Mancat Monday: The War of the Ear Wages On

Hello, friends! I'm sorry for going AWOL for yet another weekend. Truth be told, Evan has had me all shades of anxious since the end of last week. His aural (ear) hematoma is noticeably shrinking and resolving itself, and the ear infection he developed in the midst of that has now all cleared up after two rounds of antibiotics. That said, his ear is still enlarged and misshapen and just not really normal yet. I can tell the itching and floppy nature of the ear as it heals is irritating him more now than it was even just a week ago. The fact that his paralyzed back legs can't kick at it is probably a good thing, but I think his inability to thoroughly itch his ear is also quite obnoxious to him.

Poor Evan spent a big chunk of this weekend under my bed after his ear seemingly started itching quite intensely. While he seemed to enjoy my attempts to help him itch it, that still didn't fully appease him or his ear. Thankfully, after this morning's dose of his daily meds, which include gabapentin that usually helps calm him, he started acting much more like himself again.

I snapped that low quality photo a couple of hours ago. Evan only scratches his beloved scratcher when he's feeling happy and active, so it warmed my heart to see him do that this morning, especially after he hid under my bed nearly all of yesterday.

Evan also gave me lots of cuddles this morning, and he did his favorite thing of rubbing all over my feet and legs. The only shot I got of that was a thoroughly blurry blooper, but even so, here you go.

Poor Evan was so happy, finally, and then I shoved him in a carrier for his grooming appointment today. Don't worry, though, he'll get lots of cuddles later today to make up for it. He also might get a second dose of gabapentin to help take the edge off of his ear problems. Either way, I can't wait to get home from work and spend the evening with my boy.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

I still have a couple of new winter doodles to share. While it technically is still winter until later this month, it's going to be 75°F today and so sharing this doodle feels strange. Even so, here's a wacky winter doodle I recently scribbled up. It even stars my boy Evan.

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Tip of the Day

Spring is just around the corner, and that means blooms and blossoms will start to make appearances, and in some areas already have. As beautiful as it is, though, don't forget that this season can also come with dangers. That's why today's tip for National Pet Poison Awareness Month is to keep in mind that some of the plants blooming this time of year can indeed be poisonous to your pups and kitties. These include, but are not limited to, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, azaleas, and lilies. Of course, there are plants that bloom during other parts of the year that are also toxic, so be aware of this year round.

Try to keep your furbaby from chomping on any questionable plants, keeping an especially close eye when out on walks or in unfamiliar areas. In your own yard, block off your furbaby's access to areas that contain plants, in order to avoid the ingestion of any potentially toxic ones. If you think your furbaby might have snacked on a dangerous plant or begins displaying signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, or lethargy, seek veterinary assistance immediately. The beauties of spring can indeed bring their fair share of dangers, so always be aware of your furbaby's safety around the plants that are blooming.