animals it's housing. Some shelters need foster homes, some shelters need supplies and other donations, and others need assistance in other ways. If you'd like to offer a helping hand to an animal shelter or rescue during this pandemic, contact them and ask what kind of help might best benefit them. Any help at all will be appreciated by the workers and animals at the shelter.

Twofer Tuesday

For today, two kitties decided to pose together for a photo. If you translate that previous sentence, the truth is that this here human found two kitties sort of cuddling and begged them to stay where they were for a photo. Luckily, they obliged.

None of the kitties at my house are huge into cuddling each other, so when I find a scene like this I'm all for it. I can almost guarantee that Evan was there first and Tonks joined him. There's essentially no chance it happened the other way around.

Wishing a terrific Tuesday to all!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

Tuesdays are typically a day for a flashback doodle on our blog, and so today we have a page out of last year's sketchbook. It was sort of a piece of concept art, but it was mostly just an excuse to draw a kitty and some books.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit regarding COVID-19 and our furbabies relates to keeping your kitty or pup happy and healthy even during a time of quarantine and isolation. We're talking about more than just keeping them healthy in a physical, more traditional sense. Today, we're more so referring to keeping your cat or dog healthy mentally, behaviorally, and so forth.

These days, things aren't all that normal. Many people are staying home far more than usual. After all, many are following shelter-in-place, self-isolation, quarantine, and other such guidelines. This might be affecting furbabies in a variety of ways. Dogs or even cats who are more used to going out and about with their humans might be staying home more than usual. Those furbabies who are used to staying home might be noticing that their humans, both adults and children, are going against their usual routines and hanging around the house far more than they typically do. However your schedule and overall routine has changed during this pandemic, it very well could be affecting your furbaby. Routine can be a very important thing to a cat or dog, and it's important to realize that going against routine can make some furbabies anxious, restless, and so on and so forth.

In addition to the above, don't forget that our furbabies are also excellent at sensing and feeding off of our emotions. If we're anxious, our kitty or pup could very well sense that, and in many cases they might also feel anxious in return. It's often difficult to feel calm and content these days, but it's also important to remember that our mood can affect our kitties and pups.

As our above comments indicate, there are multiple reasons why our kitties or pups could be feeling some form of anxious these days. Cats and dogs might be sharing their house and time with their humans more than they are used to. Not only that, but the humans who are home more often might be feeling a bit extra anxious during these days of the pandemic. For such reasons, keep an eye on your kitty or pup and watch for signs of restlessness, anxiety, and so forth. For kitties or pups who are missing out on certain time outside of the home, be sure to play with them at home or in the yard and overall give them extra attention and help them expend energy as best as possible. For those kitties or pups who might be missing their usual alone time, provide areas in the home that are calm and quiet for them to enjoy on their own. For example, perhaps have a room where you or children home from school know to keep calm and quiet for your furbaby, or something along these lines. You know your furbaby and their routine best, so be sure to pay attention to how they're doing during this pandemic and help them comfortably acclimate to any changes to their norm.

Memorial Day Remembrance

In the United States, today is Memorial Day. On this day, we remember those who have lost their lives while serving in the armed forces. Today, we thank and honor all those who have died for our freedom.

To all those who have fought to keep us safe and free, thank you for your bravery, service, and sacrifice.

To our friends in the US as well as those outside of the US, we wish you a safe, happy, and healthy Monday!

***

Did you know?

We're taking just a short break from our tidbits relating to COVID-19 and our pets to repeatw a fact we shared on Memorial Day last year. We've all certainly heard of and respect the many amazing canine war heroes. Did you know, though, that cats, dolphins, and sea lions, among others, have also played roles in war? Cats have been sought out to serve as mousers and ratters, for example, keeping bases and ships sanitary and safe from rodents. Dolphins have served roles such as detecting underwater mines. The sea lion is another underwater animal who has been trained to serve in the armed forces, such as to detect enemy divers, and even to attach tracking devices to these enemy divers. Animals are heroes in more ways than one, and that includes a great many of them earning the title of war hero.

Shiny Sunday Selfie

A certain lady cat decided to snap a shiny selfie for today.

Thimble doesn't mind that her selfie is shiny if it means she has a sun puddle to bask in. We hope the sun is shining for all of our friends out there!

***

Doodle of the Day

I scribbled up another little piece of concept art for today. Among other things, there's of course yet another kitty in this one, but this kitty is a bit, well, different.

That there is a robotic kitty, which I prefer to call a robokitty. Believe it or not, this is not the first time I've doodled up a robokitty. For anyone who might remember, a couple years ago I doodled up and shared here on our blog at least one robokitty. What inspired me to scribble up this robokitty? None other than Thimble! When Thimble was a tiny kitten, she had the gruffest, most mechanical sounding meow. She still has a meow that sort of sounds like that, but nothing as gruff and robotic as when she was just a few weeks old. I got in the habit of calling kitten Thimble RoboKitty, and now I enjoy drawing all sorts of robokitties. So, there's that.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit relating to COVID-19 and our furbabies regards the symptoms of COVID-19 when it comes to our kitties and pups. During these times, it might be best to know the symptoms of COVID-19 in pets, especially in the event you think your kitty or pup was in any way exposed to the novel coronavirus. Symptoms include coughing, lethargy, and decreased appetite, but of course are not limited to just those. Overall symptoms will depend on the individual animal and their case. Should you see any concerning symptoms in your cat or dog, contact your veterinarian. As we've mentioned before, there are only a few rare cases of animals, mostly cats, contracting COVID-19, but it has happened. As we've also said before, it has been deemed that animals are more likely to get it from us than us get it from them, so it doesn't hurt to know the symptoms just in case.

Caturday Art

Our Caturday Art doodle is another concept piece for some stories I'm scribbling up.

This is one of my favorite concept art doodles I've scribbled up so far. That there girl is a character I created for all the animal lovers and animal rescuers out there. Her animals also all have their own stories in my head, and that altogether has just been really fun for me. As my concept art doodles might have already evidenced, I cannot create anything that doesn't heavily involve animals. What can I say.

Happy day to all!

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit regarding COVID-19 and our furbabies is a simple recommendation to stay up-to-date with your veterinary office's current protocols. Whether you kitty or pup suddenly becomes ill, or whether they are simply in need of their annual exam, make sure you know your veterinary clinic's current procedures ahead of time. During this pandemic, many businesses are having to change the way they do things. This includes veterinary offices, many of which are currently offering services in some form of curbside pickup. Other clinics are allowing people to come in with their cats and dogs, but with proper social distancing being observed. So, figure out how your veterinary office is currently doing things so that you know what might be required should you need to make a trip there with your furbaby. What's more, do a little research to find out which other veterinary clinics in your area, including emergency clinics, are open and how they are operating at this time. This is simply a suggestion to help cover all your bases, should your furbaby have a sudden emergency when your usual veterinary office is closed or booked up. Times are a bit strange these days, so make sure that you stay in-the-know of how your local veterinary offices are operating so that you don't run into any hiccups or snags in the event of a furry emergency.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday, friends! How about we fill in some Friendly Fill-Ins? If you'd like to participate, we'll share the fill-in statements again below. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.


1. I would love to be a fly on the wall in _________.

2. I am missing _________.

3. I could use more _________ in my life.

4. I could do without _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I would love to be a fly on the wall in my house when I'm sleeping at night.
(When I get up in the morning, I sometimes find the state of my house nothing like I left it the night before. My kitties relocate their own toys all the time, but I also find all sorts of other things moved or in some semblance of disarray. I'll find items that were hidden away on a counter under a closet door, and I'll find every blanket and pillow that had been on the couch strewn all over the floor, and I'll find what I thought was a closed and hidden container of catnip sprinkled all over the entire house. I'd love to see which of my kitties do what, when, and how while I'm sleeping.)

2. I am missing normalcy.
(Who isn't these days? Since I still go to work every day, my usual schedule isn't all that different during this pandemic. Nonetheless, things certainly don't feel normal. The overall atmosphere of the world right now is so different, and it just feels wrong, and I'd like it to go back to normal. I'm sure many people want that.)

3. I could use more hours in my life.
(Can I just have just a couple more hours in a day? Please? I have a lot of personal goals and endeavors I'm working toward in my life, and I'll admit that trying to fit in time to work on those on top of my full-time job is not very easy most days. I'm willing to work for my dreams, though, so time management is my elusive best friend these days.)

4. I could do without heat and humidity.
(We've pretty much reached the season of heat and humidity, and I'm not really into it. It's supposed to be nearly 90°F on Sunday here in my corner of the world, with high levels of humidity on top of that. Send help.)

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.

***

Your Eddy fix for today stars not only Eddy, but also yet another open window as well as her gnome friend named Chompsky. Remember this little pal of hers?

These two sure do enjoy fresh air. Wishing you all lots of window whiffies!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

The flashback doodle we're sharing today is one I created last year in honor of one of my favorite fruits. I'll be having a plethora of this fruit at a Memorial Day cookout with my parents and sister on Monday.

Who else enjoys some tasty watermelon? I'm also quite fond of grapes and strawberries, which I also got a stash of for Monday. I'll keep the toxic grapes away from the furbabies, but I will have to fight Toby for the strawberries, because he loves them so very much.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit relating to COVID-19 and our furbabies involves medications you might take or might be prescribed should you fall sick. As you all certainly know, and as we've mentioned more than once, keep all human medications well out of your kitty or pup's reach. Some human medications can be incredibly toxic to our furbabies, and it's not worth risking them finding them and ingesting them. Just one example is Tylenol, or acetaminophen, which humans might take to help control a fever or pain. If this drug is ingested by a cat or dog, though, it can lead to damage to red blood cells or sometimes to the liver. This kind of toxicity could potentially occur even if a small dose is ingested by a cat or dog. Therefore, if you are taking acetaminophen for a fever or pain, whether it is related to a virus like the coronavirus or not, be careful with where the medication is handled and stored so that your kitty or pup has absolutely no access to it.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

It's Thursday and we're ready to rhyme. It is, after all, the day of Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

Our courteous poetry host always provides us with a photo prompt. This week's prompt is this humorous image here:

This is one of those times when I fully intended to heavily use this prompt to guide my poem. Then, though, my mind went wandering. My change of course primarily happened when I saw that tired couple napping in the gondola, and then for whatever reason the title "Napping on the Nile" just popped into my head. I know that the body of water in our photo prompt is most certainly not the Nile, but I could not get the title that popped into my head out of my mind. So, I just went with it and ended up with this:

Napping on the Nile

Allie was a grand adventurer.

She traveled everywhere and farther.

She journeyed through lands near and far,

As well as traveled through books with her library card.

Allie's most recent adventure led her to the Nile.

The thought of sailing down the river made her smile.

It was a long ride, though, Allie had to admit.

That's why she took with her a book to entertain her wit.

And so there Allie went, sailing down the Nile River.

It was balmy and warm, and she certainly didn't shiver.

The waters were blue and clear,

And green grass, reeds, and trees loomed near.

Allie enjoyed the view more than she could describe.

She alternated that view with seeing what words her book had inscribed.

The pages held the story of a great jungle tale.

It enhanced the experience of her journey without fail.

Allie gazed and gawked and read her book.

From the pages to the trees to the pages and to the river she looked.

The bobbing of her boat as she sailed the Nile was quite calming.

She grew comfortably sleepy as the weather grew more and more balmy.

Allie's eyelids grew heavy as she enjoyed both sights and words,

And her eyelids finally fell as she listened to the songs of the Nile's grand birds.

As soon as she fell asleep, though, Allie snapped awake.

Had she been awoken by her snoring, or did her boat quake?

She blinked away the sleep in her eyes.

Then she yawned and stretched her arms high.

As she did so, she heard from the trees,

"What brings you here, if you don't mind, please?"

Snapping her head and gaze here, there, and everywhere,

Allie suddenly felt a bit of a scare.

"What? Who said that?" she asked.

"I did," said a great big panther of black.

The giant cat had spoken from the branch of a nearby tree,

And it wasn't the only new arrival that Allie did see.

Also amongst the trees on the shore slithered a giant snake,

As well as a tiger and a bear with fur of none other than grey.

"What's going on?" Allie said as she gripped the sides of her little boat.

Didn't the Nile house animals like crocodiles and hippos?

Why was she instead surrounded by these strange critters?

Seeing them all quite honestly gave her the jitters.

"I'm not here to bother you," Allie said with a frail smile.

"I'll be down the river and out of your hair in just a little while."

The bear took a step forward and actually grinned.

It said, "You're not bothering us one bit, miss."

The tiger skipped and jumped through some reeds,

Saying, "You're free to join us on land for some rest if you're fatigued."

"Yes, indeed. We're always happy for a new friend," the snake hissed and agreed.

The bear then added, "What's your name, miss? Would you tell us, please?"

Still in her boat and trying not to panic,

Allie answered, trying to keep her voice from sounding manic,

"My name's Allie. I'm an adventurer."

"Oh, now that sounds fun!" the bear replied with a shake of his fur.

After a bit more seemingly idle chatter,

Allie began to wonder if these critters wanted to serve her on a platter.

The snake slithered and then dangled from a tree limb,

And the tiger put a paw in the water as if gearing up to swim.

On shore, the bear simply started doing a jig in the reeds,

But the panther in the tree overhead suddenly became concerning indeed.

"It's best not to fall asleep at the wheel, Allie," the panther said,

And then it jumped from its tree perch and seemed to come straight at her head.

Allie jumped and yelled and ducked beneath her arms.

She waited and waited, but realized she had come to no harm.

Peeking over her arms her eyes grew wide.

There was no panther, tiger, bear, or snake in sight.

She sat up in her boat and look all around,

And the sight around her made Allie's heart leap and bound.

The boat was headed straight for a waterfall just ahead!

She zipped and zoomed and finally directed it in the other direction instead.

Catching her breath, her gaze fell to her feet.

The book she had been reading sat open just beneath her seat.

Allie realized she had fallen asleep as she sailed and read.

Had the panther and the others been a dream that kept her from ending up dead?

One thing was for certain, Allie could not lie,

She would never again fall asleep at the wheel, not a single time.

She closed the pages of the tale and to the river ahead she did look,

As her fingers ran across the cover's title that read, The Jungle Book.

***

Now, Thimble is of course ready to participate in Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Last week Thimble expressed how grateful she is for belly rubs. This week, Thimble is following up with that. She's still thankful for belly rubs, but she's also thankful for all sorts of other pets and rubs.

Thimble indeed loves her belly rubbed, but she also loves to have her chin scratched. Really, though, just touch her anywhere and she'll be happy. Thimble's not picky. She just wants love. I myself am incredibly grateful for that.

***

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


1. I would love to be a fly on the wall in _________.

2. I am missing _________.

3. I could use more _________ in my life.

4. I could do without _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit on COVID-19 and how it can relate to your furbaby is a followup to yesterday's bit of info. Yesterday we talked about making proper plans for your furbaby's care in the event that you get sick. There are other considerations to make if you think or know you have the novel coronavirus, and we'll discuss them now.

If you become sick, as difficult as it sounds, it is likely best to reduce contact with your kitty or pup. One reason is because, as we've mentioned before, there is rare yet still present evidence that humans can potentially spread the novel coronavirus to animals, such as cats. In addition, though animals are not ideal transmitters of pathogens like this virus, it's not guaranteed that an animal's fur, collar, or leash could not potentially spread the disease. So, especially if you live with other people, or if your cat or dog has any access to other people, reduce contact with your kitty or pup as much as possible. As difficult as it is to hear or say this, if you are sick, kissing, hugging, and other such close cuddling with your furbaby is not truly hygienic or safe for your furbaby or other people who come in contact with your cat or dog. Again, as difficult as this is, if you think or know you are sick with COVID-19, try your best to refrain from too much direct contact with your furbaby, as this is one way to help prevent the spread of this disease.

Woof Woof Wednesday

Today's Woof Woof Wednesday post is sort of like a sequel to last week's post starring pup Astrid. Last week you got a view of Astrid sprawled out in front of her favorite window, happily napping in a sun puddle. This week, we've zoomed in a bit for you all to get a closer look.

Wishing you all lots of sunshine on this Wednesday!

***

Doodle of the Day

Today we have another bit of concept art based on some of the stories I'm writing. I apologize if none of these doodle make sense to you all. They're helping me sort out some ideas, but they're probably all shades of weird, wacky, and random to you. I hope you can somewhat enjoy them nonetheless.

Fun fact? I went to school with a kid who had an extreme case of alopecia, which meant he had no hair on his body whatsoever. He didn't even have eyelashes or eyebrows. This kid never cared what anyone thought or said about his appearance, and I think that's great. I see no need to feel shame for being what others might deem as "different", and I certainly see no need for anyone to mock anyone for being "different". Sometimes I try to add these types of unique traits to the characters in my stories and sketchbook, hence this happily hairless gardener boy with his feline and canine pals.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit relating to COVID-19 and your furbabies is to have a plan in place in the unfortunate event that you get sick. To begin, whether or not you are sick during the current quarantine, try your best to have at least a couple weeks worth of your kitty or pup's food on hand. The same goes for any medications or other necessities they require. This will reduce unnecessary errands during this pandemic, while also ensuring that your furbaby does not run out of their necessities in the event of an emergency situation.

Going a step further, have a plan in place for who might be able to care for you furbabies in the event that you get sick, especially in the event that you require a hospital stay. This can all depend on your personal situation, whom you know and trust, whom you live with, and so forth. Consider your options, talk to your options, and then have a plan in place. If you don't have to go through with that plan, that's great. Nevertheless, it's of course good to prepare a plan for your furbaby's care in the sudden event that it's needed. This all of course can go for any sort of sickness at any point in your life, but at this point in time, COVID-19 is a good reason to have a plan in place for your furbaby's care should you become sick or otherwise indisposed.

Shocked Tonks Tuesday

Tonks wanted a turn to star on our blog. I of course couldn't deny her that, and so I offered to help her snap a shot of her pretty calico self. Something shocked Tonks during the photo shoot, though. Perhaps it was my lack of photography skills?

Even with a slightly shocked look on her face, isn't Tonks pretty darn cute? I sure think so.

Happy Tuesday to all!

***

Doodle of the Day

I don't often share doodles that don't star at least one cat and/or dog. Today's doodle is another bit of concept art for a story I'm scribbling up, and it stars neither a cat nor a dog. That being said, none of my drawings completely lack an animal character, because that would be blasphemy. So, what animal can you find in today's doodle?

In case you couldn't tell, that there doodle has a goat in it. I know it's not a cat or a dog, but I am quite fond of goats. What's more, though I myself had a very normal childhood, my parents both had somewhat unique childhoods, which involved lots of unique pets. My parents have shared many stories with me about their one-of-a-kind childhoods, and the details of their reminiscent stories often inspire my drawings and writings. In this case, that there goat is inspired by a goat my dad had as a kid. My dad's family actually had multiple goats, as well as a plethora of other unique pets. Stories of these other pets have also inspired other upcoming doodles, and they also make their way into my stories. Many of the weekly poems I share on Thursdays have also been inspired by certain stories my parents have told me about the days when they were growing up.

Okay, I'll stop rambling now.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit on COVID-19 and our furbabies relates to proper hygiene and cleanliness. We've already mentioned how animals are far less likely to get the novel coronavirus than us humans are, and how we're more likely to give it to our furbabies than they are to give it to us. We've also mentioned how our furbabies are not terribly likely to transmit viral particles to us, largely because their fur, collars, leashes, and so forth are porous surfaces and therefore more likely trap pathogens than to actually transmit them. This all being said, it's of course still a good idea to practice good hygiene when it comes to you and your furbaby.

To begin with, for both your safety and the safety of your furbabies, wash your hands regularly, as you all most certainly know. This goes for if you touch an unfamiliar animal, if you go to the vet with your furbaby, if you go anywhere else outside of the home, or if you touch anything from outside of the home or anything else unfamiliar. You've all probably heard the recommendations for the cleaning of hands. Wash them with soap and water for 20 seconds, making sure to scrub and let the soap suds up. Some people might not know that soap labeled as antimicrobial isn't actually required to kill germs, as it's the actual molecular structure and nature of soap suds that can wash away and destroy pathogenic particles. Soap and its suds not only remove germs from surfaces, but they can also kill germs by breaking apart the surface and possibly further structures of bacterial, viral, and other pathogens. So, wash those hands with water and soapy suds.

In addition to washing your hands in order to keep yourself and your furbabies safe, you can of course clean any items that come from outside of your home, or that you take out of the home when you go out. This being said, beware of harsh chemicals. Many cleaning items contain chemicals that can be caustic or toxic to our kitties and pups. This even goes for hand sanitizer, as the alcohol used in most hand sanitizers can be incredibly dangerous if a furbaby ingests it in enough quantities. Other common household cleaners can contain other ingredients that could also result in pain or toxicity if your furbaby has too much contact with them or ingests them. For this reason, if you clean anything in your house with even potentially dangerous cleaners, keep both the cleaner and the items being cleaned well out of your furbaby's reach.

If it's your kitty or pup that might need cleaned, or if their collar or other items of theirs need cleaned due to any potential exposure to pathogens, then of course use only pet-friendly cleaners. Go for shampoos that are formulated for pets, or clean their collars, leashes, or other items with hot water and soap. As we mentioned above, sudsy soap in water can indeed be effective against pathogens. Again, soap is not only capable of removing and washing away pathogenic particles, but on a molecular level the suds of soap are meant to destroy the physical nature of bacterial, viral, and other such particles.

Mancat Monday

It's Mancat Monday. What better to do than share some photos of a mancat enjoying his favorite sun puddle?

Those there are followups to Evan's sunny selfie from yesterday. In today's photos, though, Evan's being a tad bit of an exhibitionist and bathing right in front of an open window. Any other exhibitionists out there?

Happy Monday, friends!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

Monday isn't usually a day for flashback doodles. But, I had a last-minute change of mind for the doodle I wanted to share for today. As a result, we're simply sharing a flashback today and the new doodle tomorrow.

For today's flashback, I thought I'd actually share the doodle that really spurred the ideas for the stories I've mentioned I'm currently writing. After all, the new doodles I've been sharing lately are ones inspired by the admittedly weird and wacky stories I'm writing. Actually, this flashback doodle I'm about to share was an illustration for a poem I wrote as part of Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge way back in the early autumn of 2018. That's how long I've been mulling over and writing these stories I've mentioned so many times.

Anyway. Here's the aforementioned doodle from 2018. If you want to read the poem it was created for, which is the poem that really got my current stories-in-progress rolling, just click here.

***

Tidbit of the Day

As we've mentioned over the past couple of days, we're doing a series of factoids and tips relating to COVID-19 and our furbabies. Today's tidbit is to help your furbaby practice social distancing just as you are practicing it yourself. We've already mentioned how animals are very unlikely to contract COVID-19, but a few animals have been found to have it nonetheless. We've also mentioned how furbabies are far more likely to get the novel coronavirus from us humans than humans are to get it from the animals in their life. To be on the safe side, for both your furbaby and other people, social distancing is probably best practiced by both humans and furbabies.

So, what does social distancing look like for our furbabies? In short, it involves keeping your furbaby at a safe distance from anyone not in their family or household. It involves keeping animals who are making a trip outdoors on short leashes or otherwise contained, especially in areas that might have more people around. If your furbaby takes a trip outdoors for a bathroom break or walk, your furbaby should be monitored, kept close to you, and all in all at a safe distance from others who might be outdoors. When you do need to go outdoors and stray away from home with your furbaby, understand what outdoor areas are open, which ones might be more crowded, and once you know these facts keep yourself and your furbaby at a safe distance from others.Whether indoors or outdoors, it is best to keep others outside of your family or household from petting your furbaby, as well as to avoid petting other animals yourself. All in all, during this pandemic, social distancing is a thing for both you and your furbabies.

Sunny Sunday Selfie

It's that time of year when we either have thunderous downpours of rain, or we have endless warm and toasty sunshine. During one of our recent stints of sunshine, Evan found and claimed his favorite sun puddle. He even agreed to snap a selfie in that beloved sun puddle.

Evan and all of us here wish you a sunny Sunday!

***

Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is yet another bit of concept art for some stories I'm writing. This one is a recreation of one that I scribbled up last year.

***

Tidbit of the Day

Today's tidbit regarding COVID-19 and our pets is a continuation of the information we shared yesterday. In yesterday's post, we mentioned how the new coronavirus is largely spread from person to person. In the few cases where animals have been found to have COVID-19, it's been deduced that they most likely acquired it from a human rather than them spreading it to a human. In other words, cases have come to demonstrate that animals are more likely to get COVID-19 from us than we are to get it from them.

For today, we're giving a couple factoids to further explain how humans are not terribly likely to get COVID-19 from animals. First, it's obvious that far, far more humans have contracted COVID-19 than animals have. Obviously, one reason why humans are not terribly likely to get the novel coronavirus from animals is simply because animals are far less likely to have it in the first place. 

Why else are animals less likely to transfer COVID-19 to humans, though? While everyone should obviously practice proper hygiene and wash their hands regularly to err on the side of caution, animals do not contain ideal means of transmitting the virus. Why is this? This is because soft, porous surfaces are more likely to trap a viral particle rather than easily allow it to be transferred to another surface, such as a human's hand. In other words, porous surfaces are permeable and therefore a viral particle can more easily sink into or get stuck in a porous surface. Hard, non-porous surfaces, on the other hand, far more easily allow the virus to be transferred to a surface such as a hand. What kinds of surfaces are porous and therefore less likely to allow for COVID-19 transmission? Such surfaces would include fur, leashes, and collars, as well as clothing and other cloth materials, carpets and rugs, cardboard, paper, and so on and so forth. Hard, non-porous surfaces that are more ideal for transferring viral particles include doorknobs and handles, certain doors and tables, and items such as cell phones, keyboards and computers, remote controls, and so on and so forth. Therefore, our furbabies do not offer surfaces that best transfer pathogenic particles.

All in all, people should not be fearing animals during this pandemic. Animals should not be abandoned or seen as dangerous during this time of COVID-19. They are they not ideal transmitters of the virus, for more reasons than one. What's more, proper hygiene can help prevent spread of the disease overall.