Woof Woof Wednesday in the Window

It's been quite some time since you've gotten a photo of pup Astrid gazing out her beloved window. So, here you go.

Don't worry, that pouty puppy got to go outside for a walk soon after that sad little photo was taken. And then after that she got to sit on the back patio for as long as she wanted. She's actually not quite the prisoner she tried to portray in that photo up there.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Still continuing on with our National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we are today reminding you to keep any questionable kitchen products well out of reach of your furbabies. Just as laundry detergents can be dangerous, so can those used in the kitchen. Dishwasher detergent or tablets, for example, can often have corrosive or other dangerous side effects. Other potentially toxic kitchen products include degreasers, oven cleaners, and drain cleaners. These products can also potentially have corrosive effects, among other adverse reactions. If your furbaby ingests any such products, they might display gastrointestinal distress, oral ulcers, lethargy, or other symptoms. As always, if you think your kitty or pup might have ingested a toxic kitchen product, seek veterinary assistance.

A Blurry Bath on Tonks Tuesday

Today, on this Tonks Tuesday, the calico has a couple of bloopers to share. After all, when I asked her to pose for some photos, she instead opted to start taking a bath. A blurry one, at that.

Tonks and all of us here wish you a wonderful day!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I was scrolling through old doodles and stumbled upon this one from many years ago, which seems apt enough for the photos Tonks chose to share above.

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Tip of the Day

Our next set of tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month will cover some of the random household items that could potentially be toxic to your kitty or pup. To begin, don't forget that some laundry products could lead to ill effects for your furbaby. For example, fabric softeners and dryer sheets often contain detergents that can be corrosive in nature. If your cat or dog gets into such products, the adverse reactions could include gastrointestinal distress, oral ulcers, and lethargy. For such reasons, do be sure to keep all laundry products well out of reach of your furbaby. If your kitty or pup does get into any such products, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance.

Mancat Monday at the Vet

Poor Evan had a quick little trip to the vet this morning.

Evan simply went in for a urine check, since he had a bit of a stubborn UTI recently. After two rounds of antibiotics, Evan is now doing great. He's not having any of his UTI symptoms anymore. I haven't yet received the results of his urinalysis, but he's at least no longer showing any outward signs of a UTI. The urinalysis is being done to make sure the UTI is indeed internally healed. The reality is that Evan will absolutely have more UTIs in the future, given that multiple of conditions make him susceptible to them, but we deal with that one day at a time here.

Evan is already back home and enjoying a nice nap in the sun. He hopes you all enjoy a warm and toasty sun puddle today!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

I'm sure I don't need to tell you all, but as part of our tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're here to remind you that many human medications are indeed toxic to our furbabies. One of the most common pet poison emergency culprits is ibuprofen. It can be very dangerous and even fatal if ingested by your kitty or pup, and its side effects can include gastrointestinal distress or even kidney failure. Ibuprofen is of course not the only human medication that can have dire consequences for our cats and dogs, though. Other painkillers as well as decongestants such as excess pseudoephedrine can also be toxic, as well as medications for treating blood pressure and ADD/ADHD, just to name a couple. Needless to say, keep any and all human medications hidden away in a secure cabinet, drawer, or other such confines.

It is also worth noting that certain topical creams and ointments that we humans use can also be dangerous for cats and dogs. These such medications can be sneaky as well, since you might apply a potentially toxic cream to your skin, then you might forget about it, and then your furbaby might lick your skin or even clothing that touched the topical medication. This, in turn, can possibly result in toxicity. As a couple of examples, creams for pain management or hormone treatment can easily contain ingredients that could lead to life-threatening side effects for your kitty or pup. So, not only should you safely store medications, but you must also be diligent about how you might be exposing your furbaby to toxic ingredients.

All that said, it's not just human medications that are potentially dangerous. Even veterinary medications designed for pets could lead to toxicity in certain circumstances. This of course can occur if a particular furbaby gets into a furry housemate's medication that he or she do not need. In addition, even a medication prescribed to a particular cat or dog can cause them issues, such as if taken in larger quantities than instructed. This could perhaps occur due to human error in administering, but also if the animal finds their medication stash and helps themselves. Some veterinary medications are formulated to smell and taste enticing to our furbabies, making them all the more desired by said furbabies. If your furbaby likes the taste of one of their medications, or even one of their housemate's medication, then they may try to sneak quantities out of the safe range, which could indeed lead to detrimental effects. So, of course, hide those medications away!

Don't only take into consideration oral medications, though. Even transdermal medications can result in toxicity, such as if your furbaby finds and in some way exposes themselves to large quantities of it. The short story is, just as you must keep your own medication hidden away from your kitties and pup, you should also keep all veterinary medication hidden away so as to prevent any and all emergencies possible.

Friendly Fill-ins and Eddy's Window Whiffies

Hello and happy Friday, 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 March to-do list includes _________ and _________.

2. I used to like _________, but not anymore.

3. _________ is an obscure _________ that I really enjoy.

4. I'm most productive _________.

My answer are below in bold.

1. My March to-do list includes making pie for Pi Day and working on my drawings for the April A to Z Challenge.
(March 14 is Pi Day, for mathematical reasons, and so I always make apple pie for my family to celebrate. As for the April A to Z Challenge, I'm going to be completely honest and admit that I haven't even decided on a theme yet. I need to figure that out this weekend and get started on those drawings. I have some ideas, but I've been very indecisive about it this year.)

2. I used to like bologna, but not anymore.
(As a kid, I ate bologna sandwiches relatively often. I loved them. Now, even just the sight of bologna makes me want to vomit, and that's not even mentioning its thoroughly unappetizing smell and taste.)

3. Benvenuto is an obscure children's book that I really enjoy.
(I feel like I've mentioned this book here before, but I'm not positive. Either way, Benvenuto by Seymour Reit is a children's book my dad read to my sister and me when we were kids. It's about a boy and his dragon, to put it simply, and I loved this book so much as a kid, and I still find joy in it as an adult. I didn't realize how "obscure" this book was until I went to buy a copy for myself a few years ago. It's not the easiest to find a copy of it, and I had to purchase a used copy, though that was fine with me.)

4. I'm most productive in the morning.
(I am admittedly a morning person. That said, there are only so many hours in a morning, especially on weekdays when I have to get to work. My morning productivity mostly involves pet care, various chores, doing a workout, and getting my lunch and other whatnot ready for work. All of that doesn't leave time for morning productivity relating to my hobbies and passions, like drawing and writing. In order to accomplish more of those favorite hobbies of mine, I'm still working on having better evening time management and routines in order to help me be more productive after work as well. Mostly, I need to stop falling asleep on the couch while I watch TV.)

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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It's starting to warm up over here in our corner of the world, and so Eddy is ready to enjoy some window whiffies.

Early next week, we'll be having temperatures 70°F and warmer. That's admittedly a bit warm for me, and so I don't know that I'll be allowing too long of window whiffies. But, I'll make sure Eddy gets to enjoy some.

I don't let Eddy, or any of my kitties or pup, enjoy window whiffies without supervision. Certain sounds outside tend to startle Eddy, and I don't ever want to risk her getting scared and breaking through the screen in a panic. She enjoys sniffing and feeling the wind through the window screen, but she only gets to do so with this here mom of hers sitting right beside her.

Eddy and all of us here wish you lots of window whiffies!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day:

Today's National Pet Poison Awareness Month tip is one we've touched on time and time again, but it is a pretty important one. As you all certainly know, never forget that some human founds can indeed be toxic to our kitties and pups. Chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, grapes, and raisins are just some of the foods that could lead to extremely dangerous or even fatal consequences if ingested. Also don't forget about the sweetener known as xylitol, now often called birch sugar. This can often be found in sugar-free gums and candies, but also in various other foods, drinks, and even medicines, supplements, and toothpaste. This sneaky ingredient is indeed toxic, especially to dogs.

Though symptoms of toxicity can vary based on what human food our furbaby ate, and how much, signs can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty walking, or any other number of concerning manifestations. If you know or think your furbaby might have eaten a toxic food, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance. Just as with any poison, removing the toxins from the body and treating the patient in a timely manner can be a matter of life or death. To prevent such emergencies, avoid feeding your furbaby any and all foods that you are not absolutely certain are safe.

Thankful Thimble Thursday: The Wake-up Call

It's Thursday, and you better believe Thimble is here for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful that her adorable face is the first thing this mom of hers sees every morning.

Thimble knows that she's downright adorable, and so she ensures that I get a good view of that fact every single morning. She is my cute little wake-up call, and I'm not complaining about that one bit.

Oh, and Thimble is also glad that she has stunning whiskers on her cute little face. She was especially glad that they took center stage in one of the photos during this particular photo shoot. See?

As always, Thimble hopes that seeing her adorableness made your Thursday better!

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And now, of course, we have for you 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 March to-do list includes _________ and _________.

2. I used to like _________, but not anymore.

3. _________ is an obscure _________ that I really enjoy.

4. I'm most productive _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is a springtime one I scribbled up a few years ago and that I would love to recreate, in no small part because I drew it so very crooked last time.

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Tip of the Day

Next up in our National Pet Poison Awareness Month series of tips is a quick discussion on rodenticides. We rather recently mentioned these, but we'll mention them again for this month of poison prevention. These chemicals, meant to kill mice, rats, and other rodents, are dangerous all around. Depending on the type of poison, rodenticides can cause any number of potentially fatal side effects, such as internal bleeding or acute kidney failure. Ingesting the rodenticide itself is of course one way in which your furbaby can be poisoned. In addition to this, though, if a rodent ingests the rodenticide or walks through it, and then your furbaby gets a hold of that rodent, the poison can also pass into your furbaby's system this way.

To be safe, simply try to avoid the use of rodenticides completely. If rodenticides are being stored or used in your home, garage, garden, or other areas, though, absolutely ensure that your cat or dog cannot reach them. Also monitor your furbabies if you think rodents are in your house and a rodenticide is being used, to ensure your cat or dog does not catch or eat a rodent that has been poisoned. Severe side effects can result from rodenticides, for both the rodents, your furbabies, and even wildlife. So, please do all that you can to avoid their use.

Adventures with Astrid: A Not-So-Spring Walk

Astrid loves winter. We've mentioned that before. She loves cold weather, which means of course she doesn't mind if the grass is dead and the trees are barren.

I, for one, can't wait to get some photos of Astrid surrounded by bright green grass and full trees. I'm not the biggest fan of hot weather, but I do love getting bright and shiny photos of Astrid. That said, I will still happily go on walks with Astrid in her beloved winter weather. That's still a blessing in and of itself.

Astrid is sending you all warm wishes and sunny walks!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, we discussed being aware of your furbaby's safety around potentially hazardous plants. Today, as yet another tip for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're giving a reminder to also be careful of other dangers that might come with those plants. When outside with your pup or kitty, always be cognizant of the fact that some areas may have been treated with fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides. Depending on their ingredients, such garden substances can potentially affect the intestinal tract, respiratory system, the mucosal membranes of the eyes and nose, or the skin. So, try to avoid using such garden treatments in your yard and around your home, or ensure that any treated areas are kept off limits to your pups and kitties. Also be careful when you are away from home and in areas with which you are not familiar, including strangers' yards and public parks, as you do not know what types of plant or lawn treatments may have been used in such places.

In addition, if you do use any form of fertilizer, weed killer, or pesticide, always be cautious where you store it. Make sure that it is in an areas that your furbaby cannot reach. And yet another consideration to make is the possibility of your furbaby or yourself unknowingly walking through a treated area while outside. Therefore, after a stroll outside, you might consider wiping off your furbaby's paws, as well as your shoes, to help ensure that nothing unknown is left lingering and entering the home. We can't say it enough times—it's better to be safe than sorry.

Tonks Tuesday: Warm and Toasty

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today the calico is yet again having a warm and toasty nap. After all, she's snoozing on a blanket straight out of the dryer.

Tonks hopes you all get to have as cozy of a nap as she's having!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Spring is just around the corner (hopefully), and that means blooms and blossoms will start to make appearances. 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.