Birthday Bash and the Letter F

First and foremost...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TONKS!

And our housemate Winky, my sister's tiny panther!

And their other littermate Flitwick, who owns my parents!

For reasons, this year all of the furry cuties' birthday drawings will be related to Harry Potter. I'm from that generation and it simply is what it is. Astrid had a Harry Potter birthday party doodle in February, and now so do Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick. They're all three named after Harry Potter characters, so it's certainly fitting enough for them.

Tonks is my adventurous, playful, sweet, and sassy little calico. Winky is lots of sass with also lots of silliness and cuteness, and Flitwick is a lovebug with his humans and an absolute troll to his kitty siblings. They are all so dear to us, and we are beyond grateful to have them in our lives.

We love you, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! Happy 7th Birthday, you three cuties!

Every single furry baby in our family is now officially a senior. Between my parents, my sister, and myself, we have 18 cats and a dog, and they're all now 7 and over. While sometimes a nerve-racking thought, it's also an absolute blessing.

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Now, how about today's contribution to the April A to Z Challenge.

I guess I'm going to repeat this preface every single day of the A to Z Challenge, so...some of my favorite things in life are cats, drawing, writing, and the fantasy genre. And so, my A to Z 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 F, which stands for feathered friends. After all, Hobo not only befriends the dogs you met with the letter D, but he also befriends a parrot named Tattle.

Tomorrow's doodle will indeed be more fantastical in nature, in a way. In it you'll see some yet more new friends Hobo makes in his story. They're not of the furry or feathered type, though, nor are they of the human sort.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday we discussed the topic of fleas and the importance of using preventatives. We briefly noted on how a flea infestation can lead to a kitty or pup being infected with tapeworms. Today, we are expanding on the topic of these nasty, wormy invaders.

To begin, as we just stated, a tapeworm infestation can be the result of a flea infestation. This is because fleas can carry tapeworm larvae, and when a cat or dog grooms and thereby ingests a carrier flea, that furbaby can then become infested with tapeworms. Fleas are not the only hosts of tapeworms, though. A cat or dog can also become infected by ingesting a rodent, rabbit, or bird that is carrying them. For this reason, some veterinarians will recommend that outdoor cats and dogs remain on tapeworm preventatives regularly, to prevent infestation in the event that a tapeworm host is ingested during a hunt.

Now that we know how a kitty or pup can end up with tapeworms, let's give a brief summary on the signs. One obvious sign that a furbaby has tapeworms is visually seeing it in their feces, or around their anus, or even in an area where they frequent. What you see in the feces of an infected cat or dog are actually segments that break off of a tapeworm, and these segments are perhaps best described as looking like grains of rice. Other symptoms of tapeworms include a cat or dog scooting their rear end on the floor, to alleviate the itching, irritating sensation of the tapeworm and its segments. In severe cases, such as after a lengthy tapeworm infestation, side effects can include lack of growth or weight loss, or even intestinal blockage as a result of tapeworms.

If you have any concerns that your furbaby might have tapeworms, take your furbaby and a sample of their stool in for your veterinarian to examine. There is the possibility that tapeworms may not shed consistently, and some stool samples may come back as negative even when tapeworms are present in the intestines. This is why it is also important to explain and describe to your veterinarian any signs you have seen, such as tapeworm segments in the feces, scooting, weight loss, and so forth.

These days, treatment for a tapeworm infestation is relatively straight-forward and easy, with the use of parasiticides. Thereafter, prevention is of course also key. Flea preventatives are imperative in ensuring that your furbaby does not become infected with tapeworms by way of fleas. If your cat or dog is often outdoors, and especially if they are known to hunt or ingest wildlife, you can also discuss with your veterinarian giving preventatives more heavily geared toward tapeworms. Tapeworms can hinder your furbaby's ability to thrive, so of course be sure that you understand their risks and do your best to prevent these wormy pests.