Thankful Thimble Thursday: Sunshine and a Cute Snout

Thimble is ready and raring to go for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, this little tabby girl is yet again grateful for the bright and shiny sun. And of course her adorable little nose.

Thimble hopes seeing her cute little face made your day a good one!

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

1. A sight I would like to unsee is _________.

2. I plan to _________ before the summer is over.

3. I sometimes forget that _________ isn't considered normal by most.

4. If my life were a book, the current chapter I'm in would be titled _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Apparently a few years ago I turned mowing into a spooky summer doodle. I barely remember scribbling this one up, but since it's mowing season and yet I'm ready for autumn, this seems like a good time to share this flashback.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on taking that kitty of yours to the vet is about selecting the best kind of carrier for your cat. There are a number of considerations to make when it comes to carrier type. The size of your cat, the size of the carrier, how willing your kitty is to enter a carrier, your cat's behavior while in a carrier, and the material out of which a carrier is made can all play a role in the kind of carrier you might want to use.

To go into a bit more detail, let's start with the size of your kitty. For example, take into consideration the comfort of a large cat when selecting a carrier. A small carrier will of course be less than cozy for a large cat, not to mention that it might not be easy to get a large cat into a small carrier in the first place. At the same time, though, it is important to make sure that you can carry your cat's carrier with relative ease. This is especially crucial for emergency cases, when you might need to move quickly and therefore won't want to have difficulty transporting a cat-filled carrier.

Another consideration to make is how easy it is to get your cat into the carrier. Yesterday, we mentioned some tips on getting your cat used to the carrier. Those all being said, some cats may simply not be the easiest to coax into a carrier. With this in mind, consider what type of carrier will be easiest for you, your kitty, and your particular situation. If your cat is difficult to get into a carrier, for example, a top-loading one might be easier than a front-loading one. Then again, if it's possible and safe, you could set a front-loading carrier on its back end in order to load your kitty in through the door while it's standing up in that manner. Also keep in mind how sturdy a carrier is and how easily this might make it to load a kitty inside. Mesh or other flimsy carriers, for example, could collapse as you try to load a difficult cat inside, making the task even more challenging.

Yet another consideration to make is how your cat acts inside a carrier, and how details such as carrier material might be affected. For example, is your cat a digger while in their carrier? If so, a mesh carrier may not be the best option for them, especially if they are an insistent digger who might tear a hole in the mesh or dig at the zipper and escape. Also take into consideration if your kitty has a nervous bladder or nervous bowels. If your cat is known to urinate or defecate in the carrier, consider what type of carrier might be best able to withstand this and to be cleaned afterwards. A plastic carrier might be a good option in this case.

There can be a great many considerations to make when selecting a carrier for your kitty. Those we mentioned above are just some considerations you might need to make. It all depends on your particular furbaby, their personality and behavior, as well as on you and your capabilities or preferences.