A Spookily Belated Mancat Monday on Tonks Tuesday

We're sorry we missed our usual Monday post yesterday! Things were just a bit chaotic with some repairs being done at our home. So now here we are.

It's now technically Tonks Tuesday, but how about mancat Evan and calico Tonks for today? They both wanted to show off a festive little drink they've been enjoying this spooky season.

Both Evan and Tonks are willing to share their Boo Brew, so feel free to have a taste!

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Spooky Flashback Doodles of the Day

I'm unfortunately still working on completing this year's Halloween doodles. Life sure gets crazy sometimes. I hope to have all of them done to share by and on Halloween, and even for a couple days after Halloween since those days also have significance during this season.

The above being said, we still have some spooky flashbacks from last year to share. Almost all of last year's new Halloween doodles starred my parents' kitties in costumes. Let's share two today, one for an orange boy and one for a calico since that's also what Evan and Tonks are. Truth be told, though, the two kitties below aren't really in costumes in today's drawings. Instead, their own unique features were used to create their Halloween characters.

One of my parents' kitties is a big orange boy named Foggy. As I just mentioned, he's a big boy, and so last year he got to be the Blob.

My parents also have a gorgeous calico with beautiful long fur. Her name is Gilly. Because of her lovely hair, she got to be long-haired and well-dwelling Samara from The Ring.

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Tip of our Day

Today's Halloween tip is to know your local area's trick-or-treat details in order to be prepared, whether or not you are handing out candy or otherwise joining in on the festivities. Two of the important things to know are when trick-or-treat hours are, and what indicates whether trick-or-treaters should come to your door. It's important to know these Halloween festivity details so that you can have your pup or kitty home from a walk before traffic increases, for example, or to have your black cats and other furbabies safely inside before people begin filling the streets in search of candy. If you are handing out candy, it's good to know trick-or-treat hours so that you can have your kitty or pup tucked securely away from the door before the first trick-or-treaters arrive. In many areas, a house with its porch light on is one where trick-or-treaters can go for some loot. In the event that you're handing out candy, be sure to only have your porch light on when your furbaby is in a safe area of the home, again away from the door. If you are not handing out candy, it's of course still important to know the hours and other details of Halloween festivities in your area. This will ensure that you can have your porch light off at the correct hours, in order to avoid knocks at the door or the doorbell ringing and scaring your furbaby needlessly.  It's always good to be informed of the details of anything that might affect your furbaby, and that includes Halloween night festivities.

Mancat Monday: Evan and the Cat-o'-Lantern

This week I'm sharing photos of all my kitties enjoying their used and abused well-loved cat-o'-lantern basket toy. I didn't realize until now that all of Evan's shots ended up blurry. It probably didn't help that I put catnip in the cat-o'-lantern toy before the photoshoot, and Evan was indeed accordingly active for the camera. All that said, here's Evan and the cat-o'-lantern. Believe it or not, this toy used to be so bright and clean.

I almost pulled all the hair and such off of the poor cat-o'-lantern before taking these photos, but I decided against it so that you all could see it in its far more accurate state. This toy gets played with so often, and it's regularly tossed under couches and into every nook and cranny of the house. Tonks once even threw this thing so high in the air that it landed in the tall kitchen trash can.

I know it doesn't look like it, but the cat-o'-lantern has actually been laundered many times. For some reason, Evan tends to target this toy when he rage pees as I prepare his medications and such. I can never believe how dirty this poor old toy can look despite the number of times it's seen the inside of the washer.

Evan hopes you all enjoyed seeing the blurry side of him!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

This weekend ended up far more chaotic than I expected, and so I'm still working on completing this year's new Halloween doodles. That's okay, though, because I have a ton of flashback ones to share in the meantime, such as the series I scribbled up last year. All of those starred my parents' kitties in Halloween costumes.

Though his aggressive, terminal cancer is unfortunately yet unavoidably progressing, my parents' sweet kitty Trapper is still with us. His medications are so far keeping him comfortable enough to slowly and quietly enjoy some of his favorite things. Last year I drew Trapper in a T-Rex costume, in part because of an inside joke in our family. So, here's sweet Trapper as a T-Rex.

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Tip of the Day

Today's Halloween tip is about bats. Bats may be a staple in Halloween lore and decor, but the reality is that they are one of the primary carriers of rabies. What's more, bats leave very small bites that might go unnoticed, especially on kitties or pups with fur that can hide such minuscule bite marks. For such reasons, do be aware and cautious of the presence of bats, such as if you and your furbaby are walking through a park with trees near nightfall.

Bats are not always found outside, though. Bats can sometimes find their way into buildings, including attics or other areas of homes. If you live in a house or apartment where bats are discovered, keep your furbaby away (and also, of course, try to keep yourself safe), and certainly do not allow your furbaby to chase or play with any bats. A bat can bite quickly and without notice, and rabies could potentially be transferred that quickly if the bat at hand is infected with it. If a bat is unable to be safely escorted out through a window, or in another safe means that does not mean direct handling, then contact animal control or another relevant organization for the safe removal of bats.

Mancat Monday: The Haunted Nap

This weekend I did some last-minute Halloween photo shoots with my sweet little kitties. It all started when Thimble started playing with one of her ghost toys, and I then chased down all of my kitties to participate. Some of the kitties weren't quite as excited about the festive fun as I was, but they still humored me enough to get some photos.

You'll see how it all started with Thimble in her Thursday post, but for today you get Evan and his ghostly photo shoot. Not that he was aware he was being haunted, though, since he slept right through it.

I've shared photos like this of Evan before. For some reason, this boy loves sleeping in ways that look more than a little bit suffocating. But, whatever floats his boat, I guess. The ghost looks just as concerned as I do every time I find Evan sleeping like this. At least it's a friendly enough ghost to be worried for Evan.

I think that ghost came in a pack of toys I got the kitties for Halloween either 1 or 2 years ago. I hadn't even seen this toy around the house in months, but Thimble found it recently and has been enjoying slapping it around. I was so proud of her for being festive.

Happy Monday to all!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

I hope to start sharing our new Halloween doodles next week, if anything at all goes to plan. It never does, but I'll still try my best. This week, I'm going to start re-sharing the Halloween doodles I created last year and the year before. The particular flashback doodles I'm referring to star my kitties as well as my parents' and sister's kitties in costumes. For today we of course have Evan. I remember racking my brain to think of what costume would be good for a kitty with paralyzed back legs, and I decided on a doll that could more or less be sprawled out on the floor. That led me to thinking of the infamous doll known as Chucky. And so, here's Evan as Chucky.

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Tip of the Day

We simply couldn't go this entire Halloween month without mentioning none other than pumpkins. As most of you likely already know, pumpkin can make for a healthy treat for a kitty or pup. Plain, cooked pumpkin can be an excellent source of fiber. This can help to keep the bowels regular, and so could be something to keep in mind for those furbabies with irregular bowel movements. Pumpkin and the fiber it provides can also help move hairballs more easily through those kitty intestinal tracts. Fiber, such as that from pumpkin, can also help a kitty or pup feel full for longer, which means that it can also potentially aid in weight loss. All of these benefits are on top of the fact that pumpkin is also high in a variety of beneficial nutrients, such as vitamin A and vitamin C.

That all being said, do of course ensure that you only feed your furbaby cooked pumpkin of the plain variety. You can feed your furbaby pumpkin puree from a can, of course ensuring that it contains no spices or other added ingredients. You can also cook up your own pumpkin and feed it to your kitty or pup as a treat. What's more, these days, there are many types of dry and moist foods, as well as treats, that contain pumpkin as an ingredient. These such foods might assist certain furbabies with bowel regularity or weight loss. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your furbaby's diet and digestion, discuss options such as pumpkin with your veterinarian.

Mancat Monday: Evan's Pumpkin Pals and an Update on Trapper

First and foremost, thank you all for the purrs and prayers for my parents' kitty Trapper. My entire family appreciates it so very much. I had a longer update typed out here, but I'm going to shorten it because everything really is up in the air right now. The rare but aggressive pancreatic carcinoma seems to be causing Trapper to decline rather quickly.

Trapper is losing weight and muscle rapidly, and despite getting subcutaneous fluids both at the vet and at home, his fur looks very dehydrated and feathered. Trapper does still try to do some of his usual stuff, but he's a very tired little guy who is declining right before our eyes. He does have an oncology appointment scheduled for Wednesday, but this afternoon my mom is taking Trapper to our usual, trusted vet to see his thoughts on Trapper's current status. This is the same vet who takes care of my own kitties, and he is a very kind and also very honest vet, which I appreciate so much. Said vet will do another ultrasound to see if Trapper's tumor has noticeably grown since last week, and he also plans on giving Trapper more fluids and to determine if there's anything else that could keep him comfortable.

Thank you all again for the purrs and prayers for sweet Trapper. He's such a blessing to our family, and so are all of you.

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Evan is now here on this Mancat Monday, and he's getting frightfully festive. Well, perhaps not frightfully so. After all, do these pumpkin pals really look all that scary?

Wishing you all a happy Monday!

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Spooky Flashback Doodle of the Day

With everything going on with Trapper and other parts of life, I haven't worked on my new Halloween drawings or my writing project in many, many, many days. I'll get back to it, but for now how about a bit of concept art starring my story's main kitty character? This kitty was of course inspired by my boy Evan. Oh, and the story kicks off on Halloween, because I couldn't help myself.

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Tip of the Day

Our past two Halloween tips were about potential hazards of Halloween decorations. Wreaths, garland, and festive trinkets can pose dangers, as can candles in or out of jack-o'-lanterns. And, of course, don't forget cords for strands of lights or other decor. Relating to these previous decor tips, today we're talking about ways you can keep your furbaby safe while also getting festive.

First, of course, keep any and all potentially hazardous items high off of the ground, or out of the reach of your furbaby in any other way necessary. In addition to this, you can tape down or tuck away cords to lights or other decor. There are even pet-safe and child-safe cord covers, under which cords can be tucked away from curious paws. But, what about when it comes to candles? Aside from refraining from burning them, or keeping them out of reach or in a room away from your furbaby, you can try battery-operated or other similar artificial candles. You can use these safer options in festive candle holders, or even to light your jack-o'-lanterns. Of course, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic parts and pieces can also pose their own risks to furbabies. So, while fake candles might not burn your furbaby, it is still wise to keep an eye on your furbaby around such items, especially if your kitty or pup is a chewer.

To expand on the above, we'll give a little reminder to also keep in mind wildlife, as well as stray and feral cats, when decorating outdoors. Cords to light strands, for example, can be just as dangerous to outdoor animals as they can be to indoor animals. The same goes for candles, such as those in jack-o'-lanterns that you might set up on your porch. So for the safety of animals outdoors, keep cords outdoor-safe, and keep them as safely and securely hidden as possible. Just as we mentioned for indoor furbabies, you can use battery-operated or other artificial candles to prevent burns or fires when lighting jack-o'-lanterns outdoors. Again, though, do keep in mind that batteries and plastic pieces can also pose threats to animals.

One other particular outdoor Halloween decoration we want to address are artificial cobwebs. Please use these with caution, or don't use them at all. These fake cobwebs could lead to animals outdoors becoming dangerously tangled. What's more, ingesting them can lead to issues such as bowel obstruction. Decorations such as artificial cobwebs might be fun and festive, but always keep the safety of both indoor and outdoor animals in mind when using any such products.

A Ghostly Mancat Monday

This weekend, Evan supervised me through the door as I mowed. While he watched me, he felt like someone was watching him as well. Weird, huh?

Remember that ghostly little fella? He makes an appearance, or two or a dozen, here on our blog every Halloween season. I actually haven't done our full annual photo shoot with him for each kitty this year, so I should really get to that. For now, though, the ghosty at least helped Evan spy on his mom and the neighbors outside.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Given some of the above commentary, how about this old doodle from a few years ago?

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Tip of the Day

Today is the last tip in our disaster preparedness series, and it is one that we have repeated many times, on many different occasions. This tip is to always ensure that your furbaby has some form of identification. We've mentioned this tip many, many times before, we'll gladly say it again. In the unfortunate event that your furbaby becomes separated from you in any form of disaster or emergency, some form of identification could more easily bring them back to you. A collar with an ID tag as well as a microchip are the most common forms of ID for our kitties or pups. In addition to ensuring this identification is on your cat or dog, also make sure that the information is up-to-date. If you have moved addresses or changed phone numbers, for example, make sure this is reflected on your furbaby's identification. No one ever wants to consider being separated from their kitty or pup, but should this happen in an emergency or any event, your furbaby is more likely to find their way back to you if they are wearing some form of identification.

An Exhausted Mancat Monday

Hello, friends! We had ourselves a busy and tiring weekend. Adulting is just like that sometimes. Evan had to supervise this here human mom of his through all the chaos, and so today he decided to demonstrate just how exhausted he is.

Evan wishes you all lots of naps today!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today we have an autumnal doodle I scribbled up a couple years ago. It also happens to star a kitty in a plague doctor mask, because why not?

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, we're in National Disaster Preparedness Month. Our newest series of tips, therefore, relates to this. These are repeat tips, but perhaps it's a topic worth repeating. Today, we're here to discuss having emergency supplies and travel kits prepared, should you and your furbaby need to evacuate suddenly. After all, destructive hurricanes, tornadoes, and other such disasters can, sadly, put people and their pets in the line of danger, as well as without a place to live. Therefore, especially if you are in an area where disasters might lead to evacuation, but also of course simply to be prepared for an emergency, do consider having an emergency kit prepared for your kitty or pup.

When preparing an emergency travel kit, think of the things your pup or kitty might use or need on a daily basis, or even weekly basis. Anything that they need on a regular basis can, of course, be included in an emergency kit. For example, an emergency kit for your furbaby would do well to include a week or so worth of their food, water bottles, bowls, and any medications they require. That is often not all that can or should be included in a cat or dog's emergency travel kit, though. If you rack your brain for anything that might be useful in your furbaby's emergency kit, you might consider a blanket or two, a spare leash, a carrier, a transportable litter box, litter, toys, your cat or dog's medical records, pictures of your cat or dog, and even cleaning supplies, such as paper towels and dish soap. All in all, consider anything and everything your furbaby uses or needs on a regular basis, and then create a travel kit based on that. In the case of an emergency, having such supplies already prepared can allow for you and your furbaby to evacuate and get to safety in a timely manner.

Mancat Monday: Evan's Weekday Woes

It's Mancat Monday, and today my boy Evan is looking a little unhappy. Honestly, so am I. Don't worry, everyone is fine. We're just sad it's Monday, which means cuddle time will be truncated for another 5 days. That always makes both Evan and myself so very sad.

I always look forward to weekday evenings, when I can leave work and get back to my kitties. I think that makes my kitties happy as well, which makes it that much better.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is such an odd one. I've shared it and mentioned the history behind it before, but this time I'll just say that it's concept art for a certain scene in the story I'm writing. The scene of course involves the kitty character inspired by my boy Evan, as well as a lamp made of up a bunch of skulls. Weird, I know, but I saw it in my archives and thought, eh, why not share this weirdness again?

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday's autumn safety tip revolved around helping your kitty or pup stay warm by putting out more blankets or pet beds, and keeping said napping spots off the floor. Today's tip is also about helping your furbaby stay warm as the weather cools down, but this time in the form of food. It is possible that, as the weather grows colder, our furbabies might eat more in order to stay warm.  This is because eating spurs metabolism, which can help produce warmth for the body. As it grows chilly, therefore, your kitty or pup might indeed need more food. That said, this is more likely to be the case for animals who go outside. For that and other reasons, if you have any concerns regarding your cat or dog's weight, or if they have related health issues, then of course discuss food intake with your veterinarian first.

Mancat Monday: Beds and Books

It's Mancat Monday, and so Evan is of course here to grace you with his presence. Today he's again showing off his favorite bed, which he does admittedly love to have loaded with blankets.

The layer of blankets does spare Evan's poor bed, since my boy is indeed urinary incontinent. I got Evan that bed for his birthday last year. It's already pretty worn down from ample use and abuse, but he still loves it so much, and that makes me so happy.

Happy Monday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

When Evan wasn't in his bed like above this weekend, he was cuddling me on the couch as I worked on my weird book-in-progress. I was really hoping to finish writing the first draft in August, but it doesn't look like I'll manage that. I'm honestly really close, though, so I'm not too upset. I should be able to finish the story in September. It's a wacky fantasy tale co-starring none other than a hind limb paralyzed kitty inspired by my boy Evan. And that's why last year I scribbled up this doodle of Evan with some sort of manifestation of our book.

Don't worry, because it's not just my boy Evan that inspired the book. All of the furry babies in my life, including my angels, have at least some sort of cameo in the story. This is made possible by a few animal loving characters, a cat café sort of restaurant in the story, and the kooky world's K9 police officers. Weird, huh?

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Tip of the Day

Today is our last tip relating to those feline vet visits. This tip is actually far more of a general one, though, and it's to remember your veterinarians, vet techs, and all of the staff at your vet clinic on special occasions. Whether it be Christmas, Veterinarian Appreciation Day (June 18th), Veterinary Technician Week (the third week of October), or another similar day, do consider sending some appreciation to those at your veterinary clinic. You can send a simple card, some flowers, a basket of goodies, or anything that demonstrates your appreciation for all they've done for your furbaby and yourself. Sometimes, being a veterinarian or veterinary staff member is a thankless job, or one that is forgotten in the shuffle. So, if you appreciate what your veterinary clinic has done for any and all of your furbabies, then do consider being one of those grateful customers who expresses their appreciation.

Mancat Monday with Adorable Evan

It's Mancat Monday, so here's my adorable, cute, sweet, best boy Evan. You're welcome.

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

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Saturday was my grandma's 80th birthday, and so we had a little bit of a shindig. She's my paternal grandmother, and she's my only surviving grandparent. My mom is the youngest of 5 kids and so both of her parents were much older and have passed. My dad is the oldest of 5 kids, and both he and his parents had children in their early 20s, so I have an 80-year-young grandma who has always been a pretty big part of my life.

All that to say, in honor of my grandma, here's a doodle I scribbled up for her a few years ago. She loves her Boston terrier dogs, her tabby cat named (Mr.) Bean, and her camera. So, here's this.

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Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on taking that kitty of yours to the vet. Today's tip on this topic is a plain and simple one, and that is to take with you to the vet your kitty's favorite toy(s) or treats. This might not work for all cats, but in some cases, toys or treats can make for great distractions or positive reinforcement during your cat's exam or vaccinations. That being said, though, do try to choose wisely when it comes to what you take as a distraction. For example, does your cat get hyperactive or even aggressive when under the influence of catnip? If so, try to avoid toys laced with catnip, and avoid taking anything else that might cause a problem rather than assist during the vet visit. So, all in all, consider whether a simple toy or some treats might help your cat make it through a vet visit. If so, pack those so that they can go along.

Another Megacolon Sort of Mancat Monday

It was another weekend with some megacolon struggles for Evan. But, he's since gotten all cleared out and is even passing stool every day, which is quite a feat for him. Is that TMI? Well, anyway, we'll call it a win, though, and Evan is resting now.

Don't mind his dirty left ear (though feel free to admire his adorably malformed right ear, because it just makes him look even cuter). He gets one of his medications as a transdermal in his "normal" ear, but he doesn't particularly like having it cleaned out in between doses. That's how far I got cleaning it last time before he got annoyed and I gave him a break. After all, Evan is in charge.

Wishing you all a magnificent Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is a very basic one. It was not only concept art for the story I'm writing, which indeed co-stars a kitty inspired by my Evan, but it was also one of my attempts at testing out some grey markers when drawing stone.

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Tip of the Day

Our previous tip involved helping give your kitty or pup a window view by putting a cat tree, couch, or chair beside the window. Today's tip takes this concept in another direction, and involves looking into ways to make your home even more accessible to and traversable by your feline furbabies. For example, there are cat shelves on the market that can be placed along your home's walls, and which can be placed in ways that allow your kitty to not only rest on the shelves, but to also to travel the perimeter of a room by way of those wall shelves. There are plenty of other similar features available on the market as well, including walkways, bridges, ladders, and all sorts of items that can allow your furbaby to travel throughout the house in this fun, unique way. If interested, you could intersperse such wall shelves or walkways throughout the house. Or, if you have the space and ability, you could dedicate one room in the house to this, so that said room is some semblance of a playroom or jungle gym for your kitty. In the wild, cats often travel or sleep on elevated surfaces, such as trees or mountains. That's why many cats enjoy setups such as wall shelves or walkways, as this can mimic the environment of their wild ancestors.

Mancat Monday: Topsy-Turvy Toesies

It's Mancat Monday, and Evan decided you all need to be reminded how adorable his extra special back legs are.

That's how Evan's paralyzed back legs pretty much always look. No matter what, one is always upside down when he's at rest. I love his topsy-turvy toesies.

Have a magnificent Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Evan's toesies shot above reminded me of this concept art I scribbled up for my current writing work-in-progress. I drew this well over a year ago, and it shows the Evan-inspired kitty character in the story, and the drawing his human created for him.

If that there kitty and drawing were more accurate, one of those back legs would be upside down with the paw pads showing. I think I omitted that fact in part for sake of ease, though I kind of regret not drawing it in true Evan style. Actually, now that I think of it, I rarely even draw Evan with one back leg upside down. I really need to remedy that.

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Tip of the Day

In a home with a hind limb paralyzed cat, as well as other active kitties, rugs on hardwood, laminate, tile, and other similar floor surfaces do not easily stay put. That being said, today's tip covers just a couple ideas on how you can try to keep rugs in place when you live with playful, active, or special needs furbabies who often just cannot help but move those rugs around. To begin, you can get rugs that come already equipped with a nonslip backing. There are also separate nonslip pads that can be placed beneath a rug. Even these options are sometimes not enough to keep rugs in place, though. For something a bit more heavy-duty, you can try something such as double-sided carpet tape. Similarly, you can use velcro strips, placing one on the rug's underside and one on the floor beneath it, thereby attaching the rug to the floor. I have even heard of people using something such as silicone caulking on the bottom of rugs, which, when dried, will have a nonskid effect. Sharing our homes with furbabies can mean that rugs throughout the house end up in all sorts of disarray. To combat this, you can brainstorm and test out which potential nonskid or adherent methods might work best for you, your furbaby, and your home.

A Kooky Mancat Monday

It's Mancat Monday, and Evan is having to put up with all sorts of Halloween nonsense even though it's only August. I have not yet decorated my house for the spooky occasion, though I likely will by or on September 1st. That said, we do have some Halloween bits and bobs that stay out year round, and Evan ended up posing with a kooky little pillow in the background of this here photo.

Though I try to save the more classic Halloween movies for September and beyond, I did watch Sleepy Hollow this weekend. Evan is my little shadow, which makes me so very happy, and so he cuddled me on the couch for the spooky movie night.

Have a magnificent (and perhaps slightly kooky) Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm still working on finishing this year's summertime spooky doodles, which I'm hoping to start sharing soon. For now, though, I went searching in my archive of old drawings, and I found this one that I forgot I'd scribbled up quite a few years ago. The background especially is in my older style and color palette, but it was still a nice surprise to be reminded of this old doodle.

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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.

Mancat Monday: Megacolon and Kooky Toys

Evan had a rough weekend with his megacolon. But, he's very recently, finally cleared everything out and is now feeling much better. To celebrate, Evan is happily playing with one of his Halloween toys.

As a fan of all things spooky and kooky, I'm always so happy when my kitties choose to play with their Halloween toys.

I'm also of course so very happy that Evan is feeling better and is back to his usual sweet and sassy self.

I'm going to use Evan's toy of choice to pretend we're enjoying autumnal weather rather than the 95°F we're actually experiencing today.

Happy Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

In honor of Evan's Halloween toy he shared above, let's go through another flashback series of summertime spooky doodles. We'll of course start with Evan's drawing.

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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 larger 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.

Mancat Monday: Christmas in July

Evan found out about this little thing called Christmas in July. So, he wanted to get festive by sharing one of his favorite blankets that he uses all year long.

Do you see that man in red there? And we're not just talking about that handsome orange tabby. Santa Claus himself regularly keeps Evan company in this fleecy form.

Evan hopes you're all getting festive this week!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Sticking with the theme, how about a Christmas in July doodle for today?

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Tip of the Day

Today's pet parenting tip is one that relates to that dreaded vet's office. As you all certainly know, it is recommended that your furbaby be seen by a veterinarian at least once a year. But, if you're anything like me, all throughout the year you find yourself questioning this or that about your furbaby. Of course, if you notice any abnormalities that are a concern or that are in need of immediate attention, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian. Otherwise, sometimes we find ourselves with questions that we know are not emergencies and that are not truly in need of immediate attention, but that do pique our interest. That's why today's tip is to, if needed, keep a little notebook or note sheet handy, such as on a counter or on the refrigerator, where you can write down questions to ask your veterinarian at your furbaby's next exam. In this high tech world, you can also have a note sheet going on your phone. Whether it be a general question about food, exercise, grooming, behavior, or anything else, write it down when you think of it. That way, you can take your notes with you to your furbaby's next exam and sort out any questions you have in one fell swoop.

Mancat Monday: Beds and Baths

It's Mancat Monday, and my boy Evan is yet again showing off how much he loves his favorite bed.

I do indeed put a blanket over his bed, as Evan has urinary incontinence. What I'm getting at is that the bed has a better chance of survival if it's covered in a sacrificial blankie.

Evan had one of his routine sanitary shaves last week, hence his bald bum. He gets groomed every 2 weeks, so he always looks a tad bit like a baboon. Oh, and don't mind how wet some of his fur looks, as these photos were taken right after his morning bath. He would like everyone to know that he gets disrespected like this every single morning. Bath time is easily his least favorite part of the day, but washing up his back end with antimicrobial cleaner every day is the only way to keep him from getting urine scald.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Today's pet parenting hack tip is a simple yet important one. Especially if your furbaby is a known chewer, do consider getting covers for power cords and other cables. I'm sure you all know the dangers that chewing on a cord can pose to our furbabies. So, to prevent this, cover up those cords and cables. There are a variety of cord and cable covers available on the market. There are covers that encase cords so that they are safe yet still able to be easily moved, and there are ones that essentially pin cords safely and securely to the floor. Of course, those are just two examples as to how you can make cords and cables safe around your furbabies. Perhaps do a bit of research, and, depending on your home and technological setup, determine what kind of cord and cable covers would best work for both you and your furbaby. As we always say, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Mancat Monday: Cuddle Time

This past 3-day weekend, I spent as much of my free time as possible cuddling my kitties. My biggest cuddle bug is Evan, as he's always been my little shadow. So, there were lots and lots of cuddles with my boy, and I am so very glad for that.

Just look at that face. Honestly, look at it! It's irresistible.

Happy Monday, friends!

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Flashback Doodles of the Day

A couple years ago, for the April A to Z Challenge, I drew a variety of sort-of-cat-shaped items. I found a bunch of them while I was yet again going through old doodles, so I decided to share a few of my favorite kitty-shaped things.

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Tip of the Day

We've been offering some pet parenting hacks, including ways to save money or space while also having a happy furbaby. Today's tip is another plain and simple one, and that's to consider making your own toys for your cats, or even your pups. For example, if you have an old shirt you no longer intend to wear, you can cut it up and use the cloth to create simple knot toys for your cat. If you have some catnip on hand, you can even include some of that in the knot itself, or let the toy soak up some catnip in a sealed bag prior to gifting it to your cat. You can also use old clothes to make knotted or braided toys for a dog, as long as the dog is not know to eat such items. Even a lone or unwanted sock could be used as a toy, such as simply by rolling it into a ball that a cat or dog could bat around or chase.

You could even try your hand at making an interactive toy for your kitty, or even your pup. One such idea is to take a Tupperware container, cut roughly golf ball-sized holes in its lid, put some of your kitty's toys or treats in the container, put the lid on, and let your kitty use the holes to have fun trying to access their goodies. Then again, a cardboard box might work just as well for this DIY interactive cat toy. Interactive toys such as this can be great for a cat or dog's physical as well as mental health, especially if they are spending extra time closed up indoors due to the weather. It's even better when you can save money by creating such toys yourself.

The options for making your own cat toys, or even dog toys, are endless. You can even take cardboard boxes to make a cheap castle for your kitty. So, if you're looking to save some money, or if you want to find a use for safe yet unused items such as clothing, then consider how they might be used to create something fun for your furbaby. If you want further ideas, there are an astonishing number of ideas online, so look into all of your options if you wish to. Of course, always make your furbaby's health and happiness your highest priority, and do not create any toys that might put them at risk.

Mancat Monday: Sunbathing...in a Cage

Last week Evan went to our vet's groomer for his routine bath and sanitary shave. I always love how, when he's done and knows he's going home, he is so happy and purrs all the way home. What's more, he also seems to really enjoy watching out the car windows and soaking up the sun.

I never thought Evan would look so happy to be sunbathing in a cage, but alas, there he is.

Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday! Though Evan enjoys the sunshine in the car after his grooming visits, he still hopes you all get to enjoy a day free of any vet visits and unwanted excursions.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I've mentioned probably an obnoxious number of times how not only do I love to write, but I'm currently writing a weird and wacky fantasy book that co-stars a hind limb paralyzed cat like my Evan. Except this kitty's name is Hobo. And, unlike Evan, he lets his human put him in a wheelchair and enjoys going for walks outside. I was again going through old drawings, and I found the series I drew for last year's April A to Z Challenge, pretty much all of which starred this kitty named Hobo. Like this one here.

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Tip of the Day

We've decided to do a repeat series of tips on life hacks for pet parents, especially cat parents. These hacks may be all sorts of random, and most of them are indeed repeats of tips from the past. But, we hope these might offer some pet parenting tips for saving money, saving space, saving time, and, of course, keeping your furbaby happy and healthy.

Do you have furbaby hair on your sofa? What about in your car? Surely not on your clothes? Our pet parenting life hack for today is to keep some rubber gloves on hand. Why? Because, aside from the more commonly used lint roller or piece of tape, rubber gloves can be a reusable tool for removing furbaby hair from surfaces such as sofas and car interiors. You just put on a rubber glove and run it over the hairy sofa or other surface. The rubber glove and a little thing called static electricity will help lift the hair from the surface, and the hair will instead stick to the glove. When you're done using the glove to remove furbaby hair from your furniture, one easy way to get said hair off of the glove is by submerging the glove in water. The hair will float off of the glove, and then you can dip the hair out of the water and toss it. So, if you're looking for a quick, easy, reusable tool for removing your furbaby's hair from your furniture, consider giving the rubber glove trick a try.

Mancat Monday: A Rare Sunny Day

It's Mancat Monday, and Evan wants to show off some of the sun he got to enjoy in between storms over the weekend.

Saturday was our only day of full sun in roughly the past week or so, and Evan enjoyed it immensely.

Evan and all of us here wish you all lots of sunshine!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We're continuing to share spooky summertime doodles I've scribbled up in the past. This one was from a couple years ago and of course stars my boy Evan.

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Tip of the Day

We are working through a series of tips on how to keep strays, ferals, and other outdoor furbabies safe and sound in the summer heat. We began this series of tips by discussing the importance of offering shaded areas, where outdoor cats or even dogs can stay cool. In this same line of thought, today we want to remind you to put necessities for outdoor furbabies in said shade. Whether you have shaded areas beneath trees or bushes, a table that offers shade, a summer shelter that offers shade, or something else similar, be sure that you place food and water in those shaded areas. This will ensure that animals outdoors can have food and water that is as cool and fresh as possible, and that they can eat and drink out of the sun.

In addition, try to offer somewhere comfortable for strays, ferals, and outdoor furbabies to rest in their shaded area. For example, you can place bedding or even a chair in the shade, so that strays and ferals can get comfortable while also remaining as cool as possible. Then again, keep in mind that many furbabies will not want to sleep on blankets or other potentially insulating material in the heat. So, also take this into consideration, and make sure that shaded shelter truly allows for cool and cozy safety and relaxation. All in all, in the hot summer months, don't just offer shade to strays and ferals, but also food, water, and other necessities in that shade.

Mancat Monday: Evan and the Never-Ending Antibiotics

Sorry for the extra late post, friends! We were out of power for a good chunk of the weekend, just under 48 hours, thanks to a storm and some nasty wind. But here we are now. Finally.

Now, it's Mancat Monday, and today Evan is feeling pretty darn good. He didn't seem to notice or mind the power outage at all.

Though Evan really has been feeling good and hasn't been displaying any of the pain or discomfort that came with his recent UTI, he did start urinating blood again recently. I therefore contacted Evan's vet, and he eased my mind by telling me that he did an ultrasound while collecting Evan's urine recently and saw nothing on the imaging that would point to anything more malignant than cystitis and infection. He did, however, say that with Evan's chronic UTIs, we might have officially reached the point where Evan simply has to take antibiotics every day. Evan's hind limb paralysis and a variety of his other conditions predispose him to UTIs, and they've truly become a very chronic issue for him. So, he's going to get one more full round of twice daily antibiotics for 10 days, after which I'll start giving Evan one dose of antibiotics every single night.

Our vet and I did discuss the concerns with daily antibiotics, such as antibiotic resistance, but we came to the mutual decision that we're in a good spot to go ahead and start Evan on the daily antibiotics anyway. Evan just had a culture done a few weeks ago, at which point his infection was considered still susceptible to the usual antibiotic he takes. That makes sense, as within a few days of starting it last time, he was completely back to his usual happy, active self. He still is, actually, minus the whole urinating blood thing. What's more, should Evan's infections become resistant to this particular antibiotic, we still have a number of antibiotics that would work for Evan.

So, overall, Evan is doing great. He's not a fan of having to take antibiotics daily, as he thinks they tasty pretty darn gross, but both he and I are glad that they make him feel so much better. So, antibiotics it'll be.

Happy Monday to all!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I'm still in a spooky mood this spring and summer. That said, I still haven't gotten to any of the new spooky doodles I really want to scribble up. So, it's more flashback ones. Today's is one you've seen somewhat recently, as I used this image to create my cover for Pet Sematary in my bookish April A to Z Challenge this year. It's from when I drew Evan as a cute little zombie last summer.

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Tip of the Day

We are still discussing the ins and outs of bringing home a new cat or dog. Today's tip in this series offers some ideas on how to get a new furbaby acclimated to their new family and home. Especially when it comes to shy kitties or pups, be sure to be patient in helping them get to know you. In order to allow a shy or nervous cat or dog to learn to trust you or other family members, frequently visit with them or sit with them, and perhaps even give them an item or two of your clothing. Offer them food and sit with them while they eat, or offer them treats or toys if that does not stress them. Talk to them soothingly, or even read them a book. Make sure visits with them are calm, and always watch for cues that a furbaby is feeling nervous or stressed. Over time, if you remain patient and calm, a new furbaby who is nervous or shy can indeed learn to trust you.

It is not just you or other family members that a new furbaby will have to grow accustomed to, though. Every home and family has its own set of sights and sounds to which a new cat or dog will have to become acclimated. Think of the typical goings-on of your household, and, as needed, help your new furbaby become used to the new sights and sounds by slowly and calmly introducing them to new stimuli. Just as a couple of examples, some furbabies may have to get used to the sound of garbage bags or the sight of an open umbrella. Of course, don't bombard a new cat or dog with new sights and sounds all at once, but, as always, have patience and help them to acclimate to these things slowly over time.

That all being said, introducing a new cat or dog to other animals takes especial care and patience. Slow and proper introductions are of course best for both new and resident cats and dogs. We will further discuss these topics in the very near future.