Toesies Tuesday

We have for you today some extra special toesies. They're the back toesies of my hind limb paralyzed boy Evan. This sight isn't something most people see every day, but it's a sight I see every day, and I love it.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day: Flashback Tuesday

For today's flashback doodle, I again decided to see what drawing I shared on this very date last year. It was one with a kitty, books, and autumnal sights. Those are three of my most favorite things, so I decided it was the one to share today.

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Tip of the Day

In case you missed it, we're doing a series of pet cancer prevention tips during this Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Today's tip is one we've mentioned on more occasion than one, and is one that many of you have probably heard. This tip is to always keep in mind that it is indeed possible for cats and dogs to get skin cancer, especially on vulnerable parts of the body, such as the ears and nose. For this reason, monitor the amount of time they spend outdoors in the sun, but also the amount of time they spend sunbathing in windows or doors. If your furbaby does spend a lot of time in the sun, perhaps look into pet-friendly sunscreen, and discuss safe options with your veterinarian as needed. There are also windows or window films that block out UV light, which is another option for keeping our furbabies and their skin safe during their sunbathing sessions. The sun can indeed be fun, but it can also be dangerous, so do keep a close eye on those furry sunbathers!

Toesies Tuesday

Guess who gets to have back-to-back posts yet again?

Evan! That's right, my hind limb paralyzed boy is showing off his, well, paralyzed toes.

More often than not, whether Evan is sitting or lying down, one back foot faces down and the other faces up. Most commonly, it is exactly as seen above, with his right foot being the one faced down and his left foot faced up. This is probably because Evan has always seemed most comfortable and likely to sit with his hind legs positioned out to his right side. We just thought we'd share that little tidbit with you.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Do you know what holiday food we haven't yet mentioned in this Thanksgiving series? Cranberries! This here human loves cranberries, but are they safe for our kitties and pups? In moderation, plain cranberries can be given as a small treat to a dog or cat who enjoys them. That being said, it is best to steer clear of cranberry sauces and juices, as those contain excess amounts of sugar and other potential additives that might not be the best for your furbaby. Also be careful with special cranberry dishes, in case they contain not only excess sugar but potentially also toxic ingredients such as alcohol. As always, when in doubt, simply don't offer it to your furbaby.

Since we're on the topic of fruits, we'll go ahead and run through a couple of other fruity treat options for your kitty or pup. If fed in moderation, berries such as blueberries and strawberries are healthy for cats and dogs, as are bananas. Apples are also generally a healthy treat option, but only if you are careful to refrain from feeding your furbaby the seeds. That being said, keep in mind that when fruits like apples are made into pies, added ingredients such as sugar are not so healthy for your furbaby. Of course, also remember that fruits like grapes and raisins are toxic to cats and dogs, so never feed those. Even cherries can be dangerous, especially if consumed in large quantities, as cyanide poisoning can result due to the contents of the stem, pit, and even leaves. So, to be safe, don't feed your furbaby cherries, cherry pie, and most certainly not chocolate covered cherries this holiday season. Ultimately, if you are not certain that a particular fruit or other food is safe for your furbaby, simply don't feed it as a treat.

Special Mancat Monday

Every once in a while, I like our Mancat Monday post to focus on why my mancat Evan is my hero. For those who might not know or remember, Evan is hind limb paralyzed. This is the result of a coyote attack that Evan survived just days before I met him, when he was roughly 6 weeks old. Obviously, Evan does not have typical use of his hind legs. But, that doesn't stop Evan one bit.

This boy walks in his own way, runs in his own way, plays and plays and plays in his own way, and even jumps in his own way.

Can you see why Evan's my hero? He's what you might call different, yes. But, Evan is also why I have come to adore the term specially abled. Evan is perfectly able to do whatever he pleases, just in a very special way. Nothing gets him down.

I know a lot of people often wonder why I don't hook Evan up with a set of wheels or something similar. That's a perfectly good question. The answer as to why Evan does not ever use anything along the lines of a wheelchair is that Evan does not enjoy having things strapped to him. I have tried, but he very much so does not like it, and he lets me know that. So, I just let him do as he pleases. Since he is more than happy with that, so am I.

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

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Art of the Day:

As we mentioned yesterday, over the next week or so we will be sharing some art that Ann of Zoolatry and myself created for each other. Ann asked me to create some magnets portraying some of the furbabies in her life. One of those furbabies is a handsome mancat named TK.

Drawing TK allowed me to try something new. In his many wise years, TK has developed cataracts. I honestly had never drawn eyes in this way before, but thanks to TK, I now know how. Moreover, TK is one handsome boy, and I found great joy in doodling this piece for him.

We also mentioned yesterday how Ann created for me some beautiful images using one of my favorite photos of my Angel Rosie and myself. (To see the original photo, visit this post here.) Just some of the images she created were ones for each season. The following is the lovely Spring image Ann created.

As always, Ann's work is beyond beautiful. We'll be sharing more of this art tomorrow!

Toesies Tuesday

My boy Evan gets to star in two posts in a row. He was of course here yesterday for Mancat Monday, and he's here now again for Toesies Tuesday.

As many of you know, Evan is hind limb paralyzed. His back legs do not function in a typical manner, and they are also often situated in atypical poses, as seen here. In a sitting position, usually at least one of Evan's hind paws is facing upward. I know that might seem strange, but it is perfectly normal for Evan. Even better, this gives me a constant shot of those pink jelly beans!

Happy Toesies Tuesday to all of our furiends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Can you guess which furbaby around here inspired this dancing doodle?

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Our Tip of the Day:

Did you know that on a 77°F day, asphalt can reach temperatures as high as 125°F? Imagine how hot it must be in temperatures such as 85°F, 90°F, or even above that. You can get an idea by touching your hand to the ground, even just briefly. If it feels hot and painful to your hand for even just that second, imagine your furbaby's paws having to remain on that hot ground during a walk. That's why, as we have mentioned before, it is important to take summer walks with your furbabies in the coolest parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening. Similarly, when going outdoors is necessary, try to ensure that grass or another cool surface is available, for both the comfort and the safety of their paws. Walking on hot pavement can indeed cause burns to a cat or dog's paw pads. Even those who are used to walking outdoors and have built up firm paw pads can still suffer from serious burns in this manner. So, if it's hot outside, be considerate of those paws. Don't go on long walks on pavement in the heat of the day, and do what you can to protect those paws if going outdoors is necessary. Your furbaby and their paws will thank you!

Mountain Climbing Mancat

It may be Monday, but that doesn't mean you can't conquer the world. After all, Cat World Domination Day was just this past weekend. But that's beside the point, sort of. Anyway, it's Monday, so who's ready to kick this week in the rear end? Mancat Evan sure is!

Evan always reminds this momma of his here that anything is possible. So what if your hind limbs are paralyzed? That doesn't mean you can't climb mountains.

And that's exactly what my hind limb paralyzed boy does. If he wants to climb the cat tree mountain, he makes it happen.

What is it they always say? Oh, yeah. Where there's a will, there's a way. That's it.

So, take Evan's advice, and climb a mountain or two on this Monday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Depending on a cat or dog's physiology, age, and overall health status, you may have to provide them with mobility aids, such as stepping stools, pet stairs, or ramps. These can be placed beside taller pieces of furniture, such as cat trees, beds, and couches, in order to help the furbaby to more easily reach them. As is obvious and which you certainly already know, this may be necessary for furbabies with various levels of paralysis, for those who are stiff or arthritic, and even for those who are simply overweight and therefore have difficulty jumping or climbing. For the kitties who are aging or arthritic, also ensure that their litter boxes have low sides for easy entrance, or place a short stool in front of it. Such as is Evan's case, you can even try putting more easily attainable pieces of furniture adjacent to those less so. For example, we have our low and therefore easily climbable couch directly next to the cat tree, forming a little highway for Evan's ease of travel. Sometimes all it takes is a little redecorating and a tad bit of creativity to make your furbaby's life a bit easier!

A Special Mancat Monday

As always, my boy Evan is here today for none other than Mancat Monday.

With his hind limbs paralysis, I have always been in the habit of calling Evan a special needs cat. However, recently I have been seeing the term specially abled used more and more frequently, and I am now extremely fond of this title. Evan may have special needs due to his condition, but he is indeed far more aptly described as specially abled.

Can Evan ambulate on four legs? No. But, that doesn't stop him from being anything less than a perfect cat. Thanks to his determination and innovation, Evan pulls himself up onto stools, couches, beds, and even jumps off of things at least as high as my waist. I used to panic and run to his aid when he'd pull such stunts. That is, until I realized they weren't stunts at all. They were Evan. They were his way of making do, his way of thriving and loving life. They were why he is specially abled.

No matter what kind of abled you are, we wish you a beautiful day!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:
So that you're prepared for any potential medical emergency when it comes to your kitty or pup, always be sure to know and/or have immediate access to you veterinarian's phone number, as well as the nearest emergency clinic's number. If you're traveling with your furbaby, be sure to have access to contact information for veterinary clinics, including emergency ones, on your travels. Similarly, if you're traveling but your furbaby is staying home with a sitter, make sure you leave them the numbers for pertinent clinics. And, in case of an emergency, don't forget to always have your furbaby's medical records up-to-date and readily available. It's never fun to think there might be an emergency, but it's always best to be prepared nonetheless.

A Special Mancat Monday

I've noted before how I am extremely fond of and drawn to special needs animals. There's something about the strength and courage that these special little creatures exude that just speaks to me.

There are days that I might feel down and out because of a long day at work, because I get out my phone to find that its battery has died, or because I'm thirsty and open the fridge to find that my only gallon of milk has spoiled. You know, the petty things in life. Then I look down at my boy Evan, who, though hind limb paralyzed, never fails to run to the door to greet me with the happiest of meows, and who spends his evenings running around and having the time of his life without a second thought regarding his unusual circumstances. Talk about a lesson on those lemons that life throws at you. Is it any wonder that Evan is my hero?

Though he certainly lives life to the fullest, I would be lying if I said that Evan's special needs don't leave him with the occasional struggle. It's the way Evan handles these struggles, though, that speaks volumes to me. Because of his paralysis, he can't jump, but instead of giving up, he uncomplainingly uses stools and other elevating maneuvers to get wherever he pleases. Then there are times like a couple months back, when Evan obviously rolled his hind limbs over something sharp or abrasive, and so ended up with some open sores on his underside.

Evan, never one to complain, didn't say much of anything about it. I only noticed the sores when he was snoozing with them exposed. I discovered them and felt like crying, worried that he had cut himself on a loose floorboard or some other area in the home that I neglected. Evan, on the other hand, kept on running and playing and snoozing like he never knew a bother in the world. Luckily, these sores appeared right around the time of his annual visit to the vet's office, and so of course I showed them to the vet.

I have learned over the years that Evan simply does not tolerate bandages being put on him. Nope, he does not tolerate that at all. His vet knows this, and so to help the sores heal, rather than bandage them, she gave him an injection of antibiotic and sent me home with a special cleanser.

Evan, the good boy he is, let me clean his wounds and took it like a champ. While I would look at his sores and coddle and cuddle him when they looked raw and red, he would act like they didn't even exist. Meanwhile, I found any and every area of the home that might even just possibly abrade Evan's exposed underside and fixed them or covered them up with rugs. After lots of such redecorating and wound cleansing, guess what? Evan's sore are just about all healed up now!

See? Actually, it's sort of hard to see here, as Evan curled his legs to hide that permanent bald spot he's had since kittenhood. But his sores are indeed nearly all healed up, with no rawness or bleeding to note, and that makes this momma one happy lady.

It never ceases to amaze me the strength and courage the animals around us display, especially those with special needs. I feel like I could observe these amazing creatures for my entire lifetime, and still never stop learning from them. They're just that amazing, our furbabies are.

Well, now that you got a fix of our musings on this Monday, we're wishing you all a marvelous day!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

 

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Our Tip of the Day:

I have given tips before about please considering adopting a special needs animal. They are so often passed over at shelters for being "imperfect", despite the fact that they have so much love and life to give. As I'm sure most of you know, though, before adopting a special needs animal, do consider their particular situation and whether you, your family, and your home can cater to that. Special needs come in many forms, such as in the form of various diseases, blindness, deafness, paralysis, and even behavioral conditions such as anxiety and aggression. When considering the adoption of a special needs animal, take into account your personal lifestyle, your work hours, how often you are home and and how long you might be away from home, the size and age range of your family, and even such things as the layout of your home. Some special needs might not work well with a large family or one with small children, some special needs might best thrive in the company of someone who rarely leaves home, and so on and so forth. So, while it is wonderful and compassionate to consider adopting a special needs animal, it is also not something to simply jump into without any forethought or planning. Don't worry, though, because even if you conclude that you are not reasonably able to adopt a special needs animal, that doesn't mean you can't help them! You can still donate your time, resources, or even simply some good thoughts and prayers to help a special needs animal on their journey to a forever home.

Two legs are just as good as four.

Since Evan's Mancat Monday post was sabotaged by Toby's whiskers yesterday, I told Evan that he could instead take the lead in today's post. Evan thought long and hard about what he wanted to show you all today, and he decided that he's long overdue to show off his mad skills and overall awesomeness.

For those who don't know or don't remember, Evan's hind legs are paralyzed. This is the result of a coyote attack that killed Evan's mom-cat and litter mates when he was roughly 6 weeks old, not long before I met him.

Although I try to be socially acceptable and not spew doting praises about my furbabies every second that I'm out in public, I will happily discuss them when the opportunity arises. Needless to say, I am very proud of my boy Evan and how he handles his situation in life, which is why I always just write off the sad or pitiful looks that some family and friends send my way when hearing about my paralyzed cat. I am often asked questions like, "How does he get around?", "Can he play?", "Is he happy?" I sometimes wonder what people picture when I tell them about Evan. Granted, a paralyzed cat is not something you see every day. So I can't help but wonder, do people think that Evan can only lie around all day, looking sad and pathetic, unable to get up and go like a "normal" cat?

Let me tell you, Evan can get up and go just fine. He can certainly outrun his mom when he knows she's about to give him a wash down, or when he thinks that it's his turn to get shoved into that dank cell of a PTU. The boy is like greased lightning when he wants to be. He runs, he plays, he has fun, lots and lots and lots of fun.

So, to prove this, Evan has decided to share a video of himself today. Let this mom interject for another moment, though, and admit on his behalf that Evan was a bit shy at being recorded at first and chose to stay coy and far more stationary than typical in the first part of the video. So, in case you want to fast forward to just a small example of Evan's mad skills in athleticism, he gives a demo right around the 1:20 mark. (Oh, and just a little FYI, Evan is playing with a broken off piece of an egg carton in this video. Because, well, who doesn't give their kids trash to play with?)

Certainly not something you see every day, huh? When I try to step back and watch Evan from the perspective of someone who doesn't see that every day, I think, Yeah, that must be kind of weird to witness. At the same time, though, I am so used to it that I can't even imagine Evan up and walking on four legs. Honestly, what would that even look like? I don't know, because I've never seen it. And I'm okay with that, because the Evan you saw above is the Evan I've always known. What's more, he loves life, and so all is well with me.

Can you tell I'm just a tad bit of a proud momma? Probably a little too much so. But what can I say? Evan is, after all, my shameless momma's boy.

Have a beautiful Tuesday, everybuddy!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip is simple, and also a repeat at least once over now, and that is to please consider rescuing or adopting a special needs animal at some point in your life. Special needs animals can enjoy life just as much as any other, and they also have just as much love and happiness to give. Because of the special considerations that go into their care and even because of their appearances, animals with special needs are often overlooked by people looking to adopt, and so many of these sweet and happy and loving animals never make it to a forever home. So, please don't overlook a cat or dog or any animal simply because it is "different". You never know, that three-legged or one-eyed furbaby could be your furry soul mate!

Caturday Wall Art

Last Caturday I was unable to share the next piece in my goofy series starring the furbabies in my life because, well, I simply hadn't finished it. That's not the case this time around, though. So, for this week's Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty, I'm sharing a fun yet not all that untrue drawing of my girl Eddy.

For those who don't know or don't remember, Eddy is my special needs kitten. She came to me back in July of 2015, with a head tilt and facial nerve paralysis. She still has those special little traits of hers, but she certainly doesn't let that keep her from being a happy, extremely active, tireless, bouncing-off-the-walls kind of kitty. And that's what brings me to this:

 Wishing all of our furiends a wonderful weekend!

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Our Tip of the Day:

You can get creative and make your own cheap treat-dispensing cat toy using a plastic Easter egg. All you have to do is cut a small hole in the plastic egg and then fill it with treats. This is a simple, easy, and cheap way to give your kitty a puzzle of a toy with a nice little reward inside.

Upsy Daisy

On this past Mancat Monday, I showed you how pretty my boy Evan is in pink. Remember?

And because I just can't help myself, here are a couple more shots you haven't seen yet from that pink photo shoot:

What I didn't show you on Monday, though, was how my boy made his way into that gloriously pink bed. Those of you familiar with Evan's story know that he is paralyzed in his hind legs. That means he can't just jump up onto the couch like any other cat would. But, that pink bed is on the couch, so how did Evan get up there? Well, here's a little hint:

Foot stools in my house are not just foot stools. Rather, they're strategically placed stepping stools for Evan. Evan may not be able to jump, but that doesn't mean he can't climb. His upper body strength is quite impressive, and he can pull himself up onto stools and then onto furniture like a pro.

***EDIT: I had a video here of Evan pulling himself onto a stool beside my bed. The video was only inconsistently working at best, though. Multiple of you mentioned being unable to see it, and ultimately I couldn't view it here at all, no matter what I tried. I had previously mentioned that, if need be, I would jump on the YouTube bandwagon and share videos that way. And so I have. At this exact moment I don't have access to the video I originally shared here. But, until I can get home this evening and post that video through YouTube, here are a couple of other videos of my boy Evan doing his thing:

***EDIT II: Finally, below is the short and simple video I've been trying to share with you all day. It shows Evan pulling himself up onto a stool beside my bed. Evan loves to snuggle with me at night, and this is how he climbs into bed.

(Would you look at that. I joined the 21st century and sort of figured out how to use YouTube. The only thing I need now is an actual video camera so that you all don't have to watch such grainy, low quality videos.)

Well, it's finally Friday, furiends! Are you ready for the weekend?

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip is simple and has probably already made itself evident in this post...If you have an aging, arthritic, or in some way special needs animal that is unable to jump up onto furniture, provide steps for him or her. This can be done easily by strategically placing stools, boxes, low chairs, or other similarly makeshift steps beside furniture. There are also pet steps and ramps specifically made and sold for this exact purpose. It may take some experimentation, as some animals may have pickier preferences for what types of surfaces they feel safe using as steps. But, with time and patience, you can find a system that works for your aging, arthritic, or special needs animal.

Toesies Tuesday

My boy Evan wanted to show off his special little toesies on this Tuesday.

This is a close up of the toesies on one of Evan's paralyzed hind legs. More often than not, when he moves around or sits or lies down (so, pretty much all the time), his back toesies are turned upwards as seen above. That means I get to see those cute pink paw pads all the time!

We're wishing everybuddy a happy Tuesday!

Christmas Greetings

In the unlikely case that you missed our new banner, I'll now announce that I have (finally!) finished creating our Christmas greeting to all of you pawesome blogger friends of ours. That's it there at the top of our blog. And, here it is again:

My furbabies and I want to wish everybuddy a very merry, happy, and healthy Christmas season! This blogging community is truly a blessing, thanks to all of you.

Warm wishes, purrs, and barks from all of us here at Four-Legged Furballs.

With love, Astrid, Evan, Thimble, Eddy, my sweet angel Rosie, and myself

(And, of course, Christmas wishes are also being sent to you by our extended furry family who have made appearances on our blog

Sincerely, Toby, Trapper, Talon, Gemma, and Freya)

Outtake Tuesday

I thought today was as good a day as any to share just some of the plentiful outtakes from some of the recent photo ops with my furbabies.

Astrid showing off  her derriere on our road trip back in November. And the photobomber you see in the background is my sister.

"It's right behind me, isn't it?"...Thimble wasn't sure she could trust our first snowfall to not sneak up on her.

This was more or less the beginning of the end, back when Eddy discovered she could climb the Christmas tree. The tree hasn't been the same since.

Although not the expert Eddy is, Thimble thought she'd give a shot at climbing the tree as well.

Streeetch! One of the many lovely poses Thimble blurrily gave me when I asked her to model the new cat tree.

When I asked Evan what he thought of the new cat tree, he said it was head-spinningly good.

Astrid thought she'd give Toby a hand nose up onto the cat tree with Evan.

When my boy Evan made it all the way to the top of the cat tree, he granted me this shot of his mighty feat feet.

And then Eddy wanted to give me a nice foot shot as well. She even sat still for it!

Have a great Tuesday, our blogging buddies!

Early Christmas Caturday

First of all, Evan's annual exam went well! Although scared, he was a very good boy. Of course, as expected, Evan emptied both his bladder and his bowels for the vet, but he got an A+ nonetheless.

Evan was such a good boy that I was extremely happy when my feline furbabies' early Christmas gift arrived just in time to serve as a nice little reward for my him. Their early Christmas gift is another cat tree.

Although it is for all of my kitties to enjoy, I spent hours searching online to find a cat tree that would specifically fit Evan's special needs. None of the other cat trees I've bought in the past have been able to accommodate the fact that his hind limbs are paralyzed but that he still has a strong urge to climb. It breaks my heart to see Evan watching the other cats go up and down cat trees with him stuck at the bottom. So, I researched, then researched some more, and then ended up with this dandy:

The first shelf is at a low, Evan-able height. I like the stair-step progression of the shelves. My hope was that, especially given Evan's upper body strength, he'd be able to proceed to the top using the shelves as steps.

 After assembly was complete, it took all of a few seconds before furbabies started congregating.

(Despite the contrary appearance of this picture, Thimble did not become a Manx cat. She just pulled an Eddy and didn't feel like sitting still for a picture, which apparently meant that her tail needed to look docked in this picture.)

Toby immediately claimed that top perch and stayed there for hours, and then some more hours. When hunger and other calls of nature finally called him away, though, the other kitties got their turns.

Thimble and her adorable face (not that I'm biased or anything).

A rare moment of Eddy sitting still!

 And, before long, Evan climbed to the top perch all by himself!

That's my boy!

 Evan was so proud of himself (and so was I!).

I think I was just as excited as Evan to see him finally experience the thrill of reaching the top of a cat tree. Yay, Evan!

Now of course I can't leave Astrid out of this post. So, what does the resident pup think of the cat tree?

Eh. She'll just keep watching over the Christmas tree from the comfort of her beloved couch.

Happy weekend, everybuddy!