A Not-So-Spooky Thankful Thimble Thursday with the Letter O

Hello and welcome to another alphabetical day!

Yet again, I'll note that some of my favorite things in life are cats, drawing, writing, and the fantasy genre. And so, my April A to Z Challenge contributions this year will be illustrations for a weird and wacky fantasy story I'm currently writing. This story co-stars a hind limb paralyzed orange tabby cat named Hobo, and this month you'll get to go along on some of his adventures.

Today we've reached the letter O, and that stands for October. The story of Hobo and his human begins in October. More specifically, it starts on Halloween. Because I couldn't help myself. That said, this is the one day of this year's April A to Z Challenge that I allowed myself to use some doodles I've already shared. Indeed, I first posted these back in October. So, here are some not-so-spooky flashbacks of Hobo and his friends Pyg the giant pup, Nilda the gnome, and Bunny the corgi enjoying some Halloween fun.

And now I'm in the mood to scribble up some new Halloween doodles. At least April is halfway to the spooky month itself.

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Now, you better believe Thimble is ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Since we shared some Halloween doodles above, Thimble wanted to share her gratitude for one of her favorite toys. And that is the well-loved, used and definitely abused cat-o'-lantern basket toy thingamajig.

Thimble loves that toy so much, all year long. Actually, all of the cats do. But, Thimble loves it the most, especially when I put some catnip in it and she can get good and dosed up on it.

Thimble wishes you all lots of catnip and fun today!

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Last but certainly not least, we have 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. My plans for Easter (or Sunday) include _________.

2. My favorite Easter treat is _________.

3. _________ is a healthy food I genuinely enjoy.

4. _________ is an age I wouldn't mind being permanently.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

The last parasite we'll be discussing in this parasitic series of tips is Toxoplasma gondii, which causes the disease known as toxoplasmosis. Though different animals can be affected, including cats, dogs, and humans, cats are the most prevalent. A cat can get toxoplasmosis from eating the infected muscle or organs of an animal, such as by eating a mouse or uncooked meat. The parasite can thereafter be passed through the cat's feces, and then other cats, dogs, or humans can acquire the disease after coming into contact with and ingesting such fecal matter.

Some cats with toxoplasmosis will display symptoms such as fever, lethargy, respiratory distress, or neurological disturbances. Symptoms are most often seen in cats who are immunocompromised, such as young kittens or the geriatric and sick. In most cases, though, especially in grown, healthy cats, no symptoms are noticed. It is even possible for a cat to indeed have toxoplasmosis for years, but to simply never display symptoms. This can also be the case in other animals, including humans. That being said, developing babies in utero can be at high risk for toxoplasmosis. This is why it is often recommended that women refrain from scooping their cat's litter box when pregnant.

To help prevent the transmission of toxoplasmosis, you can keep your kitty indoors, where they are less likely to come into contact with the feces of an infected animal or to ingest infected tissue from prey. Also ensure that any meat you feed your cat is cooked. Also keep all litter boxes scooped and cleaned. To protect yourself, always wash your hands well after scooping the litter box. Accidental transmission can occur simply from a person scooping the litter, not thoroughly washing their hands, and then touching their mouth or food. Dogs can also acquire toxoplasmosis by ingesting fecal matter, so keep your dogs away the litter box and fecal material they might find outdoors.

We're sure you all know this by now, but if you notice any concerning symptoms in your kitty, of course always have them examined by a veterinarian. Any questions or concerns regarding your cat's risk for diseases such as toxoplasmosis can of course be discussed with your vet as well. Even diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which often give off no symptoms at all, can be lethal in a compromised, untreated furbaby. So, as always, it's always better to be safe than sorry.