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.

***

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.

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.

***

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.

.

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.

***

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.

Birthday Bash and the Letter F

First and foremost...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TONKS!

And our housemate Winky, my sister's tiny panther!

And their other littermate Flitwick, who owns my parents!

For reasons, this year all of the furry cuties' birthday drawings will be related to Harry Potter. I'm from that generation and it simply is what it is. Astrid had a Harry Potter birthday party doodle in February, and now so do Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick. They're all three named after Harry Potter characters, so it's certainly fitting enough for them.

Tonks is my adventurous, playful, sweet, and sassy little calico. Winky is lots of sass with also lots of silliness and cuteness, and Flitwick is a lovebug with his humans and an absolute troll to his kitty siblings. They are all so dear to us, and we are beyond grateful to have them in our lives.

We love you, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! Happy 7th Birthday, you three cuties!

Every single furry baby in our family is now officially a senior. Between my parents, my sister, and myself, we have 18 cats and a dog, and they're all now 7 and over. While sometimes a nerve-racking thought, it's also an absolute blessing.

***

Now, how about today's contribution to the April A to Z Challenge.

I guess I'm going to repeat this preface every single day of the A to Z Challenge, so...some of my favorite things in life are cats, drawing, writing, and the fantasy genre. And so, my A to Z contributions this year will be illustrations for a weird and wacky fantasy story I'm currently writing. This story co-stars a hind limb paralyzed orange tabby cat named Hobo, and this month you'll get to go along on some of his adventures.

Today we've reached the letter F, which stands for feathered friends. After all, Hobo not only befriends the dogs you met with the letter D, but he also befriends a parrot named Tattle.

Tomorrow's doodle will indeed be more fantastical in nature, in a way. In it you'll see some yet more new friends Hobo makes in his story. They're not of the furry or feathered type, though, nor are they of the human sort.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

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.

Mancat Monday: Purrs and Prayers for Flitwick and Trapper

Hello, friends! We hope all of you in the USA had a wonderful Independence Day, and that all of you had a wonderful weekend! I'm grateful to have had a four-day weekend. But, it was also filled with some sick kitties. My kitties are all doing well, though Evan did have one of his usual sanitary shaves at our vet's groomer on Friday, as well as some of his typical megacolon issues. Even so, none of the kitties at my house are the ones in question today.

The sick kitties in question are two of my parents' kitties. Flitwick, who happens to be my Tonks's and our housemate Winky's littermate, ended up at the vet on Friday.

That boy there has a history of urinary tract issues, mostly cystitis that leads to difficulty urinating. He has that in common with my boy Evan. Luckily, Flitwick was deemed not blocked when he went to the vet. He is, however, in a pretty severe cystitis flare, which I believe is probably very much related to an entire long weekend of fireworks going off in our town. Flitwick's meds were all increased by his vet, though he's still having a bit of trouble urinating even today. He's improving, but very slowly. So, if you have any purrs and prayers to spare for Flitwick, we'd all appreciate it so very much!

And, we have another sick kitty. This one is my Thimble's and our housemate Toby's brother Trapper.

In case anyone remembers, we mentioned last summer how Trapper was diagnosed with diabetes. For nearly a year, Trapper's diabetes has been successfully managed by the somewhat new drug known as Bexacat. This is a pill that works by essentially redirecting sugar in the blood to be excreted out in the urine instead. Again, this has been working great for Trapper for nearly a whole year. It might still be working, but that's going to be confirmed today.

As of yesterday morning, Trapper is acting quite lethargic. He's not getting excited about food time, he's not begging for someone to run the faucet for him, and pretty much, he's just not acting like himself. He's acting very much like when he was first diagnosed with diabetes. Part of me is hoping Trapper "just" has a UTI or some other easily treated diabetes-related issue, but overall, I'm really just praying that whatever is going on can still be managed. Even if the Bexacat medication is no longer working, he can still be put on insulin. I'd love for the Bexacat to still be working for him, though. All that to stay, if you also have some purrs and prayers to spare for Trapper, our whole family would greatly appreciate it!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Monday!

***

Flashback Doodle of the Day

I recently had a discussion with my sister regarding treehouses, so how about this flashback with a kitty showing off none other than his weird and wacky treehouse?

***

Tip of the Day

We have just a couple more tips in our series of pet parenting hacks. Today's tip is a bit of a silly one, but perhaps it could be useful to someone out there. Do you have nooks and crannies in your house where all sorts of cat hair, litter, and other fubaby debris settles? You know, those nooks and crannies where the vacuum and its attachments and even a broom can't easily reach? Let's move on to another question. Do you know those pointed, open-tipped lids that are often used on ketchup bottles at cafeterias or restaurants? If you get your hands on a lid of this type, you can trying placing it on your vacuum's hose attachment and use it to help suck up the pet hair and other debris that can be found in difficult to reach cracks, crevices, and corners throughout your home. This may very well be a weird and random tip, but perhaps it will help you keep your home clean from top to bottom and from corner to corner.

A Birthday Bash and the Letter F

Hello, friends! We're here way late in the day, after missing another post yesterday, because I'm still failing to figure out how to properly balance work and life in general. That said, though, there's a birthday to celebrate today, and so let's do that.

Today, my sweet and playful calico Tonks turns 6!

It's not just Tonks celebrating a birthday today, though. The calico's house panther sister Winky (who owns my sister) and her tabby brother Flitwick (who owns my parents) also turn 6 today.

We love you so much, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! We plan on celebrating many, many more birthdays with you!

Now, who wants to see the kitten versions of the above cuties? You all do? Well, of course you do. Here you go.

Happy Birthday, you adorable trio!

***

Now, we missed yesterday's April A to Z Challenge contribution. This alphabetic event takes a hiatus every Sunday, but that all times out well for us to share yesterday's letter today.

Our A to Z theme this year is All Things Cat. We're sharing doodles of items in the shape of cats, and today, for the letter F, we have for you fungus.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

***

Tip of the Day

In our previous tip, 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.

A Birthday Bash and Friendly Fill-Ins on a Fruity Friday

First is an apology for our incredibly late post today. Technological issues abound at our house lately, but we're here now.

That said, we're going to start by wishing a happy birthday to a certain trio of kitties. My own sweet calico Tonks and her siblings, Winky (who owns my sister) and Flitwick (who owns my parents), all turn 5 today.

Want to see these cuties as kittens?

And how about a flash forward to now?

Happy Birthday, Tonks, Winky, and Flitwick! Your entire family loves you so much!

Feel free to grab a piece of cake and a dose of catnip or two, friends. The party goes on all day.

***

Now, shall we move on to to the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge? My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.

1. I hope the Easter bunny brings me _________.

2. I don't want the Easter bunny to bring me any _________.

3. I can't believe I didn't think to _________ until recently.

4. Mother Nature really needs to _________.

My answers are below in bold. I actually tried to keep my ramblings brief today.

1. I hope the Easter bunny brings me a healthy report card for Evan.

(My orange boy goes to the vet on Monday for a recheck urinalysis. We're hoping we'll find out that his UTI is gone. Evan would especially love to stop having antibiotics forced down his throat.)

2. I don't want the Easter bunny to bring me any heat and humidity.

(We had a day over 80°F recently, and it was wildly muggy as well. I know I have to get used to that in the summer, but it's only early April, so could we just not, Easter Bunny? Please and thank you.)

3. I can't believe I didn't think to make homemade French fries until recently.

(Let's be honest, there is nothing French about the fries I'm making. But, I recently tried my hand at making my own fries with some potatoes I got from the store, and they honestly turned out pretty good. Now I'm obsessed and will probably be made of mostly potato soon enough.)

4. Mother Nature really needs to make up her mind.

(Is it winter? Is it spring? Is it summer? Mother Nature certainly doesn't know.)

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? This little tabby girl would say hello to you all, but she's a little busy enjoying her window whiffies on this true spring day. 

Eddy is wishing lots of window whiffies to all of her friends out there!

***

What's next on this buys day? How about todays' doodle for the April A to Z Challenge.

My theme is still of course "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things", and we've reached the letter F. This one isn't terribly exciting, because I decided to make F stand for fruit, since I honestly love fruit and eat it with nearly every single meal. That said, I'm actually not the biggest fan of drawing fruit, so this year I decided that I would use a collection of flashback fruit doodles rather than draw it new. I honestly just wasn't in the mood to draw fruit, so here are some kitties and fruit from the past.

Is that everything for today? Yes? Maybe? Well, have a fantastic Friday, friends!

***

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 sight of the 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.