A Tonks Toesies Tuesday

Tonks shared a sleepy selfie on Sunday. During that same photo shoot, we zoomed out a bit and got a toesies shot. Tonks especially wanted to show off her claws, for one reason or another.

Tonks had a nail trim the day after this shot was taken. She's not terribly fond of losing those sharp claws, but she is a good girl and does allow me to somewhat easily trim them. She's my sweet little calico!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

We've been sharing a new series of doodles set in a log cabin, and we still have quite a few doodles in that series to share. What's more, a couple of the other series I have planned for the near future take place in other types of homes, one of them being a Victorian-like home. I just really like doodling up different types of cozy home settings. I like them so much that the pages in my sketchbooks from years past also include lots of homey doodles. So, in addition to the new homey doodles we'll be sharing over the next couple of weeks, a lot of our flashback doodles will be the past homey ones I scribbled up. Since tomorrow we'll be showing you a quirky kitchen in our current log cabin series, we thought that today we'd share a flashback kitchen scene that was scribbled up last summer. Remember this one?

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is about cat claws. We've mentioned at some point in the somewhat distant past that, generally speaking, it's normal for cats to chew on their claws. A cat's claws grow from the inside out, and when the outer layer becomes old and worn, a cat will chew at it and remove it. In doing so, they're essentially removing the nail's outer husk that is no longer needed. You might even have found some of these cat nail husks on the floor or elsewhere in your home.

The above being said, though, there are cases when a cat chewing their nails is not normal. One primary concern to look out for is if your cat seems to obsessively or compulsively chew on their claws. The claws being too long might be one simple reason why your cat is giving their nails extra attention, but it's not the only potential reason. Cats who over-groom, which can indeed include obsessively or compulsively chewing on their nails, might be displaying signs of anxiety, boredom, or loneliness. Just like some humans chew on their nails when stressed, often as a self-soothing coping mechanism, cats might very well do the same. Another example of over-grooming might include excessive licking, even to the point of baldness. If you notice obsessive nail-biting, excessive licking, or other signs of over-grooming, do consider contacting a veterinarian. Some furbabies might simply be more anxious by nature, or there might be stressful changes in family or home life. Regardless of the reason, anxiety and other behavioral concerns in your furbaby are best addressed, and sometimes even medicated, by a veterinarian. This is in the best interest of the kitty or even pup's health, safety, and happiness.