The Letter H...and Happy Birthday, Gemma and Freya!

We're here and ready for another day of the April A to Z Challenge.

For this year's alphabetical challenge, I'm creating my own covers for some of my favorite books. All of these fan art covers of mine star cats, or occasionally dogs or other animals. Today we've reached the letter H. I've been looking forward to this one, as H stands for quite possibly my all-time favorite book, and it's one that has a lot of sentimental value to me. That said, here's The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not, unfortunately, J.R.R. Tolkien. Therefore I am not, unfortunately, the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

My dad is a huge fan of the fantasy genre, and so he read The Hobbit and the rest of Tolkien's works when he was young. When my sister and I were probably around 4 and 5 years old, he read The Hobbit to us over a few nights as our bedtime story. I have vague but still joyful memories of those nights, listening to the story of Bilbo the hobbit going on a magical journey. In his youth my dad also hand drew an incredibly detailed map of Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, and it hung from the wall in my playroom when I was a kid. I admired and studied that thing on pretty much a daily basis. When I got older, I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as well as Tolkien's other works for myself. (Can you guess what book cover I'll be sharing for the letter L?) All of that combined is a huge reason why fantasy always has been and always will be my all-time favorite and go-to genre.

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And now it's time for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Though Thursday is usually Thimble's day to show off her adorableness, she agreed to let a couple of other pretty girls star in today's post. And so, today we're grateful for two birthday girls at my parents' house. Happy 11th Birthday, Gemma and Freya!

My parents adopted those two pretty sisters the same week I adopted my girl Eddy back in 2015. All three of them were from the same rescue group and had been trapped from the same feral colony out in a rural area. The colony caretakers and trappers knew that Gemma and Freya were sisters and so were trying to adopt them out together. My family had lost our dear angel calico Rosie at 21 years old about two months earlier, and my mom knew she wanted her life blessed with another calico (I knew so for myself as well, but at that point I was not quite ready to bring another calico to my home). I walked into a local pet store to grab some food and litter one day and in the adoptable cat area saw a calico face that reminded me so much of Rosie. It was Gemma. I was with my dad at the time and immediately showed him, and that same day he took my mom back to the pet store and they applied to adopt not only Gemma but also Freya. (I ended up with my Eddy just days later after asking the rescue group if they had any special needs kitties in need of a home. They immediately pointed me to my sweet and sassy Eddy, but I'll share that story again on Eddy's birthday.)

Just a few months ago Gemma was diagnosed with pretty significant arthritis as well as diabetes. Just like my parents' kitty Trapper, Gemma started on Bexacat for her diabetes, and she's doing amazingly well on it. She also gets pain meds and anti-inflammatories as needed for her arthritis, and overall she's doing great. Freya had some urinary issues as a young cat, but she's since recovered from those and has had no health issues in years. Though a bit more reserved than some of my parents' other cats, these two girls are so very sweet, not to mention they're absolutely gorgeous little ladies. Well, except they're actually not very little. Even if they are a tad bit overweight, they're actually just surprisingly large-framed female cats, and they both weight about 17 lbs. In case you were curious.

Happy Birthday, sweet Gemma and Freya!

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And now let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, shall we? My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I never want to forget _________.

2. I have a recurring dream about _________.

3. _________ is the strangest thing in my computer's search history.

4. I wish I could turn my _________ into a paying job.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

We're in the midst of tips regarding parasites and their prevention. We have so far covered heartworms, fleas, tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Now, today, it's all about those ear mites.

As is probably obvious, ear mites affect the ears, living primary in the ear canal. For what it's worth, ear mites are more commonly seen in cats, making dogs the luckier, less typical victims of these buggers. Ear mites can be spread directly from cat to cat.

Now, what will you notice if your cat, or dog, has an ear mite infestation? Your furbaby's ears will itch, they will scratch at them, there can therefore be inflammation in the area, and they may even shake their heads or hold their ears low due to the irritation. You also may see dark, brownish debris in the ears, which is commonly described as resembling coffee grounds.

If you do see any of the above symptoms in your kitty or pup, have them seen by a veterinarian. Ear mites can ultimately lead to secondary ear infections and other similar issues, so taking care of them is of course best for your furbaby's health and happiness. Your veterinarian can test for ear mites by swabbing the ears and looking at the debris under a microscope.

When it comes to treatment, it is of course best to use medications prescribed directly by your veterinarian. There are drops or other treatments that can offer a relatively fast-acting eradication of the ear mites. In addition, there are monthly preventatives that cover ear mites. These can typically help take care of existing mites, as well as prevent a future ear mite infestation. Discuss any and all such options with your veterinarian, especially if your furbaby is largely outdoors and potentially more susceptible to such infestations.

The Letter G and Angel Astrid's Floral Find

It's time for another letter in the April A to Z Challenge.

I'm nothing if not a broken record, so I'll repeat that for this year's alphabetical challenge I'm creating my own, fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. What's more, my covers will all star cats, or occasionally a dog or other animal.

It just so happens that most of the books in my newest favorite fantasy series fall within the beginning of the alphabet. This series is the wild and chaotic Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. These books star not only a man named Carl, but also his talking Persian tortie cat named Princess Donut. And of course that means Princess Donut is the star of all of my covers for these books, including the one for today's letter G.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

The Gate of the Feral Gods is the fourth book in this series, and it involves a dessert and camels and a floating house and a plane and of course a gate that releases feral gods. Like I said, this series is wild and chaotic, and it has brought me a lot of joy over the past couple of years.

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And now it's time for some memories with my sweet angel pup Astrid. We're starting to see some flowers blooming around here. There are lots of crocuses and of course dandelions, and the first tulip has bloomed in my yard. Seeing these flowers reminded me of a walk I took with Astrid last spring.

I went searching for these photos, and they were snapped almost exactly a year ago, on April 12, 2025. Astrid and I found that there pretty flower blooming in just a small patch of grass by the curb a couple blocks from our house. There's a bridge over the neighborhood creek right there, and that little bit of grass beside the bridge never usually has any plants. But, last year it gave us this pretty bloom. Astrid was quite intrigued by it.

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

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Tip of the Day

 

After yesterday's discussion on tapeworms, we thought we'd briefly discuss a couple of other similar intestinal parasites, these being roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. We won't go into all of the science for each of these worms, but we will touch on the basics of such infestations. So, if you're interested in these wormy parasites, read on.

Depending on the worm, cats and dogs can potentially become infected with the aforementioned worms as kittens or puppies, such as in utero or from their mother's milk. Worms can also find their way to a cat or dog's intestines by the ingestion of a rodent or other carrier of the parasite, or by ingesting the parasite in certain stages of its life cycle elsewhere in the environment. Symptoms of such an infestation can include diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, a potbellied appearance, and sometimes even worms in your furbaby's feces.

If you think your kitty or pup might have intestinal worms, such as if they are a young puppy or kitty with a potbelly, if you see worms in their feces, or if you see any other potential signs, of course take your furbaby and a stool sample to be examined by a veterinarian. Parasiticides can be used to eradicate these intestinal parasites. Just as with tapeworms, though, it is important to use preventative measures to keep your kitty or pup clear of them from then on. Keep their environment clean in order to prevent growth of the worms in the environment. In addition, if your furbaby goes outdoors, monitor them and try to ensure that they are not ingesting prey that are potential carriers of intestinal parasites, such as rodents. If needed, such as if your cat or dog is largely outdoors, discuss with your veterinarian the potential for keeping your furbaby on regular preventatives that cover intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

Happy Birthday, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! (...and the Letter F)

So, it's Tonks Tuesday. You know what makes that even better? The fact that it's Tonks's birthday!

My sweet, happy, active, and just generally amazing calico Tonks is 8 years old today. I can't believe that number. She's now in her second year as a "senior" cat, and yet she's constantly playing, running, jumping, and just generally acting nothing like a "senior". Which I love so much.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Tonks! I love you so much!

What's more, though, my sister is owned by Tonks's litter mate Winky, and my parents are owned by their brother Flitwick. So, it's a triple birthday today!

Here's miss Winky...

And here's the handsome boy Flitwick...

Happy 8th Birthday, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! We love you and we hope your birthday is the best day ever!

You know what else? These birthday babies actually have a little to do with today's contribution to the April A to Z Challenge.

This April, I'm sharing my own fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. Even better, all of my covers star cats, or dogs. Or other animals, like you'll see below. Today's letter is F, which won't make sense at first since I'm about to ramble about Harry Potter. You see, my sister and I grew up in the era of Harry Potter. We were the target audience when those books were coming out, and we loved reading them so much. We still do, just as we still enjoy watching the movies. Our dad also read the Harry Potter books back in the day, and our whole family has watched every movie together more than once.

All that said, today's birthday kitties are all named after Harry Potter characters. My girl Tonks is named after the witch Nymphadora Tonks, who has the magical ability to change her appearance. Winky happens to be named after a house elf whose name is, well, Winky. In the books she is notoriously drunk, and our kitty version of Winky plays that up quite well by being her sometimes spastic and sometimes curmudgeonly self. Flitwick is named after the professor Filius Flitwick.

Since I have another book very significant to me being used for the letter H, I was able to make the first Harry Potter book fall under today's letter of F. After all, remember the one and only kitty Flitwick I mentioned above, and his namesake character Filius Flitwick? In the first book of the Harry Potter series, that being Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the title character and his classmates start their lessons at the magical school known as Hogwarts. One of their professors is none other than Filius Flitwick, and that's not only one F but two!

Before I share my Harry Potter book cover, I'm going to share the Harry Potter-inspired birthday doodle I scribbled up last year for Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick.

I'm not only sharing that in honor of the birthday kitties, but also because this was one of the cases where I allowed myself to use an old doodle to create today's book cover. Unfortunately, the one and only Flitwick could no longer aesthetically fit in the image when cropped as a book cover, but he's still there in spirit. So, in honor of Professor Flitwick, here's my version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

You actually get a bonus cover today as well. A couple years ago I scribbled up a Harry Potter birthday card for my sister, and I made it start one of her favorite animals, that being a sloth. So, I guess still using today's letter F for Professor Flitwick, here's another cover for the first Harry Potter book.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: These are not real, true covers of this book. My name is also not J.K. Rowling, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats, and of course sloths, and so I drew these unofficial feline and slothy versions of the book's cover.]

I apologize for all of the rambling above. But, I get quite excited when it's some of my kitties' birthday, and when I get the chance to gab on and on about one of my favorite book series. So, there's that. If you made it this far in this long post, many magical kudos to you.

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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.

The Letter E and Evan's Handsome Face

Let's start with today's April A to Z Challenge contribution, shall we?

Like the broken record I am, I'll remind you that for this year's alphabetical challenge, I'm sharing my own fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. What's more, every single one of my covers will star a cat, or sometimes a dog. Much of the beginning of the alphabet has been dedicated to my newest favorite series of fantasy books, that being the purely chaotic Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman. In addition to the main character Carl, these books have a built-in kitty character named Princess Donut, who is a talking Persian tortie.

But that's enough rambling. Let's get to the letter E. And for that, we have the wacky cover for The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

That there book above involves a giant spider woman. As an arachnophobe, it gave me the heebie-jeebies to draw said spider woman, but since she is the titular bedlam bride, I made myself include her. I much prefer drawing Princess Donut. There are also some playing cards and heart boxer flags in this book, which is why those weird things are also on my cover. It's a mess of random chaos, which is in part why I enjoy this crazy series so much.

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Now, of course, you get to bask in the glory of Evan on this Mancat Monday. Ready? Are you sure? Okay, here's his handsome face.

Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday!

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Tip of the Day

We just finished our series of tips on heartworm, in honor of April being Heartworm Awareness Month. Since we're on the topic of pesky parasites, we're going to keep it going. We've given many tips like this in the past, but important topics are worth repeating. Today, we'll be talking about fleas.

When it comes to fleas, it's important to realize that essentially any and all animals are susceptible. Even indoor-only cats and dogs can get fleas, such as if the tiny pests come into the home by hitching a ride on humans, or on other animals who go outdoors. What's more, fleas can be present even when you might think they aren't, such as in the winter. If fleas have already made their way indoors, they can thrive in the warmth of a home any time of year. Even outdoors in the winter, though, they can still potentially be present. Especially if there are warmer days here and there, and if you're starting to see some green grass outside, then there is always the chance that fleas can be present and active. So, this is just one reason to keep your furbabies on flea prevention.

To really drive home this tip, though, we're also going to remind you of just some of the side effects that can come with fleas. First, of course, fleas can cause all sorts of itchiness. In some cases, an animal can even have flea allergy dermatitis, which is of course when a cat or dog is allergic to flea bites and can therefore display significant itching, hair loss, lesions, and so forth. Itchy skin is not the only potential result of fleas, though. Fleas can also lead to a tapeworm infestation in your furbaby, something which we will further discuss tomorrow. In addition, anemia and other bloodborne and potentially dangerous diseases can result from fleas and their bites. The health and safety of your furbaby is of course, therefore, an incredibly good reason to be sure that you keep up with that flea prevention year round.

We will also note here that you should discuss with your veterinarian which flea preventative is likely to be both the safest and most effective for your furbaby. Not all preventatives are created equal. Some cheaper, generic, over-the-counter versions have even been found to cause incredibly dangerous or even life-threatening side effects. This is not something for which it's worth risking your furbaby's life, so discuss preventatives with your veterinarian, and select a quality, safe product. Also, in the event that your entire home needs to be treated for fleas, also be sure that you discuss this with your veterinarian, so that you might get tips from them on safe methods for this extensive type of treatment.

Caturday Art with the Letter D

We're here with another silly drawing for the April A to Z Challenge.

As I've mentioned the past few days, this year I'm recreating my own feline (or sometimes canine), essentially fan art versions of the covers of my favorite books. Quite a few of the books at the beginning of the alphabet are from my newest favorite fantasy series, that being the pure chaos that is Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. Speaking of which, today is the letter D, and for that we have the first and titular book of said series.

[You're probably going to get tired of seeing this, but I've got to cover all the bases. So...Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

As I mentioned above, this month I'm recreating book covers, but so that they star cats (or occasionally dogs). The above book stars a man named Carl, but co-stars his Persian tortie cat, Princess Donut. She wears a tiara and other magical gear, and she can talk. I love having a built-in kitty character, and she is indeed the character on all of my covers for this series.

Happy Caturday to all!

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Tip of the Day

Today, we have the last tip in a repeat series of heartworm tips that we shared a couple months back. This is because April is Heartworm Awareness Month. So, the final such tip is below.

Today’s tip is a very long one, and it relates to a fact that especially all cat parents really should know. And this is that there is currently no true treatment for heartworms in cats. There are treatments available for dogs that can kill the adult heartworms, but this does not work the same for cats. One reason for this is that the drug used to treat heartworms in dogs has been found, in some cases, to cause sudden death in cats. This is often due to dead or dying heartworms causing blockages and cardiac failure. Another reason why treatments may not work is because the life cycle of a heartworm is different in a dog versus a cat.

In dogs, the lifespan of a heartworm is longer, around five to seven years. This lifespan includes larvae entering the body after a mosquito bite, traveling to the heart, and then growing into mature, reproducing adults. Dogs are an optimal host for heartworms.

In cats, the heartworm lifespan is far shorter, often two to three years. What’s more, cats are not a prime host for heartworms, and a cat’s body itself often overcomes the heartworms, typically before they can even enter into adulthood. This is why far less adult heartworms are found in cats than are found in dogs. Even immature heartworms, which are typically what would circulate in the blood and be indicative of disease in a canine heartworm test, are often not found in the blood of cats. This is why cats are less commonly diagnosed with heartworm disease. Then again, though, it is not impossible for a cat to have heartworm disease, and in this case, heartworms cannot be killed as they can in dogs.

For cats, one of the only options for a cure is to have the heartworms surgically removed. This, of course, can be tricky and risky. Symptoms of the disease can also perhaps be controlled and the cat made comfortable with various medications and supportive treatments. Given that a cat might be able to outlive the heartworms, it is possible to treat the symptoms while the heartworms go through their cycle and ultimately die. As mentioned earlier, though, heartworms can live for two to three years in a cat, and there is still always the risk of pulmonary or cardiac failure while the heartworms remain.

With such limited treatment options for heartworms in cats, it is incredibly important to again note that the best option is to keep your cats on heartworm prevention. The risk of heartworm disease might seem small, but it is a risk nonetheless. And, just as always, it is better to be safe than sorry.

And, there is one last note for pup parents. Though there is a more successful heartworm treatment for dogs, heartworm disease can cause permanent damage. This can lead to lifelong issues, such as of the heart and lungs, even after the heartworms are eradicated. For this reason, heartworm prevention is of course also recommended for dogs.

Friendly Fill-Ins, the Letter C, and Eddy and Her Sister

Hello, friends! Let's kick off today with the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, shall we? 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 favorite Easter (or Passover) treat is _________.

2. My life would be different without _________.

3. If I could, I would give an Easter basket full of _________ to _________.

4. Is it weird that I _________?


My answers are below in bold.

1. My favorite Easter treat is my bunny patch pudding dessert.
(I feel odd picking something I make as my favorite treat, but it's both fun to create and yummy to eat. It's a big batch of a chocolate pudding on pie crust and topped with whipped cream, crumbled Oreos, coconut shreds dyed green like grass, bunny (sometimes chick) peeps, and pastel M&Ms as "eggs". I make this every year and have shared photos of it before, so I'll go ahead and do so again now.)

2. My life would be different without my furry family.

(And it would be different in a sad, unfulfilled sort of way. My kitties as well as any pups I share my life with are some of my main purposes, inspirations, and overall joys in life. I have barely any memories in my life that don't involve kitties, as I got my first at age 4 and have been blessed with cat since. I've shared my life with dogs for many, many years of that time as well. I don't want to know what life without furry companions is like.)

3. If I could, I would give an Easter basket full of food and toys and preferably a home to all homeless animals.
(I wish I could snap a finger and gift those things to all kitties, pups, and other companion animals without homes. Come on, Easter Bunny, can't you help us achieve this for all the wonderful furry babies out there? They more than deserve it.)

4. Is it weird that I will always choose staying home over traveling?
(I've mentioned this many times before, the whole broken record part about me being a huge homebody who does not like to travel or be away from home in general. I've had a lot of people in my life tell me it's strange or even unhealthy for me to not like going out and about or experiencing new things. I leave my home to go to work every day and go out and do everything I need to function and survive, so I'm not just holed up in my house all the time. I just don't like traveling or socializing. I enjoy nothing more than being home with my kitties and using that peaceful time to partake in my passions of drawing and writing. I've never felt like I'm missing out. Maybe that is weird, but I can live with that.)

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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And now it's time for today's edition of the April A to Z Challenge.

My alphabetical challenge this year involves creating my own, essentially fan art versions of covers for some of my favorite books. Today, I have yet another one from my newest favorite series of fantasy books, that being the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman. As I've mentioned before, these are wild and crazy books starring a man in magical heart boxers and his talking Persian tortie cat named Princess Donut.

Oh, and for my A to Z book covers, I'm making them all star cats, or dogs. Whether or not the actual book includes a furry character, there's going to be one on my cover for it. Since these particular fantasy books I'm starting with already co-star a kitty, she gets to be on all of my covers for this series. And for today's letter of C, Princess Donut can be found on the cover of Carl's Doomsday Scenario.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

That there above is the second book in this series. It involves a weird sort of circus, some killer monkeys, some bird creatures, and lots of other chaos that I won't traumatize you with here. Oh, and Princess Donut's new pet, who just so happens to be a velociraptor, plays a big role in this book and even saves her life. I heavily considered drawing him as well, but it stresses me out trying to draw dinosaurs without making them look like a preschooler's rendition of a chicken. So, I apologize to Mongo the velociraptor, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

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And now, of course, we have your Eddy fix! Just like Thimble did yesterday, Eddy is sharing a shot co-starring her sister.

See Thimble back there? You got to see a far more blurry photo from this moment in last week's Pet Photo Fails blog hop. So, here's a version that's a bit more glamorous. Eddy and Thimble aren't really the best of friends, but I'm glad they each tolerate the other enough to keep their sister company.

Happy Friday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

As we've been saying over the past couple of days, April is Heartworm Awareness Month. This is why we are repeating a series of heartworm tips that we've shared a couple of times over the years.

Yesterday we discussed some of the potential symptoms of heartworm disease. Today's tip is a simple one grounded in a bit of common sense. And that is, if your kitty or pup is showing signs of potential heartworm disease, or if you have any concern regarding the disease for any reason, of course schedule an appointment for your furbaby to be seen by their veterinarian as soon as possible. Furthermore, this is the time to discuss heartworm testing with your veterinarian, and of course to ask questions as needed to understand the process.

That being said, keep in mind that there is a relatively simple heartworm blood test for dogs. It is recommended that this testing be done at least annually, or as needed. On the other hand, testing for heartworms is not as easily done in cats. We will discuss this a bit further tomorrow, but typical blood tests for heartworms do not always offer as definitive results in cats as they do in dogs. In cats, a heartworm antigen or heartworm antibody test can be done. Another option is to have imaging done, such as chest x-rays. Though not always simple or easy, as long as you and your veterinarian work together, it is possible to determine if your kitty has heartworms. So, if you have any concern whatsoever that your kitty, or your pup, might be risk for heartworm disease, do not hesitate to schedule a vet visit for testing.

The Letter B and Thimble's Sisterly Thankfulness

It's another day of the April A to Z Challenge. I make it sound like we've already been at this for a while. We're on day two. I bet all you smart folk out there know what letter that is.

Indeed, it's time for the letter B. This year, my alphabetical doodles are my own artistic, feline-centric (or occasional canine-centric) renditions of covers for my favorite books. A number of these will be the books in my newest favorite fantasy series. That is the absolutely chaotic series known as Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, and the stories star a man named Carl in magical heart boxers as well as his talking Persian tortie cat named Princess Donut. Guess which character gets to be on my versions of the covers?

For the letter B, we have the fifth book in the series, The Butcher's Masquerade.

[Reminder/Disclaimer/whatever you want to call it: This is not a real, true cover of this book. My name is also not Matt Dinniman, and so I am admittedly not the author of this book. I'm just someone who likes books and cats and so drew this unofficial feline version of the book's cover.]

This is my favorite book in this series thus far. In it, Princess Donut has to deal with quite a lot of craziness, but that's nothing new. There's not only the titular Butcher's Masquerade at a dangerous castle, but also a giant dinosaur named Tina who wears a pink feather boa and a crown and carries around a wand. Because why not?

Get ready for another cover with Princess Donut tomorrow, and the day after, and Monday as well. And a couple other days next week. I do promise there are a variety of other books coming your way later in the month. 

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Now, of course, Thimble is here for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. She even has one of her siblings to help her celebrate the occasion.

Today, Thimble is so very grateful that she and her sister Eddy get along. Sometimes. Sort of. They at least tolerate each other enough to get cute photos like this.

In true Eddy fashion, the girl is blurry in this photo. So, let's share another one in which both of the cuties are clear and, well, not blurry.

Thimble, Eddy, and all of us wish you a happy Thursday!

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We didn't forget about tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. So, how about we share those fill-in statements now? My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. My favorite Easter (or Passover) treat is _________.

2. My life would be different without _________.

3. If I could, I would give an Easter basket full of _________ to _________.

4. Is it weird that I _________?

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

As we said yesterday, April is Heartworm Awareness Month. For this reason, we are repeating a series of heartworm tips that we originally posted a couple of months ago. Our second tip on this topic is to know the potential symptoms. Since heartworms can affect the heart and lungs, early symptoms can often resemble those of asthma. Coughing and a lack of desire or an inability to exercise are commonly seen. Other potential signs of heartworm disease include decreased appetite, weight loss, and vomiting. The more severe the heartworm infection, and the longer it is present, the more pronounced the symptoms may be. Severe cases may also involve fluid buildup in the abdomen, as well as acute symptoms of pulmonary or cardiac failure, often due to heartworms causing a blockage. If you have any concerns that your cat or dog might have heartworms, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.