More Spooky Fun on Mancat Monday

Hello, friends! I truly meant to post some of our continued Halloween fun over the weekend, since those days were All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. Time got away from me, though, and so now here we are on Monday, November 3rd. We're still going to continue Halloween here on our blog for a couple of days, though, because we do have a bit more frightfully festive fun to share.

Now, it is indeed Mancat Monday. Evan is still being stalked by our pumpkin decor, even when he's trying to enjoy his beloved back door time.

Don't mind the dirty window there. I haven't yet had the heart to wash away my sweet angel Astrid's nose art from it.

As for more pumpkins, though, Evan decided to pose with my jack-o'-lanterns after I carved them up a few days before Halloween. He's always my perfect little helper, though he's also a bit difficult to see with the lighting of this photo.

Now, the next pumpkins are not ones that I carved. As my mom and I do every year, we visited a local pumpkin farm that displays hundreds of pumpkins carved by the community during the nights leading up to Halloween. I took a great many photos on the night we went, and today we'll share the various cat-o'-lanterns we got to see.

Tomorrow and Wednesday we'll share a few more of the amazing jack-o'-lanterns we saw at this pumpkin farm. There really were so many great ones, and I couldn't stop snapping photos of them all.

We hope you all had a horrifyingly happy Halloween on Friday! And we hope you enjoy just a couple more days of Halloween fun with us.

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Spooky Doodles of the Day

Now, leading up to Halloween we were sharing some doodles of my parents' kitties in various Halloween costumes. My parents have 11 cats, and so we still have quite a few of those drawings to share. Today we have three for you all. Since it's Mancat Monday, we'll share the rest of the boys in their Halloween attire. So, let's start with Kipper, who is Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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There isn't necessarily a particular reason why Kipper got that costume, but my dad and I wanted someone to be Leatherface and Kipper was a perfectly good option. Similarly, his littermate Homer is below as Hannibal Lecter, also for somewhat vague reasons.

Lastly is Flitwick, and he got his costume for a very specific reason. My dad requested Flitwick be a shark, like in Jaws or just any shark in general, because this tabby fellow is an adorable yet naughty boy who is known to stalk and bite his siblings.

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Tip of the Day

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. We have before shared tips on the prevention of cancer in our kitties and pups, and we're going to repeat that series of tips over the next few days in honor of this month's importance. We'll start with none other than spaying and neutering. Spaying and neutering your furbabies is not only important for population control, but also because, like humans, they can develop cancers of the reproductive tract and related systems. This can include uterine cancer, mammary cancer, and prostate cancer.

What's more, timing of spaying and neutering can also be crucial. It is important to ensure that a kitty or pup is of course old enough and big enough for neutering, but also not too old. This is because, for example, there is an increased risk of mammary cancer in female cats and dogs who are allowed to go through one or more cycles prior to being spayed. We could go on and on about this topic, but let's suffice it to say that, as most of you certainly know, it's incredibly important to spay and neuter your cats and dogs for more reasons than one. We'll even say it again. Please spay and neuter your kitties and pups, and do so before they can be affected by an increased risk of cancer.

Happy Halloween!

As the title says...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Now, let's kick off this spooky day with a very Halloween Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. 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. I like pumpkin _________.

2. My favorite movie to watch around Halloween is _________.

3. If I could meet any Halloween creature, I'd choose _________.

4. I'd like a Halloween treat basket filled with _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I like pumpkin cookies.

(When I think about what pumpkin treat I like the most, I think it's cookies. A few years ago none other than Ellen shared with me a pumpkin cookie recipe, deliciously complete with chocolate chips, and I love the end result. I do like pumpkin pie and that sort of thing, but I like pumpkin cookies even more.)

2. My favorite movie to watch around Halloween is Halloween.

(This is far, far from being a movie of high quality in any regard. That said, it's a nostalgic classic that I've always watched around my tied-for-first-place holiday. I admittedly watch Halloween multiple times throughout the spooky season, and the first watch of it always puts me in the Halloween mood. I also always watch it on Halloween night itself, because of course.)

3. If I could meet any Halloween creature, I'd choose a witch's feline familiar.
(First and foremost, I'd want to make sure the kitty familiars are being treated properly. Secondly, I'd love to know more about their magic.)

4. I'd like a Halloween treat basket filled with Unreal candy.
(Unreal is a brand of candy that is mostly dairy free and gluten free. Since I'm both lactose intolerant and gluten intolerant, I was very happy to find this brand a couple years ago. What's more, they make candies that I find way better than the more popular brands. They often use dark chocolate, which I love, and they have one of the most delicious dark chocolate peanut butter cups I've ever tasted.)

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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We're of course not done with Halloween yet, though. To celebrate, all of the kitties took some photos with a certain jack-o'-lantern in our house. Thimble introduced him yesterday, when we explained that this particular pumpkin sits in a heavy feline traffic area at our house, and so he's often a victim of cat puke, spilled food, and all sorts of abuse.

So, Evan will kick off this frightfully festive jack-o'-lantern fun today. He didn't feel like truly posing with the pumpkin, so the jack got quite the view.

That is indeed my hind limb paralyzed boy's shaved back end.

Thimble wanted a bit more of a spooky vibe to her Halloween, and the jack-o'-lantern was happy to oblige.

You can barely see the tabby girl there, so here's one where you can see her cute little face far better.

As always, my girl Eddy wasn't keen on cooperating, but that doesn't mean the jack-o'-lantern wasn't able to deliver a spooky shot or two with her.

As for calico Tonks, she decided to get up close and personal with the jack-o'-lantern.

Can you even see Tonks in these? She's there, being all cute and kooky.

Our housemates Toby and Winky, who own my sister, also wanted to participate. Toby decided to do so from his beloved space station toy. The jack-o'-lantern happily creeped on him.

Winky just went for a classic pose, but it's still frightfully festive, so that's fine with me.

I of course didn't want to leave my sweet angel pup Astrid out of our Halloween post, so I went back and found a photo of her posing with that very jack-o'-lantern above.

Fun fact: Astrid was actually tied to the coffee table in that there photo. This was just a week or so after her surgery to repair a torn CCL (the dog equivalent of the ACL), and she wasn't allowed to jump or run or do much of anything. She didn't like being in her cage or otherwise majorly confined while we were home, but we learned that if we tied her leash to the coffee table, she was happy to sit on the floor and behave herself. And, she was indeed about to eat a cookie in the shape of a witch hat, with Evan as a spectator.

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Last year I shared this here Halloween image, which contains all of the doodles I scribbled up of my furry babies in Halloween costumes.

This year, my kitties reprised those roles, but in a far more cozy Halloween night setting.

Our housemates Toby and Winky are not in that drawing, but they still got a new doodle for this Halloween. We'll be sharing it very soon, in addition to a number of other similar new doodles, as we will be continuing the spooky holiday for a few more days.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Tip of the Day

Our final Halloween tip is to use this spooky holiday as a chance to spend some quality time with your furbaby. Whether you're already staying tucked inside on Halloween night, or whether you wait until after handing out candy, do consider getting cozy and festive with your kitty or pup. For example, you can cozy up with your kitty or pup on the couch and read a spooky story, if that's your kind of thing. Another option is to of course watch a spooky movie or TV show, if that strikes your fancy. Of course, as we mentioned yesterday, do keep in mind your furbaby's sense of hearing and comfort when selecting a scary movie and volume level. For something more calm yet spookily festive, consider sitting down with your furbaby to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, or a certain famous orange tabby in Garfield's Halloween Adventure. Halloween night is of course also the perfect time to not only enjoy yourself some treats (of course without sharing anything toxic with your furbaby), but to also give your kitty or pup any festive toys or treats that you got for them.

Halloween may sometimes be considered a night filled with tricks and terrors, but you and your furbaby can instead use it to spend some quality time together in a festive yet safe manner. So, cuddle up on the couch and spend some cozy and festive time with that furbaby. Happy Halloween!

Thankful Thimble Thursday with a Janky Jack

It's the eve of Halloween. Does that make it All Hallows' Eve Eve? Anyway, Thimble is of course here and ready to share some festive photos for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful that she makes our Halloween decor look cute. Even this spooky pumpkin fellow looks good thanks to the cute little tabby beside him.

As a side note, that jug in the background behind Thimble is Accel. Well, that's actually its old name. It's now called Rescue. It's a cleaner we used at the vet clinic I used to work at, and I now use it at home to clean litter boxes, kitty messes on the floor, and all that jazz. It kills all sorts of microbes, and since you can see it in that photo, I'd just thought I'd mention it.

Now, back to the creepy stuff. The jack-o'-lantern in these photos has been through it. He's a bit of a janky jack. He's the pumpkin decor that is often put in places where the kitties go most often, and so he's been puked on, has had food spilled on him, and all that jazz. I've even spilled paint on him. He's lived a rough life, and he looks it.

Thimble is thankful that this pumpkin pal is friendly, though, despite his less-than-friendly-looking face.

You'll be seeing lots more of that jack tomorrow, as he helped all the kitties during their photo shoots for our Halloween day post.

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Now, how about the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Halloween 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. I like pumpkin _________.

2. My favorite movie to watch around Halloween is _________.

3. If I could meet any Halloween creature, I'd choose _________.

4. I'd like a Halloween treat basket filled with _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

I still have a number of new Halloween doodles to share with you all, and we will of course be extending Halloween for a few days into November. That said, today I'm actually going to share a flashback in the same vein as tomorrow's new Halloween drawing. In honor of my favorite way to spend Halloween night, I always try to draw at least one kooky but cozy Halloween scene. I love spending Halloween night watching Halloween and other frightfully festive movies, of course while snacking on far too much candy. Because of that, a couple years ago I scribbled up this doodle, starring my kitties as well as Astrid, my sweet pup who is now an angel.

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Tip of the Day

If you enjoy watching horror films or other similar movies for Halloween, keep your furbaby in mind when you adjust the volume. As you all certainly know, cats and dogs have impeccable hearing. A noise that sounds normal and tolerable to us might for them sound far more loud and uncomfortable. So, take into consideration your kitty or pup's heightened sense of hearing when watching movies, especially those with loud music, screams, and so forth. If you are watching a loud movie this Halloween, or any day of the year, be sure that your kitty or pup has a quiet area of the home away from the television where they can retreat should they wish to.

Woof Woof Wednesday with Angel Astrid Starring as Chucky

Today, we have for you my sweet angel Astrid from one of her photo shoots from last Halloween. I'd gotten her a particular costume a year or two earlier but had never taken many photos of her in it. I'm so glad I remedied that last year.

Astrid was never a huge fan of costumes, but she was the sweetest, most tolerant girl about letting me dress her up for a few minutes to get photos of her adorableness.

In case anyone isn't sure, this costume is of the serial killing doll named Chucky form the movie Child's Play. Astrid was and always will be the cutest Chucky I've ever met.

Angel Astrid and all of us here wish you a wonderfully wacky Wednesday!

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Spooky Doodle of the Day

We have another new doodle in our series starring my parents' kitties in Halloween costumes. Today we have two pretty sisters named Freya and Gemma. Since they are indeed a sister duo, I used them to Halloweenify the creepy twin girls from The Shining.

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Tip of the Day

If you think it might be fun and festive for your furbaby to get in the Halloween spirit with a chocolaty treat, consider getting them some goodies made with carob. Carob is a chocolate alternative, and it can give items such as candy and baked goods an appearance and even flavor that is similar to chocolate. What's more, carob does not contain the component found in real chocolate that is toxic to cats and dogs. There are carob pet treats on the market, and even items such as cookies for furbabies are sometimes made with carob. So, if you think your kitty or pup might enjoy some chocolaty treats of their own while you enjoy some candy on Halloween, then consider the safe and festive alternative that is carob.

Another Haunted Tonks Tuesday

Halloween is this week. You're probably already well aware of that, but Tonks is reminding everyone since she's found herself extra haunted this week. After all, ghosts and ghouls are coming out of every shadow.

At least our ghost is friendly. And at least he didn't steal Tonks's sunray. She's not too keen on sharing her beloved sunrays.

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

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Spooky Doodle of the Day

You were supposed to get a brand new doodle today, one of the drawings starring some of my parents' kitties in their Halloween costumes. I didn't get my newest batch of doodles scanned and uploaded yet, though, in no small part because my poor boy Evan started having another cystitis flare yesterday, and that's gotten pretty messy. I'm getting the poor little fella sorted out, though, and we'll be back to new doodles tomorrow. For today, how about this haunted reading drawing from last year?

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Tip of the Day

We mentioned yesterday considering getting your kitty or pup a festive new toy as a Halloween treat and distraction, of course as long as said toy is safe for your furbaby to use. Similarly, you can typically find your furbaby some Halloween treats of the edible kind. Some companies come out with specialty holiday treats, for example. In addition, many pet stores will sell cookies, at least those for pups, and oftentimes such cookies will include those designed and decorated for certain holidays, including Halloween. You don't just have to go for store-bought goodies in order to give your kitty or pup something festive and tasty on days like Halloween, though. There are a great many treat recipes available online, including those festively made with pumpkin or those simply cut into festive shapes. I've even seen people go for simple yet effective holiday treats that merely include cutting a wedge of paté canned food into a festive shape, such as a pumpkin. Many of these options for festive treats are aimed toward aesthetics that humans rather than furbabies will appreciate, but as long as the ingredients are safe, your kitty or pup can enjoy a tasty Halloween treat just as well. So, check labels or recipe ingredients to ensure any treats you select are safe for your individual furbaby, and then let them chow down on a festive Halloween treat on Halloween night. Of course, if your furbaby has any ailments or you have any concerns about feeding your kitty or pup certain treats, do consult your veterinarian.

Mancat Monday with Evan, Pumpkin Pals, and the Blob

It's that time of year when, no matter where he goes, Evan stumbles upon a ghost or jack-o'-lantern or other Halloween whatnot. Lately, Evan has met lots of pumpkin pals.

The poor boy can't even walk through the living room without getting waylaid by these orange fellows.

And not even at his beloved back door can Evan get some peace from the jack-o'-lantern mob.

Don't worry, Evan eventually got to enjoy his window without the company of any pumpkins. My boy is such a good sport letting me snap so many shots of him with my random Halloween goodies.

Evan wishes you all a spookily magnificent Monday!

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Spooky Doodle of the Day

As I mentioned last week, I've been drawing my parents' cats in various Halloween costumes. Today, though, their kitty Foggy isn't really in a costume. He sort of, well, is the costume.

This is another one my dad suggested. Foggy is a bit on the bigger side, what with him being 26 lbs, and so my dad's idea was for me to draw Foggy as the Blob. So, I did just that.

I'd like to add that Foggy is an incredibly sweet and affectionate boy. He's very open to being held and hugged, and with so much of him to love, I hold and hug him as often as I can.

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Tip of the Day

Do you want to give your furbaby an extra fun treat for Halloween? We're thinking most of you already know that pet stores typically offer festive toy options around the holidays, including Halloween. Nevertheless, we're reminding you to consider looking for the pet store's festive holiday section, or for festive options in the general toy aisle. If necessary and feasible, you can even use such festive new toys to help distract a furbaby who gets anxious or excited by the sounds and overall hustle and bustle of Halloween night festivities, such as trick-or-treaters visiting the house. Of course, if you are handing out candy, festive new toys should be given in a safe area of the home away from the door. And, yet another caveat is to always check new toys for any potentially dangerous parts and pieces. You know your kitty or pup best, so when picking out new festive toys for them, always keep in mind their tendencies to chew on or eat certain toys. It's fun to be festive, but it's also very important to be safe.

Caturday Art with the Purrfect Pennywise

I recently mentioned how, after creating doodles of all of my furry babies in Halloween costumes last year, I'm now doing the same thing for my parents' cats. I started planning these last year, before my parents lost their sweet boy Talon, who is one of my girl Thimble's littermates. You better believe I'm still including sweet Talon, though, and so here he is as none other than Pennywise the clown from Stephen King's It.

Just like Trapper in his T-Rex on Thursday, this costume for Talon was my dad's idea. I'm not entirely sure his reasoning, though it might have been Talon's build or possibly his eagerness to lure and befriend everyone he met. Either way, Talon being Pennywise was one of the first recommendations my dad gave when I told him I was drawing his kitties in Halloween costumes. Talon is the purrfect Pennywise, because Talon was and always will be the perfect kitty.

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

We've been giving all sorts of tips related to pet safety during trick-or-treating and other Halloween festivities. And, today, we have yet another tip related to that. Then again, it is almost Halloween, so perhaps it's permitted.

Today's tip is to help your kitty or pup get rid of some extra energy by engaging them in some form of activity before any Halloween festivities begin. This way, your furbaby would have less pent up energy and therefore less anxiety or frustration should they be tucked away somewhere safe while you hand out candy or celebrate this spooky holiday in another way. Helping your kitty or pup use up that extra energy of theirs could involve playing a game such as fetch with them, or directing their attention to interactive toys. If your fubaby is one who needs or likes walks, then you can also drain and prevent pent up energy by taking them for a walk prior to trick-or-treat hours. This would again enable them to release some of their energy before being secured in their safe area while you hand out candy. All in all, pent up energy can lead to issues such as anxiety or frustration in a cat or dog. This is why it might be a good idea to take your kitty or pup for a stroll or play with them in the house, whichever is better suited for your particular furbaby, prior to sequestering them somewhere safe and away from the door on Halloween night in the event your plans require that.