Woof Woof Wednesday Heat Wave

Hello and happy Wednesday, friends! Your dose of Astrid today comes from her favorite window view, in the great air conditioned indoors. After all, we're in a tad bit of a heat wave. It's over 90°F this week, with a high of 100°F on Friday, and so for Astrid's safety her walks are shorter and only at the cooler times of the day. And so, she's spending lots of time gazing out her beloved window.

As soon as this heat lets up, Astrid will get to enjoy her longer walks on her favorite paths. Honestly, I think Astrid is just as ready for autumn as I am, because this summer heat is really putting a damper on those walks. Luckily, she doesn't usually try to beg for longer walks right now, because this pup has never had much tolerance for summer heat.

Stay cool, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I've mentioned many times here on our blog about how I grew up when the Harry Potter books were coming out, and I read and adored them. And I still do, as fantasy has always been a favorite genre of mine. That said, the end of July has always been a fun time for Harry Potter fans, because it's the birthday of the author as well as the titular character. That's why this time of year I always find myself going back to the Harry Potter books and movies, which always inspires me to scribble up some fan art. While I work on this year's doodle, how about this flashback starring pup Astrid as a certain Harry Potter character named Hagrid?

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Tip of the Day

We've given tips here and there on cats and their litter boxes. The litter box plays such a crucial role in not only your cat's daily life, but also their health and happiness. That's why we've decided to do an entire, comprehensive series of tips on that box of litter.

The first tip in this series is all about selecting the type of litter box. You wouldn't think a litter box could come in all that many varieties, but the litter box aisle at the pet store begs to differ. Litter boxes come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and configurations. That means there are a lot of considerations to make when selecting that litter box.

So, let's start with size. Is your cat of the larger variety? Especially in the case of a large cat, it is important to make sure the litter box is big enough. Out-of-box behavior, even if in the form of accidental misses, can occur if the box is too small for the cat. Sometimes, you'll even need to make sure to get a box that is not only large enough but that also has tall enough sides. Some cats are more prone to raising their rear end when urinating, for example, which would mean that a box with tall sides is a far more ideal option.

The above being said, also take into consideration if your cat is small. If you have a petite cat or a kitten, you might at least have to start with a small box. Being able to climb over the edge of the box in order to get inside is of course important. A kitten might very well outgrow their first litter box, but when they're small, they of course need to be able to comfortably climb into the litter box. In truth, though, no matter the size of your cat, stick to whatever size of box they seem to prefer and do well with. Some cats might be large, but also might prefer and do just fine with a small box. Take any such preferences your cat has into consideration.

There are also different shapes of cat litter boxes. There are rectangles, squares, circles, ovals, and even some triangular ones that can fit into corners. When selecting the shape of the litter box, you can base your decision on concepts such as how the shape might affect your furbaby's ability to get comfortable when in the box, or how the shape might affect the way it fits in your home. Then again, as mentioned above, your cat might reveal a preference for litter box shape, and if so, go with that.

Next up is an oft debated litter box detail. And that is, do you get a covered box? Or, do you get an uncovered box? Let's go right ahead and touch upon the fact that, ultimately, the cat gets to pick. Some cats prefer a box that is covered, such as for the sake of privacy. Other cats do not like covered boxes. That being said, covered boxes can harbor smells far more easily than uncovered boxes. Imagine walking into a portable toilet, one in which all of the smells just sit and fester. No one enjoys using a portable toilet, and that might be how some cats feel about a covered litter box. Again, though, the truth of the matter is that the cat should get to pick what kind of toilet they use. If your cat will not enter or use a covered box, but will willingly urinate or defecate in an uncovered box, then an uncovered box it is. If your cat urinates or defecates outside of an uncovered box, but will willingly go into a covered box and use it, then no matter what your thoughts on this topic are, your cat just gave you their answer.

So, when it comes to selecting the type of litter box your cat will use, of course take into consideration their size, whether the box will harbor smells, and other such details. That being said, though, just like us, our cats often have preferences and opinions on various matters. The litter box might very well be one of these matters. That's why, when it comes to any of the details of the litter box, if your cat shows a preference, take note of that and run with it.