Friendly Fill-Ins and Festive Photo Fails

Hello and happy Friday! 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. The best part of the summer is _________.

2. I can't believe that I ever _________.

3. I would happily _________ every single day.

4. I could use a break from _________.


My answers are below in bold.

1. The best part of the summer is when it ends.
(Not everything about summer is horrible, and I don't ever want to wish away time with my furry or human family. That said, heat and humidity is not my thing. The heat index here has been nearly 110°F for the past couple of days, in no small part thanks to the outrageous humidity we're experiencing. It's times like this when I want nothing more than autumnal weather.)

2. I can't believe that I ever liked bologna.

(As a kid I loved bologna sandwiches, complete with ketchup and mayo, sometimes with a piece of lettuce on top to disguise it as healthy. These days, though, even the sight of bologna nearly makes me want to gag. It looks gross, tastes nasty, and smells even worse.)

3. I would happily be a stay-at-home cat mom every single day.
(I know this isn't really a thing, nor is it financially feasible, but a girl can dream.)

4. I could use a break from this week's work chaos.
(I work as a laboratory technician at a chemistry lab, where we test all sorts of things from all over the world. This week, we had a couple of building repairs being done on top of an old testing instrument being rebuilt and upgraded, which is a huge undertaking. To top that all off, the FDA showed up for one of their unannounced audits. We were overdue for one, but it could quite literally not have occurred during a worse week. All of that has meant extra long days. Even better, the FDA will likely continue their visit into next week.)

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.

***

And now it's time for the Pet Photo Fails Blog Hop, hosted by none other than Melissa and Mudpie of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows.

Blooper queen Eddy is of course here for the occasion, and she's ready to get festive. After all, it is Christmas in July! To begin, we're actually going to share the one and only non-blooper shot from Eddy's recent festive photo shoot.

We do indeed use Christmas (and Halloween) blankets all year round at our house, and so Eddy enjoyed that one there recently. And let's pretend that festive feline blanket wasn't vomited on the very next day.

But we're here for bloopers, aren't we? As always, Eddy got good and blurry for the occasion.

The next one is also blurry, but with a side of bent whiskers.

The last blooper is the result of Eddy jumping from her chair half a second before the photo snapped. And so, you get a blurry view of the festive blanket all by its lonesome.

Merry Christmas in July, friends!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

I have to admit that I've been at work too late most nights this week to work on art when I get home. Whether it was due to lack of time or lack of energy, or both, I have not yet managed to finish this year's Christmas in July doodle. I do plan on finishing it up this weekend, though, and I'll share it next week. So, for today, here's one of my favorite past Christmas in July doodles.

***

Tip of the Day

If you ask our humble opinion, having kitties and a pup in the same home can be a wonderful thing. It's even better when they all get along. Sometimes, though, the biggest trick is getting a pup to leave the kitty food alone. There are some methods to try, though, if you find yourself in such a situation.

First, you can try placing the cat food somewhere the dog cannot reach, but of course where the cat can reach it. You can try a counter, cat tree, or shelf, for example, as a cat can often climb to these heights, while a dog typically remains land-bound. Another option is to get some form of sturdy box, setting it upside down on the floor, cutting a hole in it through which a cat can fit but not a dog, and feeding your cat within. There's even a chance that some pieces of furniture would allow for this form of feeding. Of course, this technique primarily works for larger dogs, as small dogs might still be able to access cat food with this method.

A more fail-safe way to feed a cat without a dog's intervention is by feeding them in separate rooms. You can keep the cat's food in a room where the dog does not have access, even if just during feeding time. You can also keep the cat's food in a room that is permanently closed off to the dog, but where the kitty can visit by way of something such as a kitty door. If a cat is good at and willing to jump, you can also block the dog with a baby gate over which the cat can jump. One more similar option is to feed the kitty in a separate room where the door is left ajar, but is kept that way with some sort of door attachment. There are such products available on the market, that allow for a door to remain stuck ajar, so that a cat can pass through, but not a pup. You can even rig your own sort of setup, such as by using certain types of brackets, just as long as the setup is still safe for the furbabies. Again, though, these last couple of options will work best if the dog is larger and therefore cannot squeeze through to reach the cat food.

It is more than possible to have both cats and dogs living under the same roof. Once you get past the introductions and everyone is one big happy family, sometimes the main issue then becomes keeping the dogs out of the cat food. This is an important thing to do, though, as eating food not intended for their species can potentially result in gastrointestinal distress. So, if you have both cats and dogs, and food thieves run rampant, simply think on what type of feeding method would work best for you, your furbabies, and your overall home setup. It may take some trial and error, but it is doable.

Thankful Thimble Thursday with the Opossums

We've reached Thursday, and of course Thimble is here to partake in Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for some of the visitors we get. She loves meeting and watching newcomers.

That was just yesterday. I'd fed the feral kitty who visits our yard every day, and he left behind some food that this momma opossum enjoyed as her 9 babies crawled all over her. 

We get a lot of opossum visitors, since I do feed kitties outside of my house, but this it he first time I've ever seen a mother carrying babies on her back. Thimble was very intrigued, as was I.

***

Now, let's share 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. I have changed _________ in the past year.

2. I need to get moving on _________.

3. Though it might seem childish, I _________.

4. _________ wasn't as _________ as I thought it would be.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

It's a Merry Christmas in July sort of day!

***

Tip of the Day

If you ask our humble opinion, having kitties and a pup in the same home can be a wonderful thing. It's even better when they all get along. Sometimes, though, the biggest trick is getting a pup to leave the kitty food alone. There are some methods to try, though, if you find yourself in such a situation.

First, you can try placing the cat food somewhere the dog cannot reach, but of course where the cat can reach it. You can try a counter, cat tree, or shelf, for example, as a cat can often climb to these heights, while a dog typically remains landbound. Another option is to get some form of sturdy box, setting it upside down on the floor, cutting a hole in it through which a cat can fit but not a dog, and feeding your cat within. There's even a chance that some pieces of furniture would allow for this form of feeding. Of course, this technique primarily works for larger dogs, as small dogs might still be able to access cat food with this method.

A more fail-safe way to feed a cat without a dog's intervention is by feeding them in separate rooms. You can keep the cat's food in a room where the dog does not have access, even if just during feeding time. You can also keep the cat's food in a room that is permanently closed off to the dog, but where the kitty can visit by way of something such as a kitty door. One more similar option is to feed the kitty in a separate room where the door is left ajar, but is kept that way with some sort of door attachment. There are such products available on the market, that allow for a door to remain stuck ajar, so that a cat can pass through, but not a pup. You can even rig your own sort of setup, such as by using certain types of brackets, just as long as the setup is still safe for the furbabies. Again, though, these last couple of options will work best if the dog is larger and therefore cannot squeeze through to reach the cat food.

It is more than possible to have both cats and dogs living under the same roof. Once you get past the introductions and everyone is one big happy family, sometimes the main issue then becomes keeping the dogs out of the cat food. This is an important thing to do, though, as eating food not intended for their species can potentially result in gastrointestinal distress. So, if you have both cats and dogs, and food thieves run rampant, simply think on what type of feeding method would work best for you, your furbabies, and your overall home setup. It may take some trial and error, but it is doable.

Adventures with Astrid: Water under the Bridge

There's a creek that runs all over our neighborhood, which means there are lots of bridges to cross during our walks. Astrid loves her bridges.

Isn't that a nice little view? Astrid sure thinks so.

We've almost certainly shared this bridge before, as I believe Astrid has by now shown off all of her beloved bridges. But, even so, Astrid is happy to show it off again.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

Does today count as Christmas Eve in July? Yes? No? Maybe so? Well, in case it does, here you go.

***

Tip of the Day

Do you want or need to monitor your furbaby, even when you aren't with them? Items such as baby monitors don't have to be used for only children of the human sort. Baby monitors, or similar products, can be used for our furbabies as well. Depending on what type of monitoring you need, you can look into monitoring devices that allow you to hear, see, or locate your furbaby. For example, there are monitors and cameras that you can place in your home that allow you to view your furbaby and what they're up to, even if you're away from home, such as by using the internet, apps, or other similar means. There are even devices on the market that can be attached to your furbaby's collar and that take video of what they've been up to. Another method of keeping track of your furbaby includes more or less putting some form of tracking device on them. For example, there are GPS or other similar devices that can go on your furbaby's collar. This is something that might come most in handy if you have a dog or cat who goes outdoors.

All in all, if you want or need to keep an especially close watch on your pup or kitty, such as when you're away from home, there are ways to do this. You might wish to keep an eye on a new puppy or kitten, a sick or geriatric furbaby, a cat or dog with separation anxiety, or something else along those lines. In such cases, determine whether monitoring, such as when you're away from home, might be beneficial, and then research the best types of monitoring systems for your particular situation.

Merry Christmas in July!

Merry Christmas in July, friends! Tonks is celebrating by keeping the Christmas tree cat beds company. After all, they're out year round, so it's an easy thing to do.

Do you see the other holiday represented in these photos?

Christmas is in fact not the only holiday for which certain decorations are kept out all year at our house.

Tonks and all of us here hope you have a very merry Christmas in July!

That said, though I do have a new Christmas in July doodle started, I failed to finish it. I've been helping my parents with one of their sick kitties, who has an appointment today for some issues he's having. In addition, I was really just simply having trouble finding the inspiration to scribble up this year's Christmas in July doodle. I'm not a big fan of summer, and it's been 90°F and climbing lately, and that has really made me feel not so festive.

All that said, I do have many more flashback Christmas in July doodles to share today. First up is one from just a couple years ago. I remember realizing it ended up far less festive than I intended, but here it is nonetheless.

Next up are a few beachy Christmas in July doodles from many, many years ago. My drawing style has changed a tad bit since these were scribbled up, and in upcoming years I want to recreate these. Even so, here are the oldies.

Last up is one possibly even older than the ones above. It's one that I've been meaning to recreate for a very long time, but I just never get around to it in July. I remember scribbling this one up the July after my tabby girl Eddy's first Christmas, because during her first Christmas I learned that she is obsessed with Christmas trees and climbing them. All that rambling aside, here's the old Eddy-inspired Christmas in July doodle.

Yet again...Merry Christmas in July!

***

Tip of the Day

If you ask our humble opinion, having kitties and a pup in the same home can be a wonderful thing. It's even better when they all get along. Sometimes, though, the biggest trick is getting a pup to leave the kitty food alone. There are some methods to try, though, if you find yourself in such a situation. We've mentioned these before, but we'll mention them again now.

First, you can try placing the cat food somewhere the dog cannot reach, but of course where the cat can reach it. You can try a counter, cat tree, or shelf, for example, as a cat can often climb to these heights, while a dog typically remains land-bound. Another option is to get some form of sturdy box, setting it upside down on the floor, cutting a hole in it through which a cat can fit but not a dog, and feeding your cat within. There's even a chance that some pieces of furniture would allow for this form of feeding. Of course, this technique primarily works for larger dogs, as small dogs might still be able to access cat food with this method.

A more fail-safe way to feed a cat without a dog's intervention is by feeding them in separate rooms. You can keep the cat's food in a room where the dog does not have access, even if just during feeding time. You can also keep the cat's food in a room that is permanently closed off to the dog, but where the kitty can visit by way of something such as a kitty door. One more similar option is to feed the kitty in a separate room where the door is left ajar, but is kept that way with some sort of door attachment. There are such products available on the market, that allow for a door to remain stuck ajar, so that a cat can pass through, but not dogs on the larger size. You can even rig your own sort of setup, such as by using certain types of brackets, just as long as the setup is still safe for the furbabies. Again, though, these last couple of options will work best if the dog is larger and therefore cannot squeeze through to reach the cat food.

It is more than possible to have both cats and dogs living under the same roof. Once you get past the introductions and everyone is one big happy family, sometimes the main issue then becomes keeping the dogs out of the cat food. This is an important thing to do, though, as eating food not intended for their species can potentially result in gastrointestinal distress. So, if you have both cats and dogs, and food thieves run rampant, simply think on what type of feeding method would work best for you, your furbabies, and your overall home setup. It may take some trial and error, but it is doable.

Friendly Fill-Ins and a Santa Search

Hello and happy Friday, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. _________ taught me that _________.

2. I wish I could remember _________.

3. I could be convinced _________ only if _________.

4. I had to delay _________ because _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. Evan taught me that specially abled animals are amazing companions that I always want in my life.

(I've said this before, but one of my biggest heroes is my hind limb paralyzed orange tabby boy Evan, who also has a plethora of other special traits, especially as he ages. He doesn't care one bit that he's a bit different, though, and it certainly doesn't stop him from doing what he wants and getting what he wants. He is amazing. Life with Evan has also made me realize that I will always want specially abled animals in my life, and I can see myself adopting such companions down the line.)

2. I wish I could remember more of my angels Rosie and Sammy's kittenhood.

(I have a lot of memories from Rosie and Sammy's kittenhood, but I was only 4 years old when my parents adopted them for my sister and myself. I remember playing with them and other wonderful memories, but they're the only cats from my life whose full kittenhood has gaps in my memory, since I was only 4 years old. I only got to share my life with Sammy until I was 9, but I will always treasure the memories I have with him. Rosie was a huge part of my life until I was 26 years old, so my memories with her are many and throughout my childhood to adulthood.)

3. I could be convinced to go on an extended vacation only if I could bring all my furbabies with me.
(I've mentioned here many times how I'm a homebody. I really do just like being home and don't enjoy the whole travel thing. In addition, I just really don't like leaving my kitties or pup, especially not with Evan's medical issues and medication requirements. If there was some easy, stress-free way I could get all my kitties and pup safely and securely packed up with me, I would potentially consider a week-long vacation or so. But, given that my furbabies would hate that, save for perhaps pup Astrid, and given that it just sounds downright stressful, I'll opt out.)

4. I had to delay a couple of drawings I really want to work on because one of my markers ran out of ink.

(I have a lot of art markers, but there are about a dozen or so colors of my favorite brand of marker that I use far more than others. I'm usually really good about staying stocked up on those particular colors, but apparently one of them fell through the cracks. It's one of my green colors that I use for large areas like grass and other greenery, so now I'm waiting on its replacement to arrive so I can finish the aforementioned doodles.)

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.

***

Are you ready for your Eddy fix? Yet again, this tabby girl was a tad bit busy looking out the window on of our cooler days. She's quite distracted, because she keeps hearing about Christmas in July, but she hasn't seen any signs of Santa Paws flying through the sky in his sleigh.

Eddy is curious if any of her kitty friends out there keep hearing about this Christmas in July? And how is your Santa search going?

Happy Friday!

***

Flashback Christmas in July Doodle of the Day

***

Tip of the Day

Yesterday's tip mentioned using your old clothes to make a bed for your furbaby. Today's tip is another random way you could perhaps use your old clothes for your furbaby. Don't expect any rocket science, because we're simply talking about using your old clothes to make your furbaby some, well, clothes. Of course, this will only apply to furbabies who tolerate or enjoy wearing clothes, or those who might need them due to issues such as impaired thermoregulation. So, a simple and cheap way to put your furbaby in clothes is to select one of your old shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, or other similar item that will fit your furbaby. You can cut the clothing item's arms off, and trim up any other areas so that it better fits your furbaby. This will, of course, largely depend on your furbaby's size. For example, a large dog could wear larger revamped shirts, whereas a small dog or cat could potentially use shirts in a child's size. Even old baby onesies could be used for small animals.

It might even be worth it to note that, in some instances, using your old clothes, or even typical pet clothing, could possibly help protect healing sores. For example, clothes could potentially be used to block a furbaby's access to a healing surgical incision or other lesion on their abdomen, sides, or back. This being said, always discuss any such treatments with your veterinarian. Some wounds should not be covered up because they need air to properly heal. So, never cover lesions with any sort of pet clothing, bandage, or wrapping without first discussing this with your veterinarian.

All in all, before you toss out your old clothes, take into consideration if there is any use your furbaby might get out of them. After all, as we've mentioned, your old clothes could be used as blankets or sleeping spots for your furbaby, they could be used to make a pet bed, pieces of them could be used to make toys, or, as mentioned today, they could be used to create clothes for your furbaby. Just as with a number of everyday items, our old clothes could potentially be used in any number of ways for the benefit of our furbabies. After all, kitties and pups often find comfort in the scent of their people, and so they surely wouldn't mind using your clothes once you're done with them.

Adventures with Astrid

I'm still doing a pretty poor job as a blogger these days. I just now thought to make sure I published today's post, and you know what? I didn't. So, here's a late post with the pup.

These photos were from last summer, when this gorgeous tree bloomed in the park near our house. I haven't seen this tree bloom yet this year, and I hope it still does at some point before summer ends. It was beautiful, and I've been checking on its status regularly, which is why I decided to share it again.

If that tree does end up blooming again, Astrid will do another show-and-tell with it.

I also think I failed to tell you all that Astrid got a good report from the vet at her annual last week. The vet said she looks really good, and no new lumps or bumps were found. Overall her labs also looked great. She does have a history of slightly elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the vet is almost certain Astrid's is high because of slight joint and bone abnormalities. After all, her back right leg has some atrophy and other minor lingering issues as a result of her torn CCL last year. To combat that, we'll be starting her on a join supplement. Overall, though, 10-year-old Astrid got an A+. Well, except for the fact that she's just a tad bit on the chunky side.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

***

Flashback Christmas in July Doodle of the Day

***

Tip of the Day

Today's pet parenting tip relates to the dreaded vacuum cleaner, but at the same time, it doesn't. Especially if you have a furbaby who is fearful of the vacuum, you can do them a favor by using other methods to clean carpets and rugs, when possible. For example, did you know that a squeegee can be used to remove pet hair from carpets and rugs? That's right, it can! That being said, there are also actual rug brushes on the market, which can similarly be used to remove hair from carpets and rugs. So, especially if you have a furbaby who is fearful when you vacuum, you can use these alternative, far quieter methods when possible. Though the vacuum cleaner may not always be avoidable, when it is, such methods as the aforementioned ones can help remove hair from carpets and rugs while causing far less fearful reactions from your kitties or pups.

Caturday Art: Christmas in...August?

I went through my drawings the other day and finally scanned all of the new ones I have not yet shared. The whole scanner situation is a long story, but the short version is that a number of drawings I've finished over the past few weeks are now finally ready to be shared. That said, amidst the whole scanner debacle, I realized that one of the long lost drawings was my new Christmas in July doodle for this year. So, who's up for a bit of Christmas in August?

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here before, but except for my pencil, pen, and markers, I use very few tools when drawing. And by that, I mean I don't use a ruler. That's in no small part because I don't feel like fiddling around with perfection in my notebook, and also because I constantly misplace my ruler and I simply can't find it. That's why some drawings, such as this one here, look like they exist in the realm of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Don't slide off that table, Gnome Santa. You might end up covered in lemonade if you do. That, or the house panthers might eat you.

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips all about decorating your home around your furbabies. Today's tip on that topic involves protecting your furniture from kitty claws. After all, cats do indeed have claws. That's simply part of who they are. That being said, that doesn't mean there aren't safe, humane ways of protecting your furniture from those claws.

To begin, of course place cat scratchers throughout your house in order to give your cat appropriate places to use their claws. Cats often like to scratch as a more or less territorial display, so make sure that at least some of their scratchers are somewhere visible and in the open. You can also place a scratcher near any furniture to which your furbaby's claws gravitate. This way, your kitty can have an appropriate scratching location where you can immediately redirect them should they begin to use the furniture instead.

We recently mentioned this next idea in another tip, but we'll say it again. To protect your furniture from cat claws while also giving your cat a proper place to scratch, you can wrap sisal rope around furniture legs, rails of staircases, and other similar locations. Again, this not only protects those home features from cat claws, but also simultaneously gives your cat another appropriate place to use their claws. Another potential form of protection against cat claws for your furniture is a heavy-duty couch or chair cover.

As we said above, cats indeed have claws. Those claws are simply part of who they are. While those claws can sometimes find their way to furniture, there are proper ways to combat this. Simply research types of scratchers for your kitty to use, create your own scratchers using sisal rope, or find another way to protect the furniture while also treating your kitty and their claws in a humane way. When your kitty scratches furniture, calmly redirect them to a proper cat scratcher, so that they can learn where they should and should not sharpen those claws of theirs. Of course, also don't forget to regularly trim your kitty's nails.

Merry Christmas in July!

Merry Christmas in July! Evan is here to wish you all a festive, sunny sort of day.

To add to the fun, Even thought he'd show you some festive bloopers as well.

Now, this is the part where we're supposed to share our new Christmas in July doodle. The problem is that this here human failed to scan any of her completed doodles for so long that, when the scanner was hooked up to do its thing with our new festive July doodle, it instead opted to start doing updates and still hasn't finished. So, we're going to extend our Christmas in July celebration into tomorrow, which is when we'll share the new doodle, since hopefully the neglected scanner should be done doing its updates by tonight. For today, we're going to share a string of old Christmas in July doodles. These are from 4 or 5 years ago and are therefore of my older style of drawing. Even so, we hope you enjoy.

Have a festive summer day, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip in our litter box series is all about cleaning that litter box. A clean litter box is very important for keeping your cat healthy and happy. Cats are very clean and particular creatures, and so a dirty box might drive them away from using it. That is why an unclean litter box is one of the primary reasons why some cats begin urinating or defecating outside of the box.

So, as you all certainly know, be sure to scoop the litter box, or boxes, regularly. Scooping once a day is recommended, but more often, if possible, is of course even better. Twice or three times a day helps keep the litter box odors at a minimum, and of course helps your kitty stay healthy, happy, and with somewhere clean to use the restroom. You may also need to alter the number of times per day you scoop based on the bathroom habits of your particular cat, or cats. Some cats only go once a day, and so once a day scooping would likely suffice. For cats who go more frequently, though, more frequent scooping is of course a better option.

Cleaning a litter box doesn't just stop at scooping it, though. Doing a full clean of the box, which involves disposing of the old, dirty litter and scrubbing the box down, is also recommended on a regular basis. The frequency of a full litter box clean might vary, depending on your particular cat's bathroom habits, and even depending on which professional you might ask about this topic. If possible, try doing a full clean of the litter box once a week, to keep the box squeaky clean and your kitty healthy and happy. If that's not possible, perhaps at least try for once a month. After disposing of the old litter in the box, you can scrub it down with a safe cleaner. This might be warm water with dish soap, vinegar and water, baking soda and water, or another pet-friendly cleaner that you are certain will not leave behind any harsh or hazardous chemicals. Once the litter box is dried, you can add fresh litter, and even a bit of baking soda or other pet-safe deodorizer.

Litter box cleaning may not be a desirable chore, but it's a crucial one. To prevent your kitty from avoiding the litter box, or from simply having to suffer the discomfort of using a smelly bathroom, be sure to keep the box nice and clean. So, do at least daily scooping, and roughly weekly scrubbing, and your kitty will likely be very happy with you.

Christmas Eve in July: Selfies with Santa Sloth

I guess you could call today Christmas Eve in July. Perhaps? Either way, today's selfies star a festive guest. You might have seen him before on our blog, but the truth is that this guest is a bit used and abused at our house. Therefore, these selfies are flashbacks to before this poor fellow was thrown around, slobbered on, and even puked on.

Santa Sloth sure does look bright and clean there. Those were the days.

Eddy's selfies with Santa Sloth are, of course, blurry. After all, no matter the season or holiday, this girl is our blooper queen.

Astrid and Eddy hope you enjoyed getting festive with them and Santa Sloth!

Happy Sunday, friends! And Merry Christmas Eve in July, if to that sounds to you like something fun to celebrate!

Tomorrow we'll have our last Christmas in July post, for the big day itself. We'll see you then!

***

Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on the topic of litter boxes. Today's tip in this realm of things is one that we might not always think on too much, and that's the litter scoop. You'd think a scoop is a scoop, but sometimes one scoop simply might work better than another. Depending on the type of litter you use, your particular furbaby's litter box habits, and other such factors, be sure to select a litter scoop that removes as much of the piles of urine, feces, and affected litter as possible. If too much of these bits of debris are left behind when you scoop, that can lead to lingering smells and less sanitary conditions. This could in turn mean that the litter box will need to be cleaned more frequently than might be expected. For the above reasons, when selecting a litter scoop, consider factors such as the number and spacing of the grates on the scoop.

In addition, you also might want to consider the material out of which the scoop is made. If there's a chance your litter scoop might get bunged up, for example, perhaps go for a metal scoop. This is because plastic scoops are far more likely to end up with scratches on their surface, and such scratches could harbor microbes, especially when used in an environment such as that of a litter box. So, don't forget to give even that scoop a bit of extra consideration and attention. Every little detail could potentially affect our kitties and their health and happiness, and that even includes the litter scoop, which helps keep that litter box as clean and sanitary as possible.

Festive Flashback Caturday Art

Today's Caturday Art post involves a plenty old flashback that yet again hints at some doodles to come. After all, Christmas in July is right around the corner.

Happy Caturday, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

Yesterday's pet parenting hack was about using shower caddies or other similar shelving units to save on floor space when storing pet supplies. Do you know what other shower item could be of use for the furbabies in your life? A shower cap! For example, if your furbaby is in need of a bath and will allow for it, a shower cap could be used on their head to protect their ears from water and potential resulting ear infections. That's not all a shower cap could be handy for, though. A shower cap could even be kept in your car or in your pocket when traveling, and could be used as a makeshift water bowl for your furbaby. If you think outside the box, there are a great many daily items that could be used to benefit our furbabies. Of course, never forget to take into consideration whether certain items are truly safe for your furbaby, and to then proceed accordingly.

Merry Christmas in July!

It's Christmas in July! Is that truly a real thing? I don't know, but here we are. To celebrate this confusing day, Evan is sharing a selfie from when he snoopervised me scribbling up the Christmas in July doodle we shared with our equally Christmas in July poem on Thursday. See?

As for today, we have a completely different Christmas in July doodle to share. Want to see it? Even if you don't want to see it, here it is anyway.

Merry Christmas in July, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on the topic of litter boxes. Today's tip in this realm of things is one that we might not always think on too much, and that's the litter scoop. You'd think a scoop is a scoop, but sometimes one scoop simply might work better than another. Depending on the type of litter you use, your particular furbaby's litter box habits, and other such factors, be sure to select a litter scoop that removes as much of the piles of urine, feces, and affected litter as possible. If too much of these bits of debris are left behind when you scoop, that can lead to lingering smells and less sanitary conditions. This could in turn mean that the litter box will need to be cleaned more frequently than might be expected. For the above reasons, when selecting a litter scoop, consider factors such as the number and spacing of the grates on the scoop.

In addition, you also might want to consider the material out of which the scoop is made. If there's a chance your litter scoop might get bunged up, for example, perhaps go for a metal scoop. This is because plastic scoops are far more likely to end up with scratches on their surface, and such scratches could harbor microbes, especially when used in an environment such as that of a litter box. So, don't forget to give even that scoop a bit of extra consideration and attention. Every little detail could potentially affect our kitties and their health and happiness, and that even includes the litter scoop, which helps keep that litter box as clean and sanitary as possible.

Christmas Eve in July Caturday Art

This is actually the Christmas in July doodle I scribbled up last year. Does anyone remember it? It's personally my favorite Christmas in July doodle I've ever scribbled up. I even like it better than the new one I scribbled up for tomorrow, the actual day of Christmas in July. That's probably because this one is the most traditionally Christmassy.

Truth be told, I'm not all that much a fan of drawing Christmas in July doodles. I love drawing Christmas doodles, but I'm not a big fan of summer, beachy things, and you get the idea. So, trying to draw festive versions of those things is not my favorite. Even so, we'll be back tomorrow with this year's brand new Christmas in July doodle.

Happy Caturday, friends! We hope it's a festive one.

***

Tip of the Day

Today's (overly lengthy) tip in our litter box series is about selecting the type of litter. There are many, many kinds of litter out there. There's clay litter, corn litter, wheat litter, pine litter, litter made out of recycled paper,  and even litter crystals, just to name a few. There are even choices such as scented versus non-scented litter, litter for single-cat versus multicat homes, and clumping versus non-clumping litter. The options for litter seem to be endless, which can make the task of choosing one a tad bit of daunting.

So, let's go over some of the factors that will help you select a litter. To begin, first and foremost, let's go ahead and repeat ourselves like the broken record that we are—ultimately, your kitty will have the final say on what type of litter you buy. Cats can be very picky, particular creatures. Some have texture preferences, some have scent preferences, and some have any number of other preferences. If your cat doesn't like the litter you choose, they might avoid the litter box, which is in large part why they ultimately get to choose their litter.

The above being said, what are some of the main factors that might go into choosing the right litter for your kitty? Consider, of course, the type of material out of which a litter is made. For example, clay litter is often one of the dustiest, which may not be ideal for a cat or person with asthma. Also consider whether your cat has any other sensitivities or allergies. To give you an example, I once tried my angel cat Rosie on pine litter. Little did I know, pine was not a substrate Rosie's body tolerated well, and she ended up with hot spots that required steroid and antibiotic treatment. So, especially if you are trying a new type of litter, always keep an eye on your kitty to make sure they do not have an adverse reaction, and also that they do not start avoiding the litter box.

There are plenty of other random yet important factors to take into consideration when choosing litter, though. Do you have multiple cats? If so, perhaps look for a litter that is formulated for multicat homes. Does your kitty leave quite the stinkers in the litter box, and so you've chosen a scented litter? If this is the case and your cat uses the litter with no issues, then that's great. But, do keep in mind that cats' noses are far better than ours, and some cats might not like fragrance in their litter. Your cat might very well let you know if they do not like scented litter by avoiding the box, in which case you'll get the hint.

We're not done with this discourse quite yet. As we touched upon earlier, some cats have texture preferences. Since litter touches their paws, such texture preferences can of course play a large role in what type of litter your cat might use. For example, some cats prefer fine litter, and will not touch litter that is more coarse. I will also add here that I have some family members with cats who do not like litter at all, and so they use pee pads in litter boxes, which works great for those particular cats. Then again, my own Evan, in large part due to his hind limb paralysis, is towel trained rather than litter trained. So, litter texture can be a significant consideration for some cats, and in such cases there may indeed be some trial and error required. In such cases, just be patient, and you and your cat will find a litter, or even a litter alternative, that suits everyone involved.