A Long-Winded Thursday Post

I apologize for the inconsistent scheduling of posts and all that chaotic jazz on our blog as of late. I was excited when September rolled around, because that marked what should be a sort of quiet period at my full-time job, so I thought I'd have ample spare time to get back to all of my hobbies, like scribbling up more doodles for our blog, commenting more on all of your amazing blogs, writing, reading, all that jazz. Then, as soon as supposed-to-be-calm September rolled around, a couple of unexpected events happened. Since you all are my friends and I honestly tell you more than I tell a lot of people in my real life, and since sometimes typing things out helps me cope, I'll try to briefly explain the excitement in my life at the end of this post, for anyone who is interested. And when I say "excitement", please note my sarcasm. First, though, how about a cute kitty?

And how about that cute kitty in the middle of a belly roll?

Today is of course Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. During the crazy times in life, I am so very grateful for all of my furbabies, like the adorable Thimble you see there. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them.

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Now, finally, let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.

1. So far this year, I have accomplished _________.

2. My plans for October include _________ and _________.

3. _________ maybe difficult, but it's worth it.

4. I don't think I'll ever master _________.

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Given what's been going recently, I haven't had much time this week to write a poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. I also realized that, after postponing last week's poem because of Remember Me Thursday, I then never shared it at all. Perhaps that's because I forgot to scan the poem's illustration, even though it's all done and ready to go. So, what I've decided to do is share last week's poem this Saturday, and this week's poem this Sunday. Then, I intend to get back to the fun of actually completing my poems and illustrations on time as I used to. I enjoy this kind of thing, and so I want it to go back to being something I do every week.

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Flashback Doodles of the Day

Tomorrow is the first day of October! My favorite month and season of the year is finally nigh. On September 30, 2018, I shared this doodle:

And then on October 1, 2018, I shared this:

I did a similar sort of thing in 2019, but with these two doodles:

I've already started scribbling up and sharing Halloween-ish doodles this year, even though it's only September. I just can't help myself when it comes to the spooky season.

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Now, if anyone is curious about why our blog and presence in the community has been so erratic lately, I'll type it out for you now. I'm generally a pretty private person, but for some reason here on this blog and with all of you internet friends of ours, I feel it really helpful and cathartic to sometimes express what I'm going through. Maybe this is just because writing in general has always been how I best express myself and cope with things. So, where have I been and what have I been doing?

First and somehow least exciting, one of my co-workers put in his two weeks' notice earlier this month. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors, because he's moving to a new state and has some exciting things ahead for him. But, since we're already working with a skeleton crew at my workplace, that being a chemistry lab, it was admittedly a bit alarming to learn that he's leaving. And an employment place told us that with the kind of scientific position we're trying to fill, we might be waiting up to six months or more before someone comes along to fill it. Patience is a virtue, as they say. And I've been testing out this virtue all September as my workplace tries to function with one less very vital person. Some days I'm at work pretty late trying to keep up, and then that makes hobbies like blogging get put on the backburner. I plan to remedy this asap, though, because what's life without your favorite things?

Second, does anyone remember my neighbor I mentioned in last Friday's post? You know, the one who wants to put up a new fence, which in general I have absolutely zero problem with, but instead of finding the property line or making sure to put it well on her property, she wanted to tear down the fence that was attached to my gate and put her fence there? Even though that current fence is probably on my property and her new, even bigger fence would essentially be on top of the sidewalk that leads into my back yard? And this neighbor also wants me to move my backyard shed, because apparently the fencers she wants to hire said they can't maneuver around it since, you know, they'd likely be putting her fence in my yard? All that said, my neighbor was told by the city that she needs to find the property line not only before putting up a fence where she's intending, but also before tearing down a fence that might either be shared between us or on my property. But, she went ahead and tore down that fence anyway. I bought a house with a fully fenced-in yard, in no small part because I have this giant dog named Astrid who kind of likes having a yard to safely enjoy, but I came home from work the other day and part of the fence was just gone. So, I had to go out and buy wire fencing and metal posts because I'm not okay with suddenly not having a yard for Astrid. My city does not require you to find the property line when putting up a fence if you make sure to put it well onto your property, and so I did that. I also did that so that my neighbor won't think I'm trying to infringe on her. I honestly just want to keep my dog safely in my yard. Don't worry, though, because my neighbor thinks I'm infringing anyway, and she doesn't like that the new fence in my yard could get in the way of fencers putting up her fence, much like my shed would. Since, you know, she wants her fence installed on top of my yard's sidewalk. Friends, is this normal behavior in human adults? I don't get out much and might very well be what you call antisocial, or maybe just asocial, but I'm pretty sure this isn't normal. Maybe I'm wrong, though? I am still in contact with the city regarding all of this, and luckily our zoning administrator has been incredibly helpful.

Long story short, September has not only been a month with an unexpectedly busy workplace, but it has also been a month with a property line dispute I never thought I'd have, because I've really never had issues with any neighbors before. The silver lining is that I now know how to install a simple albeit sturdy metal wire fence. Both of my parents grew up in rural areas where apparently putting up a fence is a required skill, so they were majorly helpful in getting this fence set up for Astrid. My mom and dad weren't about to let their beloved granddog go without her beloved fenced-in yard.

All that said, things seem to be quieting down a bit. I think. Either way, I've been rearranging some things in my daily schedule to make sure I can get back to fitting in my favorite hobbies of doodling, blogging, writing, and all that good stuff. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I'm one of those people who refuses to live to work. I will work to live, but I won't ever let my full-time job, or other similar aspects of life, make me lose the things that bring me joy. That's not the life I ever want to live. This weekend, I'm already planning on sitting down and scribbling up a ton of new Halloween doodles. I honestly can't wait.

I should probably stop typing out this tome now.

See you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

The last of our Animal Pain Awareness Month tips involves ways that you can help enable a pained furbaby be more mobile and comfortable around the home. If your furbaby has difficulty jumping due to an injury or arthritis, for example, you can put pet stairs or a pet ramp beside chairs, couches, or beds in the home. This can help your kitty or pup better reach elevated areas without having to jump, which could otherwise exacerbate pain associated with an injury or arthritis. For a cat, another way to help them combat pain and discomfort is to give them litter boxes with low sides, so that they can easily walk right in. Or, you can also give them a ramp or stairs leading up to the entrance of the litter box, if needed. If it helps reduce pain associated with certain injuries, arthritis, or other ailments, you can also elevate your kitty or pup's food and water bowls.

Another simple way to help a pained furbaby feel some relief and comfort is by way of their beds and blankets. You can offer extra soft and thick beds, and in easy to reach locations. Some forms of pain are also alleviated by heat, which means that safe, pet-friendly heated blankets or heated beds could also be of use. Of course, you would need to take all necessary safety precautions when using any heated or electric products.

In more extreme cases, your furbaby might be in need of direct assistance with their mobility. If need be, you can use various forms of slings to help your kitty or pup ambulate. You can use a towel or blanket to create a makeshift sling, for example. Another option is to purchase a sling, or a harness with handles, which are indeed available on the market.

It is not easy to see our furbabies in pain. At the same time, it is not easy for them to feel such pain. That's why it is important to do what you can to alleviate your kitty or pup's pain, even if that means a bit of redecorating within your home.

Woof Woof Wednesday

We've almost reached October. Things are getting spookier by the day around here.

Happy Wednesday!

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Doodle of the Day

As we mentioned above, it's almost October. Feeling spooky yet?

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, and so the last days of this month will include tips relating to that very topic. Yesterday's tip was about some of the signs and symptoms you might notice if your furbaby is in pain. Today's tip relates to, of course, taking your kitty in for a veterinary exam should they be showing signs of pain. By way of examination and other potential diagnostic tests, a reason for any pain your furbaby is feeling might be deduced.

Moreover, if or when your veterinarian describes medications to treat or regulate your furbaby's pain, always monitor them closely. This is often especially important after the first doses of a new medication. Depending on the reason for pain, as well as depending on the individual animal, different medications can vary in their efficacy and side effects. Of course, some pain medications will, by nature, cause drowsiness or other such side effects. In some cases, though, there are other things to look out for. For example, some animals have noticeably adverse reactions to certain drugs, such as respiratory distress, hives or swelling, vomiting, or diarrhea. There are also cases when an animal might have a hypersensitivity to certain medications, making typical side effects, such as drowsiness, even more pronounced than anticipated or safe. Therefore, after giving your kitty or pup a pain medication (or, in truth, any medication), be sure to observe them carefully. If you notice any concerning or abnormal side effects in your cat or dog, of course do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

Tonks Tuesday

Last week, Tonks showed you all how she sometimes perhaps slightly taunts Evan when he's relaxing on the cube by the door. This week, Tonks wanted you all to see that she finally won possession of the cube.

Oh, and Tonks thought she'd let you enjoy her adorable toesies too.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Since September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, we'll be finishing out the month with a short series of tips on this topic. Today's tip relates to how our furbabies might let us know they are in pain. This can be a bit difficult sometimes, as cats and even dogs can be very good at hiding pain. This is why we must be very observant of our furbabies on a regular basis, in order to know when they aren't acting themselves.

The symptoms of pain in our furbabies can vary greatly, depending on the source of the pain, as well as the individual animal. You might see decreased activity level, or even a decrease in your cat or dog's appetite. Another potential sign is an altered gait, or an unwillingness or inability to move or jump. A cat in pain might avoid or miss the litter box, and a dog in pain might have accidents inside the house. Aggression and hiding are yet more potential signs that your kitty or pup is in pain. The list of signs and symptoms of pain in animals could go on and on. This is why it's imperative that you know your kitty or pup's norm, and that you make frequent observations of their activities and behavior in order to catch when anything is out of the norm. Altered activity or behavior could mean any number of things, pain being one possibility.

Mancat Monday

Yesterday, Thimble shared a selfie in which she was distracted thanks to some lights the sun created on the wall and ceiling. Today, on Mancat Monday, Evan wanted you all to remember that he's a great light hunter as well.

Evan also hunts shadows. What about you kitty friends of ours? Do you hunt lights and shadows?

Happy Monday!

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Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Today is the last tip in our disaster preparedness series, and it is one that we have repeated many times, on many different occasions. This tip is to always ensure that your furbaby has some form of identification. In the unfortunate event that your furbaby becomes separated from you in any form of disaster or emergency, some form of identification could more easily bring them back to you. A collar with an ID tag as well as a microchip are the most common forms of ID for our kitties or pups. In addition to ensuring this identification is on your cat or dog, also make sure that the information is up-to-date. If you have moved addresses or changed phone numbers, for example, make sure this is reflected on your furbaby's identification. No one ever wants to consider being separated from their kitty or pup, but should this happen in an emergency or any event, your furbaby is more likely to find their way back to you if they are wearing some form of identification.

A Distracted Sunday Selfie

Thimble is your selfie star today. The only issue is that while trying to snap her selfie, she got a little distracted by some lights the sun bounced onto our ceiling through the window. She's still adorable, though, so here's Thimble's distracted selfie.

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

Here's another doodle in honor of the fact that we're finishing up our Halloween decorating this weekend.

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Tip of the Day

Today's disaster preparedness tip is actually instead related to what might occur after a disaster. Just as with humans, cats and dog might show signs of anxiety or other behavioral changes after going through something frightening or tragic. Especially if they are taken away from their home, separated from family even briefly, or in any other way experience a change in their familiar routine, a cat or dog might start displaying behavioral changes. After a disaster or emergency, even after you find yourself safe, always keep a close eye on your furbaby. They may begin showing signs of separation anxiety, or even uncharacteristic aggression. If you do notice any such signs, do not hesitate to discuss the issue with a veterinarian. Products such as calming synthetic pheromones might help an anxious furbaby, but sometimes more potent medications or treatments might be required to help them cope with their post-traumatic stress. Therefore, always keep a close eye on your kitty or pup, especially after they experience any emergency situation, and do not hesitate to seek professional assistance if they begin displaying any concerning behavioral or health issues.

A Barely There Post

Hello, friends! I've had some unexpected things going on since yesterday afternoon, so our post today is barely going to be existent. Don't worry, because no emergencies are going on and everyone is fine. It's just that life sort of threw a strange little curveball at me and so we'll just have to resume regular programming tomorrow. So that this quick little post isn't just these weird words, I'll now throw in a weird little doodle from my blog archive to top things off.

We'll see your tomorrow for a much more normal post!

Friendly Fill-Ins and Photo Fails

TGIF, right? Now that it is indeed Friday, how about the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? If you'd like to join in, please do so! My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. Every fall I _________.

2. It is never too early to _________.

3. I would describe my lifestyle as _________.

4. _________ requires a lot of patience.

My answers are below in bold.

1. Every fall I go all out for Halloween.

(I've probably beat this sort of answer into the ground. I love Halloween, and you get the idea. All of my indoor Halloween decor is already up, but so as not to freak out the neighbors, I have held off on putting up the outdoor decor. It's about time, though. I might even put it up this weekend.)

2. It is never too early to start your Christmas shopping.

(I've never really been one to procrastinate. It stresses me out too much to wait until last minute. I was this way even as a kid. That's probably why, especially when I reached adulthood, I got into the habit of starting my Christmas shopping in July, sometimes even earlier. I'm actually almost done with all of my Christmas shopping, and that makes me so happy. I love knowing that once the Christmas season starts, all of my gifts are in hand and ready to be wrapped.)

3. I would describe my lifestyle as controlled chaos.

(Generally speaking, I live a pretty simple, calm life. After all, I'm not a very spontaneous or social person. But, I do live with six cats and a giant dog, so chaos just sort of happens. All the time. In a sort of controlled way. Sort of. This answer probably makes no sense, but it's what I've got to offer.)

4. Dealing with people requires a lot of patience.

(No offense to any of our human friends out there. You're all great. In the real and daily life that occurs in-person, though, people are just a lot to handle. Sometimes clients at work are just so much fun, and so are co-workers, and please note my sarcasm. I'm probably also a bit worn out with people thanks to one of my neighbors. If you want the long version of that story, feel free to read on while I vent my frustration. I'm also curious if anyone else has gone through anything like this.

So, I have a neighbor who told me she wants to put up a fence. Generally speaking, this would not bother me in the least. But, then she told me that instead of determining the property line like she's required to do in our city before putting up a fence, she instead wants to just tear down the fence that for probably 20 or more years has been attached to the gate that leads into my back yard, and she wants to put her fence there. I'm pretty sure that's my property, since it is kind of attached to my gate, but she pretty much told me to my face that she doesn't care. The thing is, I kind of like my fence, and so does pup Astrid, since it sort of allows her to safely enjoy our back yard. My neighbor also already had a fencing company out to give her an estimate, and apparently they told her that a shed I built in my back yard would get in their way of maneuvering while they put the fence up where she wants it, so she also told me I need to move my shed. When I didn't do so, she turned me into the city. The city ruled in my favor, telling my neighbor that she can neither make me move my shed nor put up a fence without knowing the property line. Now my neighbor is really unhappy. In fact, after the meeting she called with the city, which I was also invited to, she actually threatened me. She also threatened my shed, but don't worry, its feelings weren't hurt. Because, you know, it's an inanimate object. Anyway, none of this is your problem, and I'm sorry for unloading it on you. This is my first time ever having a true issue with a neighbor, and this is new and very confusing territory for me. I must admit, though, that this venting session helped me feel a bit better about the situation. Now, back to regular programming, where I don't complain the entire time.)

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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And now it's time for the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop, hosted by none other than Melissa and Mudpie of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

As always, our resident blooper queen Eddy is more than ready to share some blurry and distracted goodness with you all. See?

Happy Friday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

How about a doodle in honor of decorating for Halloween, as I happily mentioned in the fill-ins today?

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Tip of the Day

Today's disaster preparedness tip is a rather specific one, and it is to consider using a pet rescue alert decal or sticker at your house. These decals or stickers are meant to alert rescue response teams as to how many and what kinds of animals are in the home. They can be placed on a screen door, on a window near a door, or somewhere similar where rescuers can easily see it. This type of information on what animals are in the home can help in the case of a house fire or any emergency evacuation, especially in cases when you are in any way unable to inform response teams as to how many and what kinds of animals are in the home and in need of rescuing. There are a variety of these decals or stickers available online, but one easy way to get them is through the ASPCA, as you can visit their website and order free pet emergency alert decals for your home.

Alerting emergency personnel of the animals in your home can help them to more quickly rescue your companion animals in the event of a fire or other emergency. This being said, though, please do ensure that any such decals or stickers are kept up-to-date. Not only is this important for ensuring that all animals in the house are properly accounted for, but is also important for the safety of emergency personnel. For example, if one of your furbabies has passed away but it is still included on an displayed pet emergency alert at your home, then emergency crews might put their lives at risk looking for an animal who is not even present. So, while these pet emergency alert bulletins can indeed benefit your pets' safety, also ensure that you use them properly in order to keep emergency personnel equally safe.

Remember Me Thursday

As we're sure most of you already know, today is Remember Me Thursday. The Remember Me Thursday website has often explained 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 cats, dogs, and other companion animals from shelters and rescues. That's why our post today is indeed centered around this significant topic.

To join the Remember Me Thursday Blog Hop, visit Lola the Rescued Cat HERE.

I am of course a huge advocate for adopting shelter and rescue animals. Going one step further, though, I myself am also a huge advocate for adopting special needs—or specially abled—animals, if you are able to do so. They have so much to offer, as I have learned with my extra special Evan and Eddy.

Now, it seems perfectly timed that Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop always falls on Remember Me Thursday, given that both take place on, well, Thursday.

I am of course beyond thankful for all of my furbabies. All of them are rescues, though only one of them was actually adopted from a rescue group rather than stumbling into my life by other means. The furbaby I actually actively adopted is none other than Eddy, who is a sort of specially abled kitty herself.

As many of you might know, when I adopted Eddy, she was suffering from some sort of acute neurological issue that appeared just a day or so after the rescue trapped her. She walked and ran in circles, had a head tilt, had right-sided facial nerve paralysis, and all that neurological jazz. I was actually seeking out a special needs kitty at that time, as I had just recently lost my geriatric angel Rosie and wanted to give another special needs kitty a home in Rosie's honor. And so, I became Eddy's mom. She has since recovered from her major neurological issues, though she did adorably retain her head tilt and facial nerve paralysis.

Want to see a photo of Eddy at her first appointment at our vet? Of course you do.

That little lamb there behind Eddy was her little buddy when she was a young kitten. He had to be retired (and bleached) when he kept being dragged into the litter box by Eddy, but now he's tucked up in a closet for safe keeping. But I digress.

All that to say, Eddy and all of my rescue furbabies have brought me endless joy in life. Cats, dogs, and all animals in shelters deserve the chance to show just how much joy and love they have to offer. Because it's a lot. Today and every day, we are purring, woofing, praying, and doing our best to spread the word in order to help all animals in shelters and rescues find forever homes. They deserve it.

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We were going to share our poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, but unlike in years past, I somehow forgot to tie it in with Remember Me Thursday. I don't want to take away from this day intended for the animals in need of homes, and so we'll share our poem tomorrow or Saturday.

Before we go, though, here are the fill-ins 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. Every fall I _________.

2. It is never too early to _________.

3. I would describe my lifestyle as _________.

4. _________ requires a lot of patience.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Did you know?

In honor of Remember Me Thursday, how about some facts on animal adoption?

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.

Window Wars on Woof Woof Wednesday

The battle for the window seat continues.

As is often the case, Thimble won this battle. Astrid may have over 70 lbs in Thimble, but the little tabby is still the victor. It's not even that Thimble is scrappy and fights for it. She usually wins out of sheer stubbornness. 

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

The scanner that was dropped on the floor (again) is up and running again. So, finally, here's a new autumnal doodle, starring a black cat, some books, and a cat-o'-lantern mug with warm coffee. Or cocoa. Whichever you prefer. I'd go for the cocoa, but that's just me. But I digress.

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Tip of the Day

Today's National Disaster Preparedness Month tip is to, in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane, do your absolute best to consider the care and safety of animals who may not be your typical indoor companions. For example, do you help care for feral cats, even an entire feral colony? If so, please don't forget them in potential disaster preparedness plans.

Obviously, evacuating feral furbabies may not be anywhere nearly as easy as relocating your tame, indoor kitties or pups. However, do still do all that you can to ensure that you include ferals or strays under your care in the event of an emergency. Especially if there is a known threat of a disaster, try to find a way to access traps or other means of capturing and transporting ferals. And, of course, do your research ahead of time regarding safe areas that would be willing to take in ferals or strays in the event of an emergency. There may indeed be organizations willing to help with this feat. Therefore, also do your research in this regard and reach out to various animal rescue organizations to determine if they can offer assistance.

Another consideration to make are animals such as horses and livestock. As best as absolutely possible, try to always think ahead, even before a disaster is even on the immediate horizon, and make sure that you have access to trailers and other necessities for relocating large animals. And, again, do your research ahead of time regarding where you might be able to safely relocate animals such as horses or livestock.

Trying to orchestrate the relocation of numerous animals in the event of a disaster can indeed be very daunting. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, time or resources are short. In the end, though, you have to simply do the absolute best that you can. The best way to indeed do the absolute best you can is to always think ahead, be prepared, and have a plan. Make sure that you take the time to research safe options for all creatures under your care, and then, accordingly, make plans that could be implemented in the event of a disaster or other emergency.

Tonks Tuesday

It's Tonks Tuesday, so here's a sort of bloopery photo series of Tonks pestering her brother Evan. Because what are siblings for?

Do any of you kitty friends of ours ever pester your siblings?

Happy Tuesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

My scanner's usual settings are still befuddled thanks to me dropping it on the floor this weekend. It works, but I did something to massively mess up the way it usually scans my drawings. So, my sister is going to help me fix it tonight. She's my IT support, because I have zero technological skills beyond the basics. And so now here's yet another flashback doodle I did not intend to or want to share today.

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Tip of the Day

We're in the midst of a series of tips for National Disaster Preparedness Month. Yesterday, we discussed preparing emergency supplies or a travel kit, so that you and your furbaby will be ready to handle a disaster, evacuation, and so forth, should the need arise. Today, we're here to remind you to go yet another step further and to have a plan. In other words, in the event of a disaster or other emergency, how and what will you do in order to ensure the safety of both your furbaby and yourself? For example, if you live in an area where disasters might make evacuation a possibility, have a safe a safe destination secured, not only for yourself but for your furbaby as well. Do you know of a motel or hotel, or another similar shelter, where animals are allowed? Or, do you have friends or family where your kitty or pup will be allowed to stay? If necessary, research veterinary offices, boarding facilities, or other similar facilities out of harm's way, where your furbaby could be taken in the case of an emergency.

Emergency plans don't just relate to possible evacuations, though. For example, if you live in an area where tornadoes are a possibility, have a plan for what part of the house both you and your furbabies can safely hunker down. Pick a safe room in the center of the house, for example, and have a plan for getting your kitty or pup there in a hurry. If needed, have leashes, carriers, or other necessary tools ready. Depending on where you live and what your situation is, always think ahead to how you will keep both your furbaby and yourself safe in an emergency situation.

One last comment we'll make on this topic is to, as needed and possible, practice your emergency plans. Make sure that everyone in your home knows the plan, and that everyone will know their part in the action. Doing a trial run or two can never hurt, to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and that everything will run as smoothly as possible in an actual emergency.

Mancat Monday

It's Monday.

Is anyone else as tired as Evan?

Is that tiredness, or just Monday rage? Either way, enjoy your day, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

The new doodle I promised for today will be shared tomorrow. Why? Because while setting my scanner up at my new workspace last night, I dropped it on the floor. Believe it or not, this scanner has been dropped on the floor before. It still works, but now it's having to do some internal realignments upon being plugged in, and so it wasn't yet ready to scan anything. I should be able to scan my new doodles tonight, once the poor scanner has recovered. Anyway, to go with our past couple days of Headless Horseman doodles, here's a flashback doodle of a girl and her cat who, though you can't really tell, are kind of supposed to be reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, we're in National Disaster Preparedness Month. Our newest series of tips, therefore, relates to this. Today, we're here to discuss having emergency supplies and travel kits prepared, should you and your furbaby need to evacuate suddenly. After all, destructive hurricanes, tornadoes, and other such disasters can, sadly, put people and their pets in the line of danger, as well as without a place to live. Therefore, especially if you are in an area where disasters might lead to evacuation, but also of course simply to be prepared for an emergency, do consider having an emergency kit prepared for your kitty or pup.

When preparing an emergency travel kit, think of the things your pup or kitty might use or need on a daily basis, or even weekly basis. Anything that they need on a regular basis can, of course, be included in an emergency kit. For example, an emergency kit for your furbaby would do well to include a week or so worth of their food, water bottles, bowls, and any medications they require. That is often not all that can or should be included in a cat or dog's emergency travel kit, though. If you rack your brain for anything that might be useful in your furbaby's emergency kit, you might consider a blanket or two, a spare leash, a carrier, a transportable litter box, litter, toys, your cat or dog's medical records, pictures of your cat or dog, and even cleaning supplies, such as paper towels and dish soap. All in all, consider anything and everything your furbaby uses or needs on a regular basis, and then create a travel kit based on that. In the case of an emergency, having such supplies already prepared can allow for you and your furbaby to evacuate and get to safety in a timely manner.

Squeaky Clean Sunday Selfie

Evan debated what type of selfie to share with you all today. He decided to go for a squeaky clean one.

Does anyone else bathe right in front of a window? Evan says it's totally normal. I'll just take his word for it.

Happy Sunday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We'll be sharing more new spooky doodles starting tomorrow, what with the resurrection of my scanner. I think I'm going to have to make some of them recreations of these past couple of flashback doodles starring the Headless Horseman, because I remember how much fun these were to scribble up.

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Tip of the Day

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. And so, we'll be doing a series of tips on this topic. Our first tip in this series is a simple precursor to the more detailed tips that will begin tomorrow. And this tip today is to please realize and understand that if a situation is not safe for you, then it's not safe for your animals. For this reason, please do absolutely everything in your ability to never leave your cats or dogs behind in the event of a disaster. If the only safe option for you is to evacuate, then that is also very likely the only safe option for your furbaby. For this reason, never wait until last minute to consider preparations and plans, as then it might be too late. Always have preparations and plans thought through or ready. We'll start discussing such preparations and plans in more detail tomorrow. For now, though, when it comes to potential disasters, please indeed keep in mind your furbaby's safety in addition to your own.

Caturday Art

Today's Caturday Art is late to be posted and is a flashback doodle. This unfortunately has become our norm as of late. But, that said, this should be the last time this is the case. I mentioned awhile back that when August ended, work at my full-time job finally settled down after a wild and chaotic summer. I intended to then get back on track with my scheduled posts and new doodles being shared at least 4 or 5 times per week and flashback doodles only filling in the remaining days. Then, though, I started using my free time to revamp my workspace at home. I got a new desk and all that jazz, and because of that I haven't had my scanner set up. I have a backlog of new doodles to share, all because I've been too distracted and lazy to temporarily set up my scanner. I'm finishing up revamping my new workspace this weekend, though, which means the scanner will be set up again and all the new doodles can finally be scanned and shared. There will be cozy autumn doodles starring cats and books, there will be cat-o'-lanterns galore, there will be spooky doodles inspired by some of my favorite spooky movies, and there will be poison apples and other creepy treats.

Anyway, all of the above rambling aside, for today I decided to share one of my favorite freaky doodles from roughly this time last year. I am a huge fan of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, its Headless Horseman, and of course cats, which is why this doodle came to be last year.

Who remembers this one? Kind of weird, huh?

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today is the last of our autumn pet safety tips. This one is another about wildlife, in particular predators who increase their activity during cooler weather in search of food. In some areas, this might mean an increase in the activity of coyotes, wild cats, or other predators. To such wildlife, cats as well as small or even large dogs can be considered prey on which to feed. Therefore, especially if you are in an area where coyotes, wild cats, or other predators might be present, be very cautious letting your furbabies outdoors at night and unattended. If you and your furbaby make a trip outside, keep them close to you, such as on a leash. Be sure to not only monitor your furbaby closely, but also your surroundings Always err on the side of caution in order to keep both your furbaby and yourself safe from hungry predators and other dangers.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we hope you are too. If you'd like to join in, you are more than welcome to do so. My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. Is it wrong to _________?

2. I wish I had kept my _________.

3. _________ is my idea of living happily ever after.

4. It's been a long time since I _________.

My answers are below in bold. Today I wanted to make them all about the furbabies.

1. Is it wrong to prefer staying home with my furbabies 24/7?

(Because that is my kind of life. This here hermit would love to work from and rarely have to leave my kitties and pup.)

2. I wish I had kept my angel Sammy's fur.

(When I was 9 years old, my kitty Sammy passed away. He was angel Rosie's brother, and he was the first big loss I ever experienced. At that age, and having never lost a furry friend before him, I didn't think to keep some of his fur or any of his whiskers. He's the only furbaby I've lost whose fur and whiskers I don't have, which makes me very sad.)

3. Growing old with a life full of animal rescue is my idea of living happily ever after.

(I'd like to spend my whole life with animals whom I've rescued in one way or another. I'd also like to get more involved with animal rescue in general in the future. That would be such a fulfilling life.)

4. It's been a long time since I have gotten to sit at my table without sharing my chair with a cat.

(Namely, Tonks wants my chair. All the time. And so I let her have it. Because I'm not the boss around here.)

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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Ready for your Eddy fix? It's a pretty darn cute and cozy one today.

Have a fantastic Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our autumn pet safety tip for today might seem a bit random, but it still relates to the season. This tip is to keep your furbabies who go outdoors, as well as yourself, safe during hunting season. This time of year, especially certain wooded areas can be dangerous to traverse due to the activity of hunters. Therefore, especially during this time of year, avoid walking your pup or kitty in areas where hunting is common, or in unfamiliar wooded areas. If you do intend to go for a walk with your furbaby this time of year in or near wooded areas, especially those known for their hunting activity, always ensure that your clothing and your furbaby's accessories or a bright color, such as bright orange. This can help you to be more visible to any potential hunters in the area. Be safe!