Tabby Tuesday

Orange tabby boy Evan loves boxes. After all, he is a cat. The other day, I tried to get a shot of Evan doing his best to fit him and his little paralyzed back legs in a box that may or may not be too small for such a purpose. When I aimed the camera at him, though, Evan got excited and I ended up with action shots bordering on bloopers. See?

Evan wishes you a terrific Tuesday filled with boxes!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Like yesterday, today we're sharing a flashback doodle inspired by the fun hobbies of reading and writing. Of course, there's always a kitty there to help with both of those pastimes.

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Did you know?

Yesterday we discussed why intact male cats are called toms, or tomcats. In response to that, our friends over at Eastside Cats commented that they wonder what a neutered male cat is called. And that comment inspired our bit of trivia for today. So, what's a neutered male cat called? The answer is a gib. A neutered male cat is called a gib. And while intact female cats are called queens, what about spayed female cats? The answer to that one is that a spayed female cat is called a molly.

Tabby Tuesday

It's Tabby Tuesday, and do you remember what Evan promised you all yesterday? He promised to show you all his stunning tabby stripes today. Evan's not one to break promises, so here you go.

Is anyone else showing off their tabby stripes today? Or are you showing off your toesies? Your tummy? No matter what you're showing off, have a happy Tuesday!

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Valentine's Doodle of the Day

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's National Cat Health Month tip is one we already gave recently, but that we'll repeat yet again because it can be very important for your kitty's health. And this tip is to keep up with those preventatives. Typically recommended for monthly administration, different forms of prevention can, of course, prevent a variety of health concerns. For example, flea prevention can help keep your kitty free from flea infestations, flea bites and related dermatitis, bloodborne diseases that can be contracted from fleas, and other issues that arise from a kitty having fleas. Especially depending on your cat's lifestyle, such as if they go outdoors, administering prevention for parasites such as tapeworms and roundworms can also be beneficial. If infested, various intestinal worms can lead to issues such as diarrhea and weight loss, among others. Also don't forget the concern of heartworms, which can stem from mosquitoes. Heartworms can be a very dangerous parasite that can affect the heart and lungs, so preventing this is of course something significant to consider. Prevention is something to always consider for keeping your kitty happy and healthy. That being said, do always still discuss this with your veterinarian, who can help you determine your kitty's risk for certain parasites, and which preventatives might be best or safest for your kitty.

Tabby Toesies Tuesday

We've got a twofer going on today. It's Toesies Tuesday, and the starring toesies also happen to be those of a tabby. So, it's a Tabby Toesies Tuesday!

Thimble hopes her toesies help make your Tuesday terrific!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Puss in Boots is one of my all-time favorite fairy tale characters. Is anyone else a fan of Puss in Boots? I quite enjoy this kitty character in the Shrek movies.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday's National Pet Poison Awareness Month tip was about being cautious of the potentially poisonous bites of certain snakes and spiders. In a similar yet also different tip, we are today talking about those critters who contain substances that could be toxic if ingested by our furbabies. For example, there are certain toads that contain substances on their body that can lead to severe toxicity. Two of the most poisonous toads are the Colorado River toad and the Marine toad. A pup or kitty making oral contact with these toads can lead to nearly immediate side effects such as drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, difficult breathing, difficulty walking, and potentially death if left untreated.

Other critters that can poison a dog or cat if ingested include a butterfly or caterpillar that has eaten milkweed, which can be incredibly toxic to our furbabies. In addition to this, there are some caterpillars with hairs or other means capable of injecting venomous toxins, which can spell out trouble if a cat or dog puts the caterpillar in their mouth. Monarch caterpillars and a variety of moth caterpillars are some of those known to have the ability to inject toxins when threatened.

Even fireflies can have poisonous effects on a cat or pup if ingested. Though their less-than-ideal taste is likely to keep a pup or kitty away, if ingested, they can cause vomiting and other gastrointestinal distress. For all of these reasons, especially if you are unsure of a critter's potential effects on your furbaby, simply do all that you can to prevent your kitty or pup's contact with or ingestion of bugs and other critters. As we mentioned yesterday, do your best to be aware of the types of critters in the area, and which ones can pose a risk to your pup or kitty. And, if your furbaby does come into contact with or ingest any bug of which you are unsure, do not hesitate to contact a veterinarian.

Tabby Tuesday

You might be thinking, Now wait just a minute. You're calling this post Tabby Tuesday, and then show us a calico? Well, this little calico has herself some tabby stripes, and she's proud of them.

Can you see those stripes on her caramel shoulder? This here human failed to help Tonks get a good, evidential shot, but this calico girl's caramel patches are pretty heavily adorned with tabby markings.

And do you see those toesies there? They're an added bonus. We hope you enjoy!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday we discussed whether it was safe to feed your furbaby a taste of that Thanksgiving turkey. Another food you might find on the Thanksgiving table is ham. Is this safe to feed your furbaby, though? Ham, like turkey potentially can be, is often high in fat. Ham is also often processed or treated, and can possibly contain high amounts of salt. These factors can lead to any number of issues, such as gastrointestinal distress or pancreatitis, if consumed in excess by your kitty or pup. And, just as we've said of other Thanksgiving foods, also be aware of other potentially concerning ingredients added to ham, such as onion and garlic. While very small amounts might not have an effect for some furbabies, do be aware of the potential side effects that fatty, processed, treated, or seasoned ham can cause.

It's also worth noting to be aware of the contents and preparation of chicken, beef, and all meats served at your Thanksgiving dinner. These can all potentially contain problematic fat, or additives such as onion, garlic, salt, and so forth. To prevent pancreatitis, gastrointestinal distress, or other issues, either refrain from giving your furbaby a taste at all, or give treats only in moderation and only when you are certain that the food contains no potentially dangerous components.

Tabby Tuesday with a Side of Tonks

Evan got to star in yesterday's Mancat Monday post. Now guess what? He's also starring in this Tabby Tuesday!

'Tis the season for big boxes to be delivered to the house on the regular. That makes Evan infinitely happy, because he just loves to claim said boxes and bask in the sun on them. He also loves to...get photobombed by calico kittens?

Tonks! What are you doing in the shot? Photobombing will not be tolerated!

Eh, what's the use? Calicoes will be calicoes. As long as Tonks doesn't try to steal that box from Evan, peace and quiet will remain. Well, you know, at least for a short while.

Wishing all of you friends of ours lots of sunshine, boxes, and a happy Tuesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's pet cancer prevention tip is to steer clear of products with potentially dangerous chemicals, such as certain lawn treatments and detergents. These types of products can be dangerous for a number of reasons, just one being that some of the chemicals in them have been found potentially carcinogenic. This goes for both our furbabies and our human selves. For this reason, always do your research, check ingredients, and when in doubt, simply do not use it.

Orange Tabby Tuesday

Evan took a bit of a vacation yesterday and let housemate Toby take care of the Mancat Monday post. But, Evan is back to work today and has some orange tabby to show you on this Tuesday!

Well, I guess Evan's back in a physical sense. He's a bit too sleepy for anything more than that, though.

No matter, though, because just look at those stripes on this napping tabby! That is, if you can see them through all of that glare. This here human never takes proper time or care to get proper lighting, does she?

Have a terrific Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Before we share our doodle, we have to let you know that, no, you are not having déjà vu. Well, maybe a little, but not too much. Today's doodle looks a lot like yesterday's, but it's not identical to it. My sister is the one who requested that one of my Halloween drawings star black cats, a white fence, and some pumpkins. That's a type of scene that I do indeed enjoy drawing this time of year, and so I ended up drawing two versions. The first version, and my favorite version, was the one you saw yesterday. Now, today, we're sharing with you the other version I doodled up for my sister's request.

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Our Tip of the Day:

It is not only important to prevent your furbaby's access to dangerous products during the Halloween season, and to know the signs of potential toxicity, but also to know when and where veterinary offices are open in your area. Of course, it is ideal that emergencies be prevented by taking precautions. Sometimes, though, accidents and emergencies do happen. For this reason, it is important that you are aware of the hours and locations of certain veterinary clinics in your area. What time does your regular veterinary clinic close? Are there emergency clinics in the area? If so, when are they open, and where are they located? Planning ahead for potential emergencies may sometimes prove unnecessary, which is a good problem to have. But, in the event of an emergency, such as if your kitty or pup breaks into the candy stash on Halloween, you can save precious time and potentially your furbaby's life by knowing ahead of time where you can take them for veterinary care in an emergency situation. This is important any time of the year, but of course including during holidays such as Halloween, when dangerous products and situations may be more prevalent.

Tabby Tuesday

Happy Tabby Tuesday, friends!

Thimble's almost always game for posing for the camera. She is, after all, the resident model. Today, she made sure to show off some of her favorite stripes. Now, though, she's curious which of her stripes you friends of ours like the most. Do you like her cheek stripes? Or perhaps those classic "M" tabby stripes on her forehead? Or, what about those little stripes there on her arm?

Is anyone else showing off their stripes today? We bet lots of you have some good-looking stripes. Then again, we also know that there some pretty darn good-looking torties, tuxies, toesies, tummies, and all sorts of cuties out there on this Tuesday.

Wishing a terrific Tuesday to all!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

As we mentioned yesterday, we're dedicating October to tips all about Halloween. We already discussed keeping wreaths, garland, and other similar Halloween decor either pet-friendly or out of your furbaby's reach. Today, we're expanding on this with a tip that we've covered in a variety of ways in past tips. We're talking, yet again, about candles. This time of year, candles often become more popular because of cool weather, and because of the delicious scents often associated with this season of autumn. What's more, candles often come into play when we carve jack-o'-lanterns. Jack-o'-lanterns can pose just as much of a risk as open candle flames. Curious paws or faces, or even wagging tails, could be burned candles out in the open or those in a pumpkin. Fire could also result if a kitty or pup knocks over a candle, or a jack-o'-lantern containing a candle.

For the above reasons and more, light plain candles or those in jack-o'-lanterns only if they are safely out of reach of your furbaby, even if that means lighting them in a room not accessible to your kitty or pup. It is also of course best that candles or jack-o'-lanterns be left lit only if you are available to monitor the situation. If you are not able to keep an eye on a candle, jack-o'-lantern, and nearby furbabies, then do not leave any flames lit.

Candles and jack-o'-lanterns can make for very festive decor. However, flames can of course pose a risk to your furbaby, and also to your home in general. Therefore, always put the safety of your furbaby and everyone else in the home first when it comes to fiery festivities this time of year.

Tabby Tuesday

It's Tabby Tuesday, so why not give you all an up close and personal dose of some tabby stripes?

Always the model, Thimble was happy to donate her tabby stripes to a good cause. She hopes you enjoyed them. She also hopes you enjoyed how stunning her profile is.

Are any of our tabby friends showing off their stripes today? Or, are you going more for the tummy side of things? Or toesies? Or, what about those tuxies out there? Or you pretty torties we know? What sort of Tuesday are you having?

No matter what kind of Tuesday you're having, we hope it's a terrific one!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. This is timely, as many in our nation are currently affected by Hurricane Florence. Given this month dedicated to disaster preparedness, we'll be doing a series of tips on this topic. Our first tip in this series is a simple precursor to the more detailed tips that will begin tomorrow. And this tip today is to please realize and understand that if a situation is not safe for you, then it's not safe for your animals. For this reason, please do absolutely everything in your ability to never leave your cats or dogs behind in the event of a disaster. If the only safe option for you is to evacuate, then that is also very likely the only safe option for your furbaby. For this reason, never wait until last minute to consider preparations and plans, as then it might be too late. Always have preparations and plans thought through or ready. We'll start discussing such preparations and plans in more detail tomorrow. For now, though, when it comes to potential disasters, please indeed keep in mind your furbaby's safety in addition to your own.

A Tabby's Toesies on Tuesday

We hope you're all up to seeing some ridiculously adorable toesies today. Honestly, these toesies are so adorable, they might very well make you weak at the knees. Do pull up a seat for your safety if needed, because these toesies are just that cute.

I simply couldn't pick just one of those toesies shots above, so you get to see all of them. Are you still standing after seeing those toesies? Did their cuteness make you swoon?

Oh, and in case you were wondering, those toesies shots were taken when Thimble was standing on her beloved box that this here mom of hers received from Target a while back. These are some of the last photos Thimble has to share of her fun times with that wonderful box she loved so much. Given the dilapidated state of the box even upon its arrival, it did not survive the kitties's antics for long, and it has therefore been retired.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Recently, I felt compelled to create some doodles that could serve a purpose. Since I'm all about scribbling notes and reminders for myself, the first such doodle I created was this tabby getting ready to take notes:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's autumn pet safety tip is about those mushrooms we often seeing growing all over the place this time of year. The honest truth is that the majority of mushrooms that we see growing outside don't pose a huge risk to our furbabies. However, a small population of them are a real danger. What's more, it's often difficult to distinguish between the different types of mushrooms, especially if you don't know all that much about these fungi. Therefore, especially if you aren't familiar with types of mushrooms and the level of risk they pose to your furbaby, do be sure to monitor your furbaby when they are in your yard, on a walk, or anywhere mushrooms are growing. Prevent your kitties and pups from gnawing on and ingesting any mushrooms, so as to ensure they are safe from any hazards certain mushrooms might pose.

A Tabby and Tonks Tuesday

Today's tabby of the day is none other than bright, shiny, and perhaps slightly blinding Thimble.

In case you were wondering, Thimble was such a good girl at her annual visit with the V-E-T yesterday. Then again, she's always a good girl, if you asks this momma of hers. Aside from needing to shed a tad bit of weight, and her chronic battle with ear wax, Thimble's report card was pristine.

We're not yet done with the V-E-T this week, though. After all, this morning, kitten Tonks was shoved into the PTU and carted off to the V-E-T. She's not alone, either. Her sister Winky (who owns this here human's sister) and her brother Flitwick (who owns this here human's parents) are also at the V-E-T, that dreaded place that overflows with sharp needles and the tears of tiny kittens. Today, this little family of kittens is getting neutered.

Tonks hasn't been all that thrilled with today's plans. I think the worst of it for her was not being allowed to eat this morning, prior to her spay surgery. That was really, really tough for food-loving Tonks.

Despite Tonks's disapproval, though, her spay is a necessity. Though all of the kitties out there might not agree, we're sure all of you humans know the truth of the matter. After all, spaying and neutering helps combat overpopulation in a world already sadly overflowing with homeless animals. What's more, it decreases a kitty or pup's chances of developing a variety of medical issues, including cancer of the reproductive organs. Even behavior can benefit from spaying or neutering. Without all of those hormones racing around, prowling, yowling, and aggression are less likely to occur. Spaying and neutering really isn't all that bad!

Now that we're done with our PSA, we'll wish you all a happy Tuesday! Though we don't anticipate any complications during surgery, if you have some purrs, woofs, or prayers to spare for Tonks and her sister and brother, we sure wouldn't mind them.

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today is the last tip in our series on decorating your house around your furbabies. What we're talking about today is flooring. When purchasing, designing, or renovating a home, be sure to take your furbabies into consideration when it comes to details such as flooring. For example, carpeting might require extra cleaning efforts if you live with furbabies prone to vomiting or other accidents on the floor. A better option in such a case might be a hard surface flooring. Some of the easiest floors to clean and maintain with furbabies include tile and laminate floors. Of course, hardwood is another option. When it comes to this, though, do try to ensure that the type of wood used on your floors is indeed hardwood. For example, oak, maple, walnut, and cherry are all hardwoods that are resilient, as well as able to be refinished relatively easily. On the other hand, try to avoid softwood flooring when living with furbabies, whose paws and claws can far more easily cause damage to less resilient woods. Softwoods include pine, cedar, and redwood, all of which might not be able to hold up against the pitter-patter of clawed furbaby paws. All in all, if you are blessed enough to share your life and home with furbabies, you may indeed need to consider how to best decorate your home to suit both you and your furbaby.

Tabby Tuesday

Thimble is a proud tabby. She wears her stripes like badges of honor.

I clearly have a thing for tabbies. Not only is my girl Thimble a tabby, but so is my boy Evan, and so is my wild child Eddy. And you know what else? Even my little calico Tonks has tabby stripes!

See those stripes on Tonks's front arm, and perhaps even the stripes on her face? Oh, but don't mind the human fingers intruding on the shot. Tonks's auntie had to, yet again, hold her still for this photo. I'll see if I can get a far better shot of Tonks's tabby stripes. Wish me luck.

Anyway. It's all about the tabbies around here. Is it the same for you friends of ours? Is it all about tabbies in your home? Or all about torties? All about tuxies? What about calicoes? Black kitties? Orange kitties? This list could go on and on!

Even if it's not a Tabby Tuesday for you, we hope it's terrific nonetheless!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Today is our penultimate Christmas in July doodle. We decided to go patriotic for this one.

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Our 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.

Tabby Tuesday

Today seems like a Tabby kind of Tuesday. There are a lot of tabbies roaming around this house, so let's see who steps up to the plate today.

Oh, look, it's Eddy!

Eddy thought she'd show off those mighty tabby stripes of hers. So, there they are!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Teddy and his mom Pam gave us the suggestion of doodling up some sushi. So, we did just that!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Keep in mind that, depending on factors such as a cat or dog’s size and health, some furbabies might require special considerations for the setup of their food and water bowls. For example, tall dogs, dogs with deep chests, older animals who have difficulty bending down, and animals with short snouts might do best with elevated bowls that are situated closer to the level of their chest or face. Food and water bowls elevated in this manner can allow for more comfortable eating and drinking, as well as easier chewing, swallowing, and overall digestion. Of course, on the other hand, do ensure that the bowl is not too elevated, especially for small dogs or cats, as having to reach up to eat would be uncomfortable for them as well. So, do be sure to take time to observe your kitty or pup’s dining habits, and to adjust their bowls to ensure they are able to dine comfortably.

Tabby Tuesday

Evan is happy that he gets to be the star around here three days in a row. That's right, he starred in our selfies on Sunday, he was here to celebrate Memorial Day yesterday, and now here he is again for Tabby Tuesday.

Do you like how Evan put those tabby stripes of his on display for this Tabby Tuesday? Evan tried to pose for some more tabby-liscious shots, but his photographer assistant of a mom did horrendously at her job.

Just look at that. This mom of Evan's couldn't even get all of his handsome face in that last photo. Evan is not impressed. He wants to know if any of his furiends out there have a photographer as unskilled as his?

We want to wish you all a terrific Tuesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Yesterday, for Memorial Day, we had to share an old, throwback patriotic doodle. That was because our scanner decided it no longer wanted to communicate with our computer, so getting our doodle onto our blog just wasn't happening. After this human enlisted the help of her technologically capable sister, though, our scanner is up and running again.

Now, though, we have a Memorial Day doodle to share with you a day late. We hope you don't mind.

Now that we have our scanner back up and going, our foodie doodles will continue tomorrow!

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Our Tip of the Day:

In case you missed our previous posts that mentioned this, to go along with our current string of foodie doodles, we're repeating a series of food tips we shared some time ago. We've so far talked about protein and fiber in pet food, and now today we're moving on to fat. Fat, like other nutrients, plays important roles for both us humans and our cats and dogs. Fats are yet another source of energy for the body and its cells, they aid in healthy skin and coat, and they are also important for growth overall.

In pet foods, some fats can come from the protein source, such as chicken and beef. However, there are also other potential sources of fats in our furbabies' food. Fats can of course come from oils, such as fish oils or plant oils. The important thing is to make sure that your furbaby's food includes good quality fat sources, and in a healthy balance. For example, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which often come from sources such as fish or plant oils or chicken fat, are very beneficial, but most importantly so in proper amounts. Less quality fats and oils would include lard and other similar ingredients, and therefore do be cautious if you see these on a pet food label.

Of course, any fats in too large of quantities could lead to health concerns. For example, obesity and pancreatitis can both potentially stem from or be worsened by diets high in fat. For reasons such as these, as we've said before, try to educate yourself on your cat or dog's health and the best nutrition for them, and of course discuss this with a veterinarian as needed.

Tabby and Tuxie Tuesday

Hi, friends! It's me, Evan.

Guess what? My mom was silly enough to think that window was sufficiently open. It was not. I told her so.

There. That's better. Except, now my my mom is watching me like a hawk and telling me not to lean on the screen. Sheesh.

Now, guess what else? When I shared my selfie on Sunday, my mom was supposed to also help me type up my musical questionnaire. You know, the one that our friend Stunning CK shared, in which you pick an artist or band and answer questions using only their song titles. Anyway, Sunday was supposed to be my turn for that. But, my mom was silly enough to forget to help me type it up. So, I get to share mine today. Here it is!

Artist/Band: Queen
What is your gender: Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
How do you feel: We Will Rock You
If you could go anywhere: Seaside Rendezvous
Favorite mode of transportation: Man on the Prowl
Your best friend: Tie Your Mother Down
Favorite time of day: The Night Comes Down
If your life was a TV show: We Are the Champions
Relationship status: Mother Love
Your fear: I'm Going Slightly Mad

You know what else, though? I also have to share this post with another boy in our house.



Yep. There's our housemate Toby. Today was supposed to be his day to share his musical answers. I decided I'd go ahead and let him share his after mine today. Aren't I nice? He also used Queen, like all of us furbabies here did, since my mom apparently likes that band so much. Anyway, here are Toby's musical facts!

Artist/Band: Queen
What is your gender: Princes of the Universe
How do you feel: Drowse
If you could go anywhere: Brighton Rock
Favorite mode of transportation: The Millionaire Waltz
Your best friend: Killer Queen (I love Astrid!)
Favorite time of day: Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
If your life was a TV show: Don't Try So Hard
Relationship status: Calling All Girls
Your fear: See What a Fool I've Become

So, there you have it! We always enjoy when fantastic CK shares fun little goodies like this. Thanks, CK!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Purrs,
Evan

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Remember how I recently told you that my sweet angel Rosie loved to help me read and study by, you know, sleeping on my books? Well, she was a great help with computer work, too!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's wildlife tip is another about birds. Hummingbirds, that is. These majestic little creatures love them a sweet drink. To make some sugar water for hummingbirds, you can mix 1 cup of cane sugar with 3 to 4 cups of water (extra mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to roughly one week). Despite popular belief, though, please do NOT add red food coloring to the sugar water! Adding a chemical dye can potentially be harmful to hummingbirds. Rather than lace their drink with artificial colors, you can simply use a bright (such as red) hummingbird feeder to attract them. There are indeed feeders specifically designed for hummingbirds and their preferred sweet drink. Of course, don't forget to clean said feeder in between fillings, as the sugar water mixture can potentially lead to mold if the hummingbird feeder is not maintained properly. Hummingbirds can make for grand Bird TV, just as long as you take the right precautions.

Tabby Stripes and Christmas Tails

Happy Tuesday! More specifically, happy Tabby Tuesday! Eddy's impressively non-blurry selfie from Sunday was not the only miraculous shot she offered the camera that day. She sat still for more than one photo, in fact. Realizing that Tabby Tuesday was just around the corner, she even posed for a profile shot to show off her tabby cheek straps.

Eddy even decided to pose for a couple more shots starring her tabby stripes. The problem, though, was that her photographer (that is, this sad excuse of a human) couldn't manage to line up the shots, and Eddy's chin kept getting chopped off. See?

Eddy is pretty sure you just can't find a decent human photographer these days.

Eddy hopes all of her friends out there have better photographers than her!

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Now it's time for our third installment in the A to Z Challenge.

We'll yet again repeat ourselves and explain that our theme this year involves twisting classic story titles into something different, with animals in mind, of course. Then we'll share a doodle illustrating that new title. So, what do we have for the letter C today? Are you ready for some Christmas in April? Honestly, that does seem perfectly fitting. We got half a foot of snow on this past Easter Sunday, after all. But I digress.

That's right. We turned A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens into A Christmas Feral. To be honest, this is not really a new one for us. We shared lots of doodles like this around Christmastime. In the past, we've also shared some bookmarks we doodled up using the warped title A Christmas Feral. So, this one isn't really anything new, but we really, really wanted this to be our letter C for the A to Z Challenge. So, there it is.


We hope you friends of ours are having a happy, healthy week! We also hope it's nothing like Christmas out there for you. Warm wishes to all!

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Our Tip of the Day:

As we said yesterday, April is Heartworm Awareness Month. For this reason, we are repeating a series of heartworm tips that we originally posted a couple of months ago. The second tip in this series is below.

Our second tip relating to heartworms is to know the potential symptoms. Since heartworms can affect the heart and lungs, early symptoms can often resemble those of asthma. Coughing and a lack of desire or an inability to exercise are commonly seen. Other potential signs of heartworm disease include decreased appetite, weight loss, and vomiting. The more severe the heartworm infection, and the longer it is present, the more pronounced the symptoms may be. Severe cases may also involve fluid buildup in the abdomen, as well as acute symptoms of pulmonary or cardiac failure, often due to heartworms causing a blockage. If you have any concerns that your cat or dog might have heartworms, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.