Thankful Thursday with Thimble and a Teddy Bear

Hello and happy Thursday to all! You better believe Thimble is here and ready for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for a few things. Not only is she yet again thankful for sunshine, but also for cozy blankets and teddy bears!

I have quite a collection of blankets and pillows and a few stuffed animals. Thimble is a cozy-loving lady and so enjoys all of them. The teddy bear behind Thimble in that photo is about 37 years old, as my grandpa gave it to me when I was a baby.

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And now 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 June include _________ and _________.

2. _________ is the bravest thing I have ever done.

3. I swear by _________ as a cure for _________.

4. As if _________ wasn't bad enough, _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

As I've mentioned many times lately, I'm in a spooky mood. This happens to me pretty much every time the weather starts warming up. I start craving autumn, and then I get in the mood for Halloween, and then I feel like scribbling up spooky doodles. I hope to get some new summertime spooky doodles drawn soon, but in the meantime I'll be sharing some flashbacks. For today, here's another one from my "Halfway to Halloween" series of doodles I shared for an April A to Z Challenge a few years ago. All of these starred my calico angel Rosie. This one here is an odd one, but I remember really enjoying scribbling up Rosie in a skeleton costume.

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Tip of the Day

Today's food tip is all about those carbs. When we think of carbohydrates, things like pasta and bread may come to mind. But, carbohydrates in other forms are an important aspect in pet food. In a dog or cat's food, carbohydrates often come from plants or grains, such as corn, rice, oats, or wheat. Just as in humans, carbohydrates can serve as a source of energy and fuel for our furbaby's body. That being said, carbohydrates are one aspect of pet food that may hold different levels of importance for cats and dogs.

Dogs are omnivores. This means that, even in the wild, they get their nutrition from both animal and plant sources. For this reason, carbohydrates in the form of plants and grains are of course important in commercial dog food, just as meat products are. 

On the other hand, cats are strict carnivores, and in the wild they gain much of their nutrition and energy from the protein and fat of their prey. This is why plants and grains in commercial cat food is sometimes debated. Some studies indicate that cats in the wild do consume a small percentage of plant and grain carbohydrates, these being from whatever vegetation their prey may have eaten. Regardless, most commercial cat foods do contain carbohydrates from plants and grains, some in far higher percentage than others. This is where reading labels and comparing protein versus carbohydrate levels can be important for cat owners to do.

Not only is it important to consider a cat's strict carnivore ancestry, but it's also important to realize that for cats as well as dogs, a diet with a higher carbohydrate content can potentially lead to digestive concerns, such as diarrhea or flatulence. In addition, just as can be the case with fats and even protein, an excess of carbohydrates in the diet can potentially lead to weight gain. This is all just one more reason why it is so important to research, understand, and discuss with your veterinarian the best diet for your kitty or pup.