Mouth-Watering Wednesday

Thanks to this human here, we're a bit slow to share this little review we have for you today. Just before Astrid's birthday back on February 20th, we got a wonderful package from Chewy.com. It contained an Astrid-size bag of treats for us to review!

I knew the second I saw these Bones & Chews™ beef jerky treats that Astrid would surely love them. She loves her some beef. And she also loves her some soft and chewy goodness, which is exactly what these are.

These all-natural treats are made with real beef. They are grain-free and contain no corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals, or artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

I hope I'm not leaving out any important information regarding these goodies. The package came with a nice little sheet with tidbits for us to share with you all about these treats. This here human dropped that sheet of paper on the floor, though, and failed to reach it before Thimble strolled over and upchucked her breakfast all over it. It's a glamorous life we lead over here.

The good news is that these treats had Astrid's attention from the get-go.

(Don't mind the dastardly appearance of the kitchen rug. That's what happens when you can't manage to keep the water in the sink while washing dishes.)

Now, let's go ahead and throw out there that I am indeed just about the worst ever at snapping action shots. That's probably why the only evidence I have that Astrid does indeed enjoy the Bones & Chews™ beef jerky treats is this nightmarish shot.

Astrid loves these Bones & Chews™ beef jerky treats so much that she tries to demand them. All the time. She knows where we hide the bag of them, and she'll go over to it and hop, skip, and jump in hopes we'll get the hint.


(Disclaimer: We received Bones &Chews™ beef jerky dog treats from Chewy.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own. We only review products that we believe will be of interest to our readers, and we never recommend a product that we do not believe in.)


We hope all of you friends of ours have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's National Pet Poison Awareness Month tip is one we've touched on time and time again, but it is a pretty important one. As you all certainly know, never forget that some human founds can indeed be toxic to our kitties and pups. Chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, grapes, and raisins are just some of the foods that could lead to extremely dangerous or even fatal consequences if ingested. Also don't forget about the sweetener known as xylitol. This can often be found in sugar-free gums and candies, but also in various other foods, drinks, and even medicines, supplements, and toothpaste. This sneaky ingredient is indeed toxic, especially to dogs.

Though symptoms of toxicity can vary based on what human food our furbaby ate, and how much, signs can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty walking, or any other number of concerning manifestations. If you know or think your furbaby might have eaten a toxic food, do not hesitate to seek veterinary assistance. Just as with any poison, removing the toxins from the body and treating the patient in a timely manner can be a matter of life or death. To prevent such emergencies, avoid feeding your furbaby any and all foods that you are not absolutely certain are safe.

A Terrifying Toesies Tuesday

Hello, friends! Today we have a Toesies Tuesday sort of deal going on, but it's a bit, well, terrifying. You see, the other day, this here human wanted to make some potatoes. That decision was immediately regretted, though, when this came out of that bag of spuds.

Does that look like some sort of clawed monstrosity to all of you? It does to this here human. Perhaps this human is just imagining things, though. Or, maybe Cthulhu crawled right on out of that potato sack.

Don't worry, though. I had backup.

The furry investigators came in and surveyed the scene. They deemed it safe. The possessed potato was therefore cooked up and eaten. It tasted surprisingly non-evil.

Now, though, we need ourselves some legitimate toesies around here.

Whew. There. That's much better.

Have a terrific Tuesday, friends!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

 

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Our Tip of the Day:

Next up in our National Pet Poison Awareness Month series of tips is a quick discussion on rodenticides. These chemicals, meant to kill mice, rats, and other rodents, are dangerous all around. Depending on the type of poison, rodenticides can cause any number of potentially fatal side effects, such as internal bleeding or acute kidney failure. Ingesting the rodenticide itself is of course one way in which your furbaby can be poisoned. In addition to this, though, if a rodent ingests the rodenticide or walks through it, and then your furbaby gets a hold of that rodent, the poison can also pass into your furbaby's system this way.

Therefore, to be safe, simply try to avoid the use of rodenticides completely. If rodenticides are being stored or used in your home, garage, garden, or other areas, though, absolutely ensure that your cat or dog cannot reach them. Also monitor your furbabies if you think rodents are in your house and a rodenticide is being used, to ensure your cat or dog does not catch or eat a rodent that has been poisoned. Severe side effects can result from rodenticides, for both the rodents, your furbabies, and even wildlife. So, please do all that you can to avoid their use.

Mancat Monday Motivation

In his selfies yesterday, Evan gave you a preview of his love for his new kitty bed. As we mentioned, there actually is a story behind this new beloved bed of Evan's.

This new bed most often sits in the kitchen. In fact, that picture up there was taken in the kitchen. Why, though, was this new bed of Evan's bought for the kitchen, of all rooms? Because, lately, Evan has gotten into the habit of making beds out of the kitchen hand towels. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, because I love to bake and cook. Being a proper momma's boy, Evan always wants to be in the kitchen with me. When he recently realized that he'd like to be more cozy while hanging out in the kitchen, Evan started pulling the towels off of the oven and fridge and then turning them into beds. I took that as a hint and bought Evan a bed for the kitchen. And he loves it.

Evan wants to know if there is a strange place any of his furry friends like having a bed? Do any of you have kitchen beds?

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Now, of course, we're participating in the Sparks blog hop.

This inspiring hop is hosted by Annie of McGuffy's Reader, and is meant to give us a way to share positive thoughts in this often negative world. And so, here is our motivational thought of the day:

"It doesn't matter what's been written in your story so far.

It's how you fill up the rest of the pages that counts."

We hope everyone's Monday is filled with all sorts of magnificence and motivation!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday, we discussed being aware of your furbaby's safety around potentially hazardous plants. Today, as yet another tip for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're giving a reminder to also be careful of other dangers that might come with those plants. When outside with your pup or kitty, always be cognizant of the fact that some areas may have been treated with fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides. Depending on their ingredients, such garden substances can potentially affect the intestinal tract, respiratory system, the mucosal membranes of the eyes and nose, or the skin. So, try to avoid using such garden treatments in your yard and around your home, or ensure that any treated areas are kept off limits to your pups and kitties. Also be careful when you are away from home and in areas with which you are not familiar, including strangers' yards and public parks, as you do not know what types of plant or lawn treatments may have been used in such places.

In addition, if you do use any form of fertilizer, weed killer, or pesticide, always be cautious where you store it. Make sure that it is in an areas that your furbaby cannot reach. And yet another consideration to make is the possibility of your furbaby or yourself unknowingly walking through a treated area while outside. Therefore, after a stroll outside, you might consider wiping off your furbaby's paws, as well as your shoes, to ensure that nothing unknown is left lingering and entering the home. We can't say it enough times—it's better to be safe than sorry!

Sleepy Sunday Selfies

Happy Sunday, friends! We are of course participating in the spectacular Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by our Kitties Blue pals over at The Cat on My Head.

Can you guess which furbaby around here snapped a selfie or two for the occasion? Can you? We'll give you a hint. It's an orange boy. Oh, did that give it away?

That's right. Mancat Evan snapped some selfies for today.

These selfies were taken in one of Evan's new favorite things—his new bed! He will be sharing more about it tomorrow. After all, there is a story behind it, of course. For now, though, we hope you enjoy Evan's sleepy selfies in his new bed!

Wishing you all a happy day!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Spring is just around the corner, and that means blooms and blossoms are starting to make appearances. As beautiful as it is, though, don't forget that this season can also come with dangers. That's why today's tip for National Pet Poison Awareness Month is to keep in mind that some of the plants blooming this time of year can indeed be poisonous to your pups and kitties. These include, but are not limited to, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, azaleas, and lilies. Of course, there are plants that bloom during other parts of the year that are also toxic, so be aware of this year-round.

Try to keep your furbaby from chomping on any questionable plants, keeping an especially close eye when out on walks or in unfamiliar areas. In your own yard, block off your furbaby's access to areas that contain plants, in order to avoid the ingestion of an potentially toxic ones. If you think your furbaby might have snacked on a dangerous plant or begins displaying signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, or lethargy, seek veterinary assistance immediately. The beauties of Spring can indeed bring their fair share of dangers, so always be aware of your furbaby's safety around the plants that are blooming.

Whimsy Reads on Caturday

Sometimes, I get myself stuck in bit of a groove when it comes to doodling. I'll feel like drawing a particular subject matter, and then that's all I want to draw. Right now, that subject matter is still all about books.

I was going for a whimsical feel on this one, but I'm thinking it came out a bit more wild and crazy. Regardless, I cannot take credit for the full idea of this one. I saw an image similar to this on Pinterest, and thought it looked fun to draw. After all, I love books and all things whimsical, so I decided to give it a shot. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without a kitty snuck in there.

That there doodle is of course our entry into Athena's weekly, fun, and fantastic Caturday Art blog hop. Be sure to pay Athena a visit!

Happy Caturday to all!

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Our Tip of the Day:

And so continue our tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month. We've mentioned before the benefits of having a first aid kit for your furbaby. What's more, a first aid kit would do well to take the potential for poisoning into consideration. For example, it could be beneficial to have 3% hydrogen peroxide as part of a pet first aid kit, as this can be used to induce vomiting, most commonly in dogs. For poisons that involve skin contact, dish soap could potentially be used to help remove the offending agent, and so even that could be included in a pet first aid kit.

All of the above being said, though, it is most wise to never try to treat a poisoned cat or dog without first contacting a veterinarian. This is because, depending on the type of toxic substance involved in a poison event, and even sometimes depending on the particular animal's overall health status, certain treatments could do more harm than good. For example, if your furbaby ingested a corrosive agent, inducing vomiting could cause even more damage. For reasons such as these, always contact a veterinarian immediately when poisoning is known or suspected. A veterinarian can inform you if or what first aid you can perform, and you can then use items from your pet first aid kit to offer immediate care as recommended. Of course, getting your furbaby to a veterinarian in an emergency is still crucial! But, first aid treatment can certainly help stall or treat the effects of a toxicity.

A Very Seussy Friday

Hello and hi!

Greetings are far better than goodbyes.

That is why we want to welcome you all,

To join us in having a bit of a ball.

Today is a most wonderful day.

Today, there is no time for skies that are grey.

No, no, most certainly not.

Today, joy and fun are all that is sought.

Oh, what is so special about this day, you ask?

Our apologies, the reason is one we did not mean to mask.

Let us go right ahead and cut to the chase.

Let's see if we can say this with a straight face.

Abracadabra!

Oh, look at us babble.

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!

Oh dear, that won't do.

Rewind and let's try again.

Now, where were we supposed to begin?

Oh, phooey!

This rhyme has gone all screwy.

We give up.

We just don't have the touch.

That's why we leave these things to Dr. Seuss.

Oh me, oh my, we've been so obtuse.

That's exactly what we were trying to say!

That today is none other than Dr. Seuss Day!

There, we did it.

Now we're all out of wit.

We'll leave the rest to the master himself.

So go on over there to that bookshelf.

Pick yourself a Dr. Seuss rhyme,

And then you're sure to have a grand ol' time.

As for us,

Our brains are now throwing a bit of a fuss.

All this rhyming has our screws all loose.

All we have left to say is, Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

***

Despite that last line, we really do have more to say. Because now it's time for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge!

This fun challenge is of course hosted by Ellen of 15andmeowing and Annie of McGuffy's Reader. Each week, our hosts give us four statements to fill-in, and here are this week's fun and festive ones:

1. My favorite Dr. Seuss book is _________.

2. The most interesting person I have ever met is _________.

3. Besides books by Dr. Seuss, my favorite book as a child was _________.

4. Lately, I have been working on _________.

I at least had fun answering them.

1. My favorite Dr. Seuss book is The Cat in the Hat.

(Because cats, of course! That being said, growing up I also especially liked One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, as well as Green Eggs and Ham and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)

2. The most interesting person I have ever met is my great-grandmother.

(Though she passed away a few years ago, I will never forget the firecracker of a woman who was my paternal great-grandma. To be honest, she always reminded me of Queen Elizabeth II, both in looks and demeanor. She always spoke her mind and told everything exactly like it was. I really admired her, and still do.)

3. Besides books by Dr. Seuss, my favorite book as a child was The Hobbit.

(Our regular readers have probably heard this so many times, but I'm again going to share how my dad used to read The Hobbit, and countless other fun and fanciful books, to my sister and me before we could even read. One of my earliest memories is imaging scenes in The Hobbit as my dad read it to me. Honestly, it is so hard to choose a favorite book, because so many books brought me great joy as a child, and so many books still bring me joy today.)

4. Lately, I have been working on some personal writing projects.

(I believe I mentioned some time ago how I have always loved writing, especially creative writing and writing all sorts of random, fanciful stories. To be honest, one of my life goals is to write and illustrate some stories and books of my own. So, I've been working toward that goal.)

***

Next up? Eddy, of course!

Eddy thought you might like a shot of her whiskers. so there you go.

Happy Dr. Seuss Friday, friends!!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday, as part of National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we mentioned the importance of having solid plans for taking your furbaby to a local veterinary clinic in the event that they are exposed to a poisonous substance. Along these same lines, also don't forget about the ASPCA Poison Control Center, which you can call 24/7. The phone number is 888-426-4435. This is an option in perhaps a bit less dire circumstances, when it is more likely that immediate medical attention is not needed. The ASPCA Poison Control Center can help you determine, for example, if the amount of chocolate your dog ate or if the pill of your human medication that your cat swallowed is something that might warrant a rush trip to the vet. Though, they can also potentially recommend treatments or at-home first aid tips in the case of poison exposure. There is the chance that you will be charged a consultation fee, roughly $65 as indicated on their website. But, should you need professional poison control advice immediately, that number might very well be a good one to call.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Happy Thursday! Happy March! Happy day to all!

We'll start this lovely day off with the Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, hosted by the handsome mancats known as Angel Sammy and Teddy.

Each week, our hosts share with us a photo prompt to get our creative rhyming juices flowing. For this week's poem, they shared this gorgeous photo:

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought of some wonderful angels over at the Rainbow Bridge when I first saw this photo. I even tried to write a poem based on that heavenly image. But, the result was just not working for me, if I'm to be honest. I ended up feeling a bit down trying to write a poem on that topic, so I stepped back and tried something different altogether.

While I really wanted to go for something far more profound for the beautiful photo above, that's admittedly not what I ended up with. My second attempt at a poem this week began with the bridge in that photo. Ever since I was a little girl, whenever I see a bridge, I always think of fairy tales and whimsical stories that tell of trolls who guard their bridges. One such story I always remember is the fairy tale known as "Three Billy Goats Gruff". Who else knows this one?

Anyway, long story short, I decided I'd try my hand at creating a retelling of the goats' tale. The poem below is the result.

Three Tomcats Tough

The cats of Cat Island avoided Troll Bridge like the plague.

That is, until Spring left them no other way.

But what's so bad about Troll Bridge, you ask?

The troll, of course, who made crossing a task.

 There were three total bridges that led to the mainland.

That is, until Spring on Cat Island began.

When it rained and rained with no end in sight,

The bridge situation became quite a fright.

The two other bridges disappeared beneath the floods,

 Leaving Troll Bridge the only one to use above.

Most cats of Cat Island refused to travel abroad in the Spring,

For traveling Troll Bridge was simply not worth the sting.

But there were three very brave brothers on that Cat Island,

Who refused to remain landlocked or the least bit frightened.

One one fine sunny Spring day,
The three brothers decided to be on their way.
Their names were Tommy, Tommy Two, and Tommy Three,
And for their day out they were as excited as could be.
But then they reached the one and only Troll Bridge,
And it was there that trouble brewed more than just a smidge.

Tommy Three was the youngest of the bunch,
And with him he had brought sardines for his lunch.
It was Tommy Three who reached Troll Bridge first,
And the butterflies inside him were the worst of the worst.

Tommy Three tiptoed and made not even a peep,
Yet still out jumped the troll with a bloodcurdling shriek.
It was big, gross, and ugly, this brute of a troll.
It looked and acted as if he had not even an ounce of a soul.

The troll gurgled and spluttered and roared at Tommy Three.
Then it pointed at his little tin filled with sardines,

And demanded he hand them over with words meaner than mean.
Frightened and unsure what else to do,
Tommy Three tossed the troll his very own lunch food.
While the troll scarfed down the fish with buckets of drool,
Tommy Three ran and left behind that beast ever so cruel.

Not long after that came Tommy Two.
Of the peevish troll he most certainly knew.
He checked left and he checked right,
And was happy to see no sour old troll in sight.

But the peace and quiet was quite short-lived,
For the troll suddenly jumped out from where he hid.
The troll demanded that Tommy Two give him some food,
With manners that were nothing if not rude.

Tommy Two had no food or anything such,
And he quickly told the gnarly troll just as much.
Unhappy to hear this news,
The troll grabbed Tommy Two by his shoes.
He flung and shook poor Tommy Two this way and that,
So that onto the bridge his money and coins did splat.

When the troll became distracted by a shiny penny,
Tommy Two did run off in a hurried frenzy.
Tommy Two had been saving that money for lunch at a seafood joint,
And seeing his money go to waste did Tommy Two disappoint.
But, turning back now was simply not worth the trouble,
For with the troll he most certainly did not want to tussle.

Last came the oldest and biggest Tommy,
Who approached the bridge while eating his breakfast of salami.
The troll sniffed that out with ease,
And jumped out at Tommy with a blubbering wheeze.
"Give me the grub!" the troll bellowed.
Compared to the troll, Tommy was but a tiny little fellow.
Nevertheless, he looked the troll dead in the eye,
Telling him, "You are a loathsome bully of a guy."

Words meant nothing to the troll.
He only had his eyes set on his goal.
For now that was the salami on which Tommy munched.
The troll wanted it for his eleventh brunch.

The troll demanded the food yet again,
Using words that were certainly meant to offend.
With a sigh and a shrug,
Tommy held out the salami to the thug.

The troll clambered over for his prize,
Not knowing that Tommy was really quite wise.
Tommy quickly pulled out his favorite ball of yarn,
Which he always carried with him as a lucky charm.

Around the troll's wrists Tommy did wrap the yarn,
And then continued binding up those chubby arms.
Before the troll knew it,
He could not move even a bit.
The yarn was around his arms, legs, and even his tummy.
He looked rather like a grumpy old mummy.

Without further ado, Tommy called on the authorities,
So that they could do with the troll what they pleased.
After all, Tommy did not suffer a bully,
For such injustice made him feel fury.

After that, the Troll Bridge belonged to the troll no more.
The Tommys easily passed from shore to shore.
And so Tommy, Tommy Two, and Tommy Three went on their way,
And the troll was a bother to no one after that day.
The cats of Cat Island could not thank the Tommys enough,
For being bold and brave and three tomcats tough.

***

Hello, friends! It's me, Thimble! I told my mom I get to do the rest of this post, so here I am! Just as my fursibs have done over the past couple of days, I am now going to share with you all 18 facts about myself. This all started with our pal CK, who recently shared these 18 facts about herself. Thanks for giving us such fun ideas, CK!

So, if you want to know more about cute little me, read on!

1. Favorite smell – Catnip!

2. Last time I hissed – The only time I ever hiss is when Eddy and I have hissing contests. My mom always tells us we need to learn to play nicer, but I find our games purrfectly fun.

3. Favorite pizza – None, please. The only human food I like is ham baby food. And flour.

4. Favorite flower – Catnip! I love getting high. Wait, have I said too much?

5. Favorite dog breed – Astrid! I love to lick her ears. Then again, I also love to lick human ears. I have a thing for ears.

6. Favorite ice cream – No, thank you. I'll just stick to my ham baby food.

7. Pet peeve – When any of my fursibs try to interrupt me and Mommy's cuddle sessions. I always cry and slap them away. Mommy is all mine at cuddle time.

8. Shorts or jeans – No way. I wouldn't want to hide my cute little tushie.

9. Color of your PTU – pink

10. Color of your eyes – green

11. Favorite food – Can you guess? Ham baby food!

12. Least favorite food – Pretty much any and all human food, besides ham baby food, of course. And flour. I don't see what's so great about other human food. Yuck.

13. Favorite holiday – Christmas is fun. This past Christmas was the first one in which I took lessons from Eddy on climbing the Christmas tree. Mommy says I don't quite have the finesse Eddy has, but she also speaks nonsense most of the time.

14. Night owl or morning person – Both. I like to roam the halls at all hours.

15. Favorite day of the week – Mommy is usually home on weekends, so that makes them the best.

16. Do you have a nickname? Lots! Mommy is always calling me Baby, Baby Girl, Baby Doll, Baby Face, and Little Lady. Another favorite of mine is Cuddlebug, Bug for short. Want to know a weird one? Mommy calls me Thimbly Wimbly Woo. She even has a song to go with this one. I was curious and asked Mommy, and she said the song goes to the same tune as "Willoughby Wallaby Woo", for any humans who might know that one.

17. Favorite music – Remember that song I mentioned my mommy singing to me in #16? I get really excited every time I hear her sing it.

18. Tattoos – I think I'll leave you guessing on this one.


Now, don't worry. I won't leave you without a picture of my adorable face. Here you go.

Oh, and of course I didn't forget about Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

I am thankful for so many things, like my mommy, my fursibs, my home, my ham baby food, catnip, and of course all of you friends of ours! All of us here are so grateful for all of you.

Wishing you a happy day, friends!

Purrs,
Thimble

***

One Tip of the Day:
March is Pet Poison Awareness Month, which means we're of course going to be giving some tips relating to this over the next couple of weeks. To begin, though, today's tip is a simple one. For today, we just want to remind you to always have a plan for an emergency, of course including your furbaby ingesting some form of toxic material. This could be chocolate, a poisonous plant, human medication, or even an item such as a battery. Being prepared would include knowing where to take your furbaby, as quickly as possible, in the event that they consume anything poisonous. For example, if the trip to your regular veterinarian is not a quick drive, then perhaps have another backup clinic in mind, one that is closer, in the event that you need to get your furbaby help in a very timely manner.

Along this same line of thought, also make sure you know the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, especially for evenings, weekends, and holidays. Have the phone number and address of said clinic handy, such as on your refrigerator. What's more, we may not always think of this, but also try to be knowledgeable of how to get to any clinic you might need, before you might need to get there in a pinch. If need be, bookmark or print out directions to nearby clinics and keep them somewhere accessible. This way, should your furbaby get into anything poisonous, you can hop in the car and get help without delay. As we always say, it's better to be safe than sorry.