Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Glamour Shot

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements and I came up with the second two.


1. My favorite beverage to drink when it is hot out is _________.

2. My favorite summer activity is _________.

3. I'm grateful that I have the freedom to _________.

4. If I don't _________, I'll forget _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. My favorite beverage to drink when it is hot out is sweet tea.

(I love sweet tea. I don't need it so sweet that I'm pretty much drinking syrup, but I do love some sweetness to that tea, especially when it's hot outside. Chilled or iced is of course even better for that sweet tea on those hot summer days.)

2. My favorite summer activity is staying indoors.

(I enjoy me a nice walk with pup Astrid or even a little mowing session when it's a moderate summer day. However, if it's going to be hot and humid, inside with an air conditioner is the only place I want to be.)

3. I'm grateful that I have the freedom to do what I want when I want.

(This is obviously within reason. That said, this answer was inspired by a conversation I had with my sister the other day. We were talking about how as kids you had to ask permission to do a lot of things, whether that be eating certain things or going to the restroom during class. It's interesting yet quite nice how most of that just sort of disappears when you're an adult. If I want to eat a whole container of ice cream at midnight, I can. And if I need to go to the bathroom at any point in the day, I don't have to ask an adult or get a pass to do so.)

4. If I don't write down my to-do list, I'll forget to do at least half of it.

(Some things I automatically remember. At this point, I have a routine for medicating Evan and doing my basic daily chores. Other things that don't happen every day, though, I have to write down or else I'll probably forget to do it on the day it needs done.)

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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Today, for your Eddy fix, this tabby lady decided to give you all a non-blurry view of her gorgeous face, snaggletooth and all.

Is that not a glamour shot of this pretty gal? It definitely is. And I'm totally not biased.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a fantastic Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We have yet another flashback summertime spooky doodle for today, this one in honor of the fact that we have skeletons out year round at our house. Luckily, though, none of them occupy Eddy's favorite chair.

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Tip of the Day

Is your kitty a chewer? Do they put anything and everything in their mouth? While we're sure you all know to keep potentially dangerous plants out of your home, do you have safe or fake plants on which your kitty chews? If your cat goes outdoors, do they tend to eat grass on the lawn? If the answers to any of these are yes, and if medical issues have been ruled out for any abnormal behaviors, do perhaps consider keeping some cat grass growing in your home. Even if any of the above statements aren't true of your cat, you can of course still offer cat grass. Cat grass is a safe plant on which many cats enjoy chewing, and which also serves as a source of fiber than can help keep things moving sufficiently through the GI tract. For example, cat grass might be able to help prevent issues with hairballs.

You can purchase cat grass that has already been grown and is ready for your kitty's chompers, or you can grow your own. It is relatively simple to grow, and is also typically cheap. So, do consider looking into keeping cat grass in your home, both for your kitty's entertainment as well as for their health. Some cats might try to eat the whole plant in one fell swoop, so you might have to consider only leaving it in their reach for short amounts of time, but even that way it can still be fun and beneficial.

Happy Independence Day!

Today, we are celebrating the birthday of the United States of America, our home sweet home.

We hope all of our friends in the USA have a happy and safe 4th of July!

To all of our friends outside of the United States, we hope your Thursday is wonderful as well!

Of course, for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop, we're all incredibly grateful for our freedom.

Thimble is also thankful that, though we're getting some much-needed rain today, we'd had many sunny days lately.

Thimble and all of us here hope you truly have a wonderful, sunny, and safe Independence Day!

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Now, let's share those 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. My favorite beverage to drink when it is hot out is _________.

2. My favorite summer activity is _________.

3. I'm grateful that I have the freedom to _________.

4. If I don't _________, I'll forget _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip is one we've shared many times before, but it's fitting for this day of fireworks. On this 4th of July, there are ways to help keep your furbaby calm and safe during the often booming festivities. While those fireworks go off outside, close all window and doors, as well as blinds and curtains. This will help keep out the sights and sounds of the fireworks. You can further drown it out by putting on a movie or some music, and turning up the volume enough to mask the sounds of the fireworks. Just make sure it's not so loud that it is uncomfortable for your kitty or pup's sensitive ears.

How about some other ways to distract a kitty or pup while those fireworks boom outside? You can start a game inside with them, such as fetch or hide-and-seek. You can also offer some treats or a special meal, perhaps their favorite snack. Sometimes simply talking to them can help, or even reading a book out loud to them.

Still, there are a few more potential ways to help a cat or dog feel as calm as possible while fireworks are set off this time of year. You can use a ThunderShirt, which, as many of you know, may help reduce anxiety in dogs and cats. You can also fashion something makeshift yet similar, using a blanket, towel, or even one of your shirts. If nothing else, simply provide a scared or anxious furbaby somewhere safe to hide inside the home. Ensure that they have somewhere to retreat that is pet-friendly, whether that be under a bed, behind a couch, or in another nook or cranny. You can also offer them boxes in which to settle down, if that helps your furbaby feel safe.

Lastly, in the unfortunate event of an escape or other emergency, ensure that your cat or dog has identification on them. Of course try to ensure that they are safe indoors and unable to get out of the house, but should they escape, be prepared. Many animals are uncertain of the sights and sounds of fireworks, and so if they find themselves outdoors on days like today, they might very well run and hide. This is why it is so important that, today and every day, your furbaby have an updated microchip and/or an identification tag to help them find their way back home. Of course on one wants to think of their furbaby escaping and getting lost, but it is always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Adventures with Astrid...and Her Bladder

While going through some of Astrid's photos from her walks, I found quite a trend.

Apparently, Astrid has the farthest thing from a shy bladder.

It seemed like every time I pulled out the camera, at least one of the shots I got was her urinating on nature. And these are honestly just a couple of the photos like this that I found. I could easily make another compilation post just like this one.

Of course, after marking her territory all over the neighborhood, she also had to do her wild dance that involves kicking dirt and grass everywhere and then running around like the chaotic gal she is.

Astrid hopes your Wednesday is just as fun as hers!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback was a quick one I scribbled up a couple years ago when I suddenly had this image pop into my head. Now I really want to re-create it. I'll get on that.

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Tip of the Day

We've been offering some pet parenting hacks, including ways to save money or space while also having a happy furbaby. Today's tip is another plain and simple one, and that's to consider making your own toys for your cats, or even your pups. For example, if you have an old shirt you no longer intend to wear, you can cut it up and use the cloth to create simple knot toys for your cat. If you have some catnip on hand, you can even include some of that in the knot itself, or let the toy soak up some catnip in a sealed bag prior to gifting it to your cat. You can also use old clothes to make knotted or braided toys for a dog, as long as the dog is not know to eat such items. Even a lone or unwanted sock could be used as a toy, such as simply by rolling it into a ball that a cat or dog could bat around or chase.

You could even try your hand at making an interactive toy for your kitty, or even your pup. One such idea is to take a Tupperware container, cut roughly golf ball-sized holes in its lid, put some of your kitty's toys or treats in the container, put the lid on, and let your kitty use the holes to have fun trying to access their goodies. Then again, a cardboard box might work just as well for this DIY interactive cat toy. Interactive toys such as this can be great for a cat or dog's physical as well as mental health, especially if they are spending extra time closed up indoors due to the weather. It's even better when you can save money by creating such toys yourself.

The options for making your own cat toys, or even dog toys, are endless. You can even take cardboard boxes to make a cheap castle for your kitty! So, if you're looking to save some money, or if you want to find a use for safe yet unused items such as clothing, then consider how they might be used to create something fun for your furbaby. If you want further ideas, there are an astonishing number of ideas online, so look into all of your options if you wish to! Of course, always make your furbaby's health and happiness your highest priority, and do not create any toys that might put them at risk.

Tonks Tuesday: Nap, Interrupted

It's Tonks Tuesday, so of course the calico herself is here to grace you with her presence.

Don't mind if Tonks looks a tad bit annoyed. I may or may not have interrupted her nap.

Tonks and all of us here wish you a terrific Tuesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Since yesterday's flashback summertime spooky doodle co-starred Freddy Krueger (in kitty form, of course), today's might as well also include another killer kitty. Because why not.

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Tip of the Day

We're continuing with our pet parenting hack tips. So, yesterday we mentioned wrapping sisal rope around furniture legs in order to create money-saving scratching posts that also save you extra floor space. That's not the only way furniture can be used to create something special for your kitty, though. We all know that cats love cozy places to relax, including, of course, hammocks. If you yet again want to save money and floor space, you can suspend a hammock from beneath an end table or other similar piece of furniture. You would start with some cloth, which could be securely attached to or tied around the legs of the table. You could use velcro, some safely tied rope, or even just the corners of the cloth to suspend the hammock. In this way, you could create a cheap, easy, space-saving DIY hammock in which your kitty could snooze.

Mancat Monday: Evan and the Enema

It's Mancat Monday, and orange boy Evan would like to know if anyone would like to come rescue him. After all, this here mom of his came home with this enema kit from the vet on Friday afternoon.

Evan has been having enough issues with his megacolon and constipation that the vet sent me home with not only refills of six of Evan's medications on Friday, but also, indeed, an enema kit. I've given enemas to cats before, both at the clinic where I used to work as well as at home with my angel Rosie. So, the vet and I were both comfortable with me giving Evan enemas at home as needed.

Though he did pass a good amount of stool last week after getting increased doses of his meds, Evan then almost immediately became bloated again by Saturday morning. So, I already gave Evan an enema this weekend. It's amazing what some warm water, dish sap, and lubricant can do. Evan emptied those bowels and his bloating disappeared for at least a couple days. The poor boy's colon just doesn't want to give consistent gifts lately, so we'll see what meds need increased now, and when he'll need another enema.

Evan hopes you all have a better Monday than his weekend went!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback summertime spooky doodle was requested by Evan, given the nightmare that his weekend was.

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Tip of the Day

Are you interested in saving the money or space that is required for store-bought cat scratching posts? One simple option is to securely wrap sisal rope around table legs, chair legs, banisters, or other similar furniture or home features. This also can spare said furniture from damage from kitty claws. Therefore, this sort of DIY cat scratcher is not only simple and easy, but can also save you money, space, and damage to certain pieces of furniture or areas of the home.