Cozy Mancat Monday

What do you do when it's cold outside and the ground is all covered in white stuff?

You stay inside and get cozy!

Indeed, that's what Evan's plan is today. He'll be staying on his favorite fleece blanket, curled up and snoozing away. Evan hopes you're all staying cozy today, too!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday's winter tip was to avoid using typical salt, or ice melt, for the sake of the health of your furbaby and their paws. One thing we failed to mention, and that is therefore today's tip, is to take precautions in the event that neighbors' or others' use of salt might affect your kitty or pup. In the event that your furbaby goes on winter walks in areas where salt is used, wipe their paws off when you get home in order to remove as much of the salt or other chemicals as possible. Even if your furbaby does not go outdoors, there is still a chance they can be exposed to salt or other potentially dangerous chemicals, such as by way of your shoes. To help prevent injury or illness due to exposure to or ingestion of salt in this manner, remove your shoes when you get home, or at the very least thoroughly wipe them off. In addition to this, vacuum regularly in order to keep salt and other debris from entering your home, or from trailing through your house. Ice melts can pose health risks to kitties and pups, so avoid their use, but also realize and prevent against the dangers they can pose if they are used by others and out of your control.

Selfies in a Snowstorm

Trying to get a distracted, excitable kitten to sit still and snap a selfie is like pulling teeth. I asked Tonks to star in a selfie today, and after more attempts than I'd like to admit, this bright and shiny and tilted and downright sad little selfie is all Tonks and I could manage.

Actually, we managed one more selfie that has not been fully demoted to the status of blooper. This other shot, as you'll see below, suffered greatly from my terrible, improper use of backlighting. Ready for some serious misuse of lighting?

Though my lack of talent in photography is largely at fault, there is one other reason why it was so tough to snap a selfie that was not bright and shiny and all shades of low quality. Though you can't tell from the images above, something very dazzling and distracting was happening outside. Indeed, this is what was happening on the other side of that door behind Tonks.

This is the first significant snowfall Tonks and her sister Winky have witnessed. And they sure were mesmerized by it. Those white flakes falling from the sky had them in all sorts of awe, and Tonks was going from window to window watching them fall. Come to think of it, perhaps I should have stopped chasing around the excited kitten and instead had a snoozing Evan or Thimble snap a selfie.I It's too late now, though, so you all get to enjoy the winning shots above.

Warm wishes to all of you!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

To the best of my knowledge, this here is the last doodle in our series inspired by instrumental piece known as "Wizards in Winter", by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

We could easily build a snowkitty today, given how much snow we got yesterday. Perhaps we should do that. Pup Astrid actually enjoys playing in snow, and she also loves kitties, so I'm thinking she'd be up for it.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip can relate to our own furbabies, as well as ferals, strays, and other animals who live outdoors. When ice comes into play during the winter months, be very cautious when using salt, or ice melt. Most traditional salts on the market contain ingredients that can be toxic and can irritate cats' and dogs' paw pads. Irritation can also occur in the mouth, as well as in the intestinal tract, which is a concern if the animal directly ingests the salt or licks it off of their paws after walking through it. So, for the sake of your furbabies as well as ferals and other outdoor animals, avoid using typical ice melts. Instead, do your research, or ask your veterinarian, for recommendations on pet-safe ice melts. There are some ice melts on the market that are far more safe than typical salt used for melting ice, but even some labeled as pet-friendly can still contain ingredients that might be questionable. For this reason, it is always important to do your research. You can also opt for other alternatives, such as tossing some sand or other other similar, safe substrate on top of ice that forms in the winter. Sand and other such materials can allow for better traction and reduced slippage on ice, while avoiding chemicals included in many ice melts.

Winter Whimsy

If you have visited us over the past couple of days, you might remember that I've been scribbling up some doodles inspired by one of my favorite instrumental songs, that being "Wizards in Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Today, perhaps unsurprisingly, I have yet another doodle in this wintry, whimsical series. This one stars a wizard performing a bit of sparkly magic with the help of his little assistant.

We hope you all have a magical, marvelous day!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip relating to the care of ferals and other outdoor cats is to be aware of where you store potentially dangerous products. Antifreeze, for example, is toxic to cats and dogs, as you all certainly know. Make sure that you are not only storing such products well out of the reach of your own indoor kitties and pups, but also well out of the reach of ferals, strays, and even wildlife. Even if you have it in the garage or shed, do consider keeping it tucked well away, such as in a cabinet, so that nothing can reach it. Especially if you have your garage or shed door open at times, there is the chance that a cat or wild animal will be able to make their way inside and thereby have access to any products that are not hidden away. Also keep this in mind with pesticides, fertilizers, cleaners, oil, and other potentially dangerous products. Think of whether even an unsuspecting outdoor visitor might make their way into your garage, shed, or other storage area, and hide away anything concerning or questionable just in case.

Friendly Fill-Ins

It's Friday! Do you know what means? The weekend! Do you know what else Friday means? The Friendly Fill-Ins! In case you missed them yesterday, I'll share the fill-in statements again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. Better to be _________ than _________.

2. Don't _________ just because _________.

3. You couldn't pay me to _________.

4. _________ is my comfort food.


Here's how I filled in the fill-ins!

1. Better to be kind than to be right.
(I certainly didn't coin this phrase, as I've heard it before and completely agree. I've known and met people who would do anything they can to prove themselves right, even at the expense of others and others' feelings. I don't think this is worth it. Life is too short to spend it trying to prove yourself right at any cost.)

2. Don't fit a mold just because others do.
(The world would be such a bland place if everyone fit into the same mold. One of my pet peeves—or perhaps non-pet peeves—is when a huge population of the world thinks they all have to wear the same style of clothes or hair, or own the same size of house or car, or sport the same fancy phone, or anything of that sort, in order to fit in. Who cares what others are doing or how they're living their lives? You only have one life to live, so you might as well make it your own. I think Oscar Wilde knew exactly what he was talking about when he said, "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Can you tell that I'm very passionate about this topic?)

3. You couldn't pay me to abandon one of my furbabies.
(Though I don't know other people's circumstances or life happenings, it will always boggle my mind when I hear of someone taking their pet to a shelter to surrender it, or just outright abandoning their kitty or pup. I have been hearing more and more sad and sickening stories of people abandoning or surrendering cats and dogs. Why? How? There is no sum of money, and no life circumstance, that would even make me consider voluntarily or in my right mind abandoning my furry babies. Can you tell this is another topic about which I am very passionate? I'm certain I'm not the only here who is.)

4. Chocolate is my comfort food.
(Need I say more? Then again, there's also peanut butter and caramel.)

Now it's your turn!

To add your link to the Friendly Fill-Ins Linky list, just click HERE!

You can also click on the badge below to add your link.

You are also welcome to complete the fill-ins in the comments below,

or in the comments on Ellen's blog, 15andmeowing.

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Are you ready for your Eddy fix?

Though the lighting and overall quality of these images aren't anything to write home about, I still love these pictures of Eddy. I don't often have my camera at the ready when Eddy pins my legs down when cuddling in bed, but the other night I did, and so I snapped these photos of her resting while holding me hostage. I love when Eddy wants to cuddle.

Though skittish and afraid of essentially every human being, general living creature, loud noise, and all that jazz, Eddy is a huge momma's girl. I don't know how normal or abnormal of a statement this is to make, but there's something incredibly honoring about being the single most important thing in an animal's life. Perhaps because I am the only human being that Eddy likes, I feel she and I have a very special bond.

We hope you all have a Friday filled with fun, friends, and family!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

The other day we started sharing doodles in a series inspired by one of my favorite instrumental Christmas/winter songs, that being "Wizards in Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Here is the newest installment:

We had ourselves an unseasonable 60°F Christmas Day. Now, this weekend, we're finally expecting some snow. This doodle seemed more or less accurate for the occasion.

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Our Tip of the Day:

We are continuing our tips relating to ferals and other outdoor cats in the cold winter months. Today's tip is a more general one, and relates to the fact that animals seek out warm places to sleep when it is cold outside. For example, cats and kittens, and other small animals, might climb up under the hood of a car that has recently been driven, since the engine will be warm. For this reason, especially when it is cold outside, honk, clap, or tap on your car's hood before starting it. This will give a warning to any animals who might have sought shelter there, and will give them time to find safety elsewhere. It is of course perfectly possible that no animals will be sleeping under the hood of your car, but in case a cat or other animal is, making noise before you start your will help ensure that they get out of harm's way.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Welcome to another Thursday, friends! If you visit us regularly, you probably know where this post is going. As always, we're starting with a bit of rhyming.

Every Thursday, we enjoy participating in Angel Sammy and Teddy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge. And, every Thursday, our hosts offer us a photo prompt to guide us on our poetic endeavors. The image for this week is this intriguing one here:

This is probably one of the images that I struggled with the most. Sometimes, when I see a photo prompt, my mind goes wild and gets multiple ideas at once. When I saw this one, though, it drew a blank. I did recognize that squirrel, as, if I'm right, I believe it's meant to be the squirrel from the animated Ice Age movies. Even after I made that realization, though, I still struggled to think up any semblance of a story to go with it. Ultimately, after quite some time, a vague idea inspired by none other than a fairy tale popped into my head, and so I ran with it.

The Squirrel and the Girl

Huey was a prince like any other prince.

He thought his name and gold could get him out of any pinch.

That's why he thought he could taunt that little old witch,

Who lived down the road from his castle in Ipswich.

Her name was Margaret, that witch down the street,

And tending her garden was her own little treat.
That's perhaps why she battled squirrels so fiercely.
Losing plants to those rodents made her stomp, fume, and scream.

It was not just bushy-tailed rodents the witch did combat,
But also young hooligans whom she oft told to scat.
The witch's house was old and small,
The witch herself a tad bit crabby, and not very tall.
Perhaps that made her seem like an easy target,
Perhaps that's why the hooligans picked on old Margaret.

Huey the prince was indeed one such hooligan,
Even though he had already surpassed the age of ten.
It was one dark and stormy night,
When Huey tiptoed to the witch's house, staying out of sight.

Other hooligans had already pulled pranks of all kinds,
And Huey wanted to trick the witch with something fresh from his mind.
Much to Huey's delight,
He had an idea he thought quite bright.

Rounding the witch's house in the nighttime shadows,
Huey found himself where the witch's garden did grow.
Yes, indeed, Huey knew exactly what prank he would pull.
Soon, the witch's garden would go to empty from full.

Huey yanked from the garden this plant and that one.
He did not know the names of any of the plants, no, none.
Long before Huey considered himself done,
He was interrupted by a certain someone.

"Get out of my garden, you lout!"
That was what the approaching witch did shout.
The old woman named Margaret was clearly angry at best.
Huey should probably get out of there, he guessed.

But first the witch did shout,
Her voice quite a grating sound,
"If you're going to act like a sneaky squirrel,
Then, here, let's give this a whirl!"
Margaret the witch pulled out a wand and waved it around,
And suddenly Huey was very close to the ground.

When he looked down to see his hands,
Huey saw that it was on furry feet that he did stand.
Good grief, the witch turned him into a squirrel!
Huey thought he might up and hurl.

The witch laughed and threw back her head,
And when she finally stopped, she said,
"You will forever be this filthy squirrel,
Unless you somehow make friends with even a single boy or girl.
Good luck, because no one likes a rotten squirrel."
Then the witch disappeared in a swirl.

Huey, now a squirrel, at first panicked a bit.
What was he going to do with a situation like this?
Finally, he scurried his way back to his castle,
Where the guards treated him like he was a hassle.
They even rudely chased him off with a paddle.

Next, Huey tried a visit with his royal friends,
But even they only laughed, shooed him, and away he was sent.
It would seem that, now a squirrel,
Huey was a respected prince no more.

That prompted Huey to travel back to the witch's little home.
After all, he was welcome nowhere else he roamed.
Huey hoped he could beg and plead for his freedom,
But the witch would not even open her door to see him.

Huey hung his furry head and moseyed about,
And then heard, "Is this what it looks like when a squirrel pouts?"
The words had been spoken by a little girl,
Who lived by the witch, just next door.
Like the witch's little shack,
The girl's home was small and a bit out of whack.

To Huey the squirrel, the girl continued to speak.
"Are you sad, or is it food that you seek?
If you like them, you can have some of my leeks."
From the bowl in her hands the girl withdrew a serving,
And Huey realized that, in his stomach, hunger was indeed lurking.

That day, the girl shared with Huey every one of her meals,
Which included turnips, asparagus, and even some eel.
The girl even offered Huey a place to sleep,
In a tiny little barn where his roommates were sheep.

For more mornings and nights than Huey could remember,
From October and all the way to December,
The little girl offered Huey kindness, food, and shelter.
That really was all quite swell,
But Huey had to admit he had much more to say to the girl,
If only squirrels had far more functioning vocal cords.

Though Huey was still in the form of a squirrel,
He was grateful for all that he had, thanks to the girl.
She was the only one who gave him the time of day.
She was the only one who threw any assistance his way.
Her life was simple and her home small,
But her compassion was big, grand, and tall.

It was on one bright and shiny morn,
When the girl came out eating a bowl full of corn.
She had a separate bowl out of which Huey could eat,
And he found the meal perfectly savory and sweet.

The girl then drew out a book and opened it up,
At the same time offering Huey a sip of milk from a cup.
She headed over to her old swing that hung from an equally old tree,
And hopped up in order to take a seat.

As always, she asked Huey the squirrel to join her as she read.
"A good story is best enjoyed with one's very best friend."
Those were the very words that the girl did say,
And just like that, the witch's curse went away.
Thanks to the girl next door making him her friend,
Huey's days as a squirrel had come to an end.

Huey, believe it or not, had indeed learned his lesson.
The prince no longer spent his days wreaking havoc or causing tension.
He was a changed person by then,
And with the witch he even made amends.

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Some of you can probably guess what's coming up next, because it's the same as what you see next on every Thursday. It's Thimble!

Can you tell what Thimble is thankful for today? Toys and catnip, that's what Thimble is thankful for! This girl is the prime nip fiend around here.

Unfortunately, though, sometimes other kitties smell the goods and show up for the party.

Just look at those kittens, edging in on Thimble's loot. Don't worry, though, because there's plenty more paraphernalia where that came from. Thimble got plenty of nip refills, to make up for what those blurry kittens stole from her stash.

While Thimble is thankful for her toys and nip, all of us here are also grateful for so many other wonderful blessings in our life. We are especially thankful for all of the wonderful human and furry friends we have in all of you.

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Last but not least, we are here to share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. Better to be _________ than _________.

2. Don't _________ just because _________.

3. You couldn't pay me to _________.

4. _________ is my comfort food.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Today's tip on caring for ferals and other outdoor cats is to perhaps consider offering them toys, such as inside a shelter you've set up for them. Cats are cats, and even feral cats often have a healthy instinct to play. Pick toys that will not scare them, and toys that will not make them fear being heard by predators. For example, perhaps avoid toys that jingle, squeak, or that make other loud noises. What's more, when picking out toys for them, also pick those that can be easily cleaned. Pick toys that are plastic and can be soaked and washed if dirty, or toys made of fabric that is able to be easily and thoroughly washed. Even ferals and other outdoor cats often have a desire to play, so perhaps do consider offering them toys that safely allow them to do so.

Wednesday Tattle Time

Pup Astrid is willing to share some bordering on blurry photos of herself in order to tattle.

Can you all guess where Astrid went the other day? Can you? Well, can you?

The answer is the dreadful V-E-T. Astrid had to go to the V-E-T, and she even had to do so while wearing her Christmas sweater. Can you believe that? The horror!

Indeed, pup Astrid was taken to the vet's office the other day. Not too long ago, we found on Astrid's leg what we were pretty sure was just a plain and simple skin tag. On any other dog, I wouldn't have thought much of it and probably would have just shown it to the vet during her upcoming annual exam in a couple of months. I've seen skin tags, and this thing on her leg looks and feels just like a skin tag. However, Astrid had a cancerous growth removed from her foot just over a year ago, as many of you might remember, and this new little growth is on that exact same leg. So, we scheduled to have it looked at.

Can you guess what it is on her leg, friends? Well, can you? It's a skin tag! Indeed, we took Astrid in for a skin tag, and I'm totally fine with that. Whenever a new growth is found on this girl, we have it looked at by the vet, because we aren't risking anything with this pup of a cancer survivor.

Astrid and all of us here wish you a wonderful Wednesday that's free of the V-E-T!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

We hinted yesterday that we're going to do a sort of magical, whimsical series of winter doodles. To start, I've been scribbling up some doodles inspired by one of my favorite instrumental Christmas/winter songs, and that is "Wizards in Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I'll be honest, as you'll see below, the first doodle I created with this song in mind is indeed rather Christmasy in nature. I couldn't help myself. The rest will be more general in their wintry subject matter, but this one just sort of got out of my control and ended up as a Christmas scene. Anyway, here it is:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yet another tip related to outdoor cat shelters is to ensure that the shelter is heavy enough to stay put, such as in heavy winds. Shelters made out of wood or other heavy material will of course be more likely to stay put in high winds. If you have a makeshift or any form of lightweight shelter, such as one made from plastic or Sytrofoam, do consider placing something heavy, yet also safe and secure, on top of it. This could be a sheet of plywood, or anything similar that can safely and securely weigh down a lightweight shelter. In some instances, you also might be able to find ways to tether, bolt, or in some way secure a shelter in place. The weight of an outdoor cat shelter is yet another factor to keep in mind when caring for ferals, so take this into consideration and ensure that any shelter you put out is one that will not blow away in the event of a stormy or windy day.

TV Time Tuesday

Do you know how we just the other day said that, though it pains us, we are more or less finished with our Christmas posts? Well, guess what? Psych! We somehow found ourselves in a couple more Christmasy photo shoots very recently, and so we're not, in fact, done with the Christmas season just yet.

This here human watches Christmas movies over and over again, probably more times and for far more weeks than most other, normal humans. Though Christmas has come and gone for most folk, we still watch Christmas movies every night, and will probably watch them throughout a good chunk of January, even if we've seen them all dozens of times already. Luckily, the furbabies around here don't mind. In fact, some of them seem just as eager to continue watching festive films as this here strange human.

Can you tell what Christmas movie Thimble and I were watching on the television just yesterday? I used to watch it as a kid, and still enjoy watching it every year. It's probably considered more or less a classic these days.

Now, excuse us while we go watch another festive film. And, no, I'm not kidding. I'm perusing my Christmas selection as we speak and we'll be watching one in a matter of minutes. 'Tis the season (forever, apparently)!

Warm wishes to all of you friends of ours!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

Today's doodle is one of the gifts I gave my sister for Christmas.

That's Astrid, the pup we more or less co-parent, as well as her kitties, Toby and Winky, who live with us. Like myself, my sister is a huge fan of fantasy and Harry Potter, and so that's how this doodle originated. What's more, that there wizarding doodle sort of sets up the little series of winter doodles we'll be starting tomorrow. This upcoming series will actually be based on one of my favorite instrumental Christmas/winter songs. This may or may not make more sense tomorrow, when we explain it. Then again, given the way my brain works, even after my explanation it very well may still make absolutely no sense at all.

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday's tip was to do regular checks of outdoor cat shelters, such as to ensure that the shelter is not leaking, broken, or dirty. Another tip in this same line of thought, but that we failed to mention yesterday, is to ensure that shelter doorways do not become blocked by snow or anything of this sort. If it snows, check the shelter and clear away any snow that might threaten to block the doorway. This will ensure that the feline inhabitants can enter and exit safely and without feeling trapped. Also check for anything else that might block the shelter entrance or cause a similar issue, such as if a thunderstorm or wind knocks down or blows around tree limbs or other debris. In such cases, of course ensure that the shelter entrance is not blocked, but also that the shelter did not suffer any damage. When you are caring for ferals and other outdoor cats, offering them shelter might mean you have yet another little home to look after, but it will be for a very good cause.