Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday, friends! Who's here to fill in some fill-ins? It is, after all, the day of the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. In case you'd like to participate but missed the fill-in statements yesterday, I'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.


1. I wish I could tell my teenage self _________.

2. I think the most romantic movie is _________.

3. _________ was the last time I _________.

4. _________ happens too often.


My answers are below in bold.

1. I wish I could tell my teenage self to calm down.
(There are so many things I wish I could go back and tell my teenage self. Just one of these things, though, is to just calm down and relax. I spent my childhood, teenage years, and college career trying to attain perfect grades. My parents didn't put that pressure on me. I put that pressure on me, and it was a huge focus for me during my entire time as a student. Putting less emphasis on achieving academic perfection wouldn't have made me any less of a homebody who had no desire to party, but at least I would have felt less like a tightly wound spring.)

2. I think the most romantic movie is While You Were Sleeping.
(I'm not a big fan of romance movies, or romance books or romance TV shows, so I'm probably one of the last people to give romance recommendations. I do enjoy a handful of romance stories here and there, though. One of those I do enjoy is While You Were Sleeping, a '90s movie that stars Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. It takes place around Christmas and the New Year, and my family watches it every year on New Year's Eve. I think it might very well be my favorite romance movie. It's a cute enough story, and I'm also a fan of the majority of the actors in it.)

3. High school was the last time I ran.
(I admittedly enjoy certain physical activities, such as kickboxing and even mowing the lawn. That being said, I despise running. Back in high school, our physical education class had what was called fitness day at least once a week. This fitness day included extra grueling torture in the form of physical activity, and this often included running at least a mile. I dreaded these days. I dreaded running. As soon as I graduated high school, I more or less promised myself to never run again, especially anything near a mile. I kept that promise and pretty much haven't run once since then.)

4. Animal cruelty happens too often.
(Animal cruelty shouldn't even exist. Nevertheless, I see stories of animal abuse, neglect, and overall cruelty to animals in the news far too often. It makes me sad and sick, and I wish there was more I could do to put an end to it all.)

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? Eddy is here to show you all that we finally got some snow. We've had very little snow since, well, Halloween.

Isn't the snow pretty? It's also cold, though. We purr and pray for all individuals living outside in this. 

Have a fantastic Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We've recently shared a couple of flashback Valentine's doodles from the past two years. Since we're on a role sharing flashback Valentine's doodles, I simply had to share the one I doodled for my angel Rosie last year. Here you go.

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Tip of the Day

As part of our series of tips for National Pet Dental Health Month, today we'll be discussing some of the symptoms to look out for related to dental disease. First up, of course, is halitosis, or bad breath. This can signify any number of issues, including an infected tooth or gum disease. Of course, bad breath can also come with certain diseases, such as oral cancer or even kidney disease. For these reasons and more, never ignore abnormally rank breath in your cat or dog. Moving on from bad breath, though, if your kitty or pup is suffering from certain dental issues, they may also of course have a decreased appetite, or seem pained or have difficulties when eating. In some dental cases, you also might notice blood or excess drool coming from their mouth. There is also the chance you might visibly notice broken teeth, loose teeth, discolored teeth, or even tartar buildup. Also don't forget that the teeth are in close proximity to and therefore often linked to the eyes and nasal cavity, and so discharge from either of these can also potentially signify an oral concern. All in all, if you smell, see, or in any way notice concerns relating to your furbaby's mouth, or any part of their body, do be sure to have them examined by a veterinarian. Dental health can even be linked to heart health and other systems of the body, so this is again one of those cases in which it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

We have a rhyme to share with you all today. After all, it's time for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

As always, our host shared a photo prompt to guide us. This week's prompt is this cute image here:

When I was in high school, the show called Meerkat Manor began airing and became pretty popular. It followed a family of meerkats, and I remember enjoying watching it, at least in its early days. I was always amazed by how close-knit the meerkats generally were as a family. That all being said, my poem below doesn't do any sort of justice to meerkats and the intriguing creatures they are. I didn't have much of a plan going into my poem, and so I ended up with a silly little (well, not so little) rhyme.

Kats

It was Bitty's birthday.

She awoke and shouted, "Yay!"

There would be a birthday bash going on soon,

With a cake served well before noon.

Bitty's family was big and grand.

She had a mother, father, brothers, sisters, and a nan.

Bitty found them hustling, bustling, and preparing for her big day.

They brought in the cake and other delicious foods on trays.

Bitty squealed in delight at the sight of her cake.

It had three tiers, purple icing, and surely a delicious taste.

Bitty's mother placed on her head a pretty, pointy little hat,

Saying, "Here you go, birthday girl. How do you like that?"

Bitty smiled wider than wide.

There was so much to see, her eyes darting side to side.

Her mother said, "Your guests will arrive any time now.
I invited everyone you asked, and how."

Just as Bitty's mother had promised,
Guests began to arrive, starting with her pal Thomas.
Bitty greeted friends, family, and all sorts of familiar faces.
They poured in for the party as if running races.

Then, though, arrived a strange guest or two.
Bitty didn't believe these guests were ones that she knew.
Truth be told, they sort of made her nervous.
She worried their visit did not have a birthday purpose.

"Who are you?" Bitty finally managed to ask the strange guests.
On Bitty the strangers' wandering gaze did finally rest.
"Oh," said the one donning on its head a large mane.
It added, "Leo is my name.
And my friend here, his name is James."

It was James, with ginger hair, who then asked,
"Are you the birthday girl? Am I right about that?"
Bitty nodded and then scurried away.
"There are strangers here!" to her mother she did finally say.

"Strangers?" Bitty's mother repeated as a question.
"Why would you make such a suggestion?
Everyone here are those you asked to be invited.
Please tell me you're at least a little bit excited."

Bitty said, "I am indeed looking quite forward to my birthday party,
And I'm not trying to be a rude sort of smarty,
But I'm really quite concerned by those two guests over there."
Bitty pointed to the ones with the mane and orange hair.

"What has you so confused?" Bitty's mother asked.
"You told me to invite all of Zoolandia's cats."
"Kats," Bitty replied. "Kats with a K.
You thought I said cats with a C, you say?
That's why a lion and tiger are here today?"

Her mother asked, "You meant kats with a K, Bitty?
Why on earth would you say something so silly?"
"Because we're meerkats, Mom!" Bitty did say.
"Kats with a K is what the cool meerkats say these days."
She added, "Can we send those two guests away?"

Bitty got no sympathy from her mother,
Not on the day of her birthday or any other.
"We do not uninvite guests," her mother told her.
"There is nothing more cruel or ruder.
Now go greet each and every guests with kindness.
Judging a book by its cover is like living with blindness."

Bitty did as her mother said,
Though she did it with a sullen, lowered head.
She approached the two strange guests like her mother told her,
Even though they were a rather large lion and tiger.

"Welcome, and thank you for coming to my party," Bitty told them.
"You said your names were Leo and James, yes?"
"Yes, indeed, and you must be Bitty," Leo said with a bow.
"I believe we owe you happy birthday wishes right about now."

Bitty tried to smile, but instead she blurted out,
"Do you eat meerkats, is that what this is about?
Are you going to eat us?"
Leo laughed and said, "Don't be ridiculous.
We're better behaved than that.
We won't be eating any meerkat."

"Then why are you here?" Bitty could not help but say.
James smiled and said, "Because it's your birthday!
We got an invitation for this party the other day.
We hope you don't mind if we stay.
It's been quite some time since we've had a taste of cake."

Remembering what her mother told her to do,
Bitty said, "Please stay, and thank you."
She still could not help but watch them from the corner of her eye.
She thought perhaps they would try something sneaky and sly.

But when it came time for gifts and cake,
Bitty realized the two strange guests had no suspicious moves to make.
The lion and tiger had brought gifts for her birthday,
Including grand toys that would make for hours of play.

Those two named Leo and James were then first in line at cake time,
But trying to nab the first piece was not their crime.
Bitty watched as the two handed out cake to everyone else.
Bitty was the first to receive cake from the lion and tiger themselves.

Her mother had been more than correct.
She couldn't go around treating strangers like suspects.
She had judged Leo the lion and James the tiger by their cover,
And Bitty was glad she had been called out by her mother.
In fact, after that day Leo and James remained good friends with Bitty.
It didn't matter if they were a kat, cat, or kitty.

***

Now, of course, it's time for Thimble and her Thankfuls.

Thimble is thankful for a window view, and for a bright and shiny day. It's extra bright and shiny because we finally got ourselves some blinding white snow on the ground.

Thimble is also grateful for her stunning whiskers. Even the camera thinks her whiskers are gorgeous and wanted to focus on them.

I had actually instructed my camera to focus on Thimble's cute little nose for this photo, but it decided the tips of her whiskers were a far better option.

As always, we're also thankful for all of you friends of ours. Thank you for making this blogging community such a wonderful place to be!

***

And now we have for you the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. Ellen of 15andmeowing crafted up the first two, and I came up with the second two.


1. I wish I could tell my teenage self _________.

2. I think the most romantic movie is _________.

3. _________ was the last time I _________.

4. _________ happens too often.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Among other things, February is National Pet Dental Health Care Month. So, of course we'll be giving a couple of tips on keeping those pearly whites healthy and happy. Let's start with a quick discussion on at-home care and dental disease prevention. First and foremost, of course, is the act of brushing your furbaby's teeth, which can help remove food morsels, plaque, and other debris that could lead to tartar and other dental issues. Though this is not a job that every furbaby enjoys or even allows, if they are trained to accept it and it is done correctly, brushing can help keep those teeth healthy and happy. There are pet-friendly toothpastes and other oral cleansers out there, as well as pet-friendly toothbrushes and other similar tools for cleaning those teeth. There are even products on the market that more heavily focus on helping treat gum disease, such as for those furbabies with a history of gingivitis or stomatitis. Not all dental products are created equally, though, so if you are unsure what is safest or best for your furbaby, then most certainly discuss the options with your veterinarian.

There are also other types of products on the market that can potentially help teeth remain as healthy as possible. These of course include treats and food formulated for dental health. This is something that again can be discussed with your veterinarian, as he or she will best be able to guide you to products that are the most reliable and effective.

Dental care can of course start at home, but do keep in mind that it is still possible for tartar, gingivitis or stomatitis, and other forms of dental disease to arise even with brushing and other at-home care being used. Tomorrow we'll discuss some of the symptoms you might notice if your furbaby's oral health is in need of further assistance.

Woof Woof Wednesday

We've mentioned here before that Astrid's grandma (this here human's mom) always provides Astrid with adorable bows for her collar. As we've also mentioned before, these bows sort of started out as a joke. People often confuse Astrid for a male dog, and so years ago the pup's grandma sort of jokingly made a bow for her collar to perhaps help people realize that she's actually a girl. One thing led to another, and now Astrid's grandma makes her a bow for her collar for every season. The pup recently got her new Valentine's bow. I asked Astrid to show it off, which she did while pouting in the window.

Would you like a slightly closer view from a really awkward angle? Yeah? Okay. Here you go.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Earlier this week we shared a 2019 flashback Valentine's doodle starring Astrid and my parents' cat Trapper, who has a bit of a crush on Astrid. Another kitty who is quite fond of Astrid is my parents' cat Talon, who just so happens to be Trapper's brother (both of these boys are also actually the litter mates of my girl Thimble and our housemate Toby). I didn't scribble up very many Valentine's doodles last year, so I had to go back two years to find a Valentine's doodle starring Astrid and Talon. So, here's a 2018 flashback doodle with a tad bit of love in the air.

Even though I'm not much of a Valentine's sort of person, I will be doing a small series of new Valentine's doodles this year. You better believe these doodles will star lots of kitties, a pup or two, and lots of sweet treats.

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Tip of the Day

Our last tip related to Spay/Neuter Awareness Month is to make sure that you know and follow the proper pre-op preparation and post-op treatment for your furbaby's operation. Just as with any anesthetic event, there are some rules that will need to be heeded for your furbaby's health and safety. To begin, a cat or dog's food should be withheld well in advance to going under anesthesia. Ask your veterinarian how early to pull your kitty or pup's food, as their age can affect this. For example, adults may need their access to food cut off at 10 pm or thereabouts the night before surgery, whereas young kittens or puppies may need to be allowed access to food until the early hours of the morning of their surgery. Of course, also ask your veterinarian if there are other requirements prior to surgery.

The at-home care will continue after the surgery as well, of course, so also be sure that you follow these instructions from your veterinarian. For example, make sure you know how much and how often to give any medications that are sent home with your furbaby after surgery, which may include pain medication or antibiotics. It is also of course important to keep spayed or neutered furbabies calm and as least active as possible, so that they can recover safely and quickly. This is especially important for females, so that their abdominal sutures remain intact and their incision heals properly. If necessary, a kitten or pup can be secluded to a safe area of the house, where they can recover and heal as needed. Spaying and neutering is incredibly important, but so is the care required before and after the surgery itself.

Toesies Tuesday

Yesterday you got to see Evan attempting to relax on his beloved cube by the back door. He wasn't able to relax all that well, though, because this here human quite rudely shoved a camera in his face. I not only shoved the camera in his face, of course, but I also pointed it at the toesies of his adorably paralyzed back legs.

I love these toesies so much.

Happy Toesies Tuesday to everyone!

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Doodle of the Day

I've been scribbling up some doodles that involve gnomes over the past couple of days. I've of course also been including lots of kitties in these doodles. So, then I decided to meld those two together and therefore doodled up a kitty gnome. I'll admit, I'm not sure how I feel about the outcome.

I can't decide if this gnome cat is cute or a tad bit creepy. I'll let you all be the judge of that.

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Tip of the Day

For today's Spay/Neuter Awareness Month tip, we're discussing how it is important to be aware of your cat or dog's age and size, and to have them spayed or neutered at an appropriate, safe, effective time of their kittenhood or puppyhood. This is important, for one, because cats can potentially become pregnant as early as 4 or so months of age. Dogs fall not far behind that, with the potential for becoming pregnant at 5 or so months old. Should your kitten or puppy get loose, this means they could come back pregnant even at such a young age.

In addition, spaying or neutering your furbaby before they go through their first estrus or pregnancy will give them the best chance of remaining free from related health issues later in life, such as mammary cancer. Spaying or neutering before their first cycle can also help to potentially reduce the display of certain behaviors, such as spraying. Though certain such health or behavioral issues can still arise even if a furbaby is spayed or neutered, having this surgery performed before their first cycle can reduce the risk.

So, then, when should you have your cat or dog spayed or neutered? The short answer is to discuss this with your veterinarian. Ultimately, it depends on the individual animal's overall health and development. For typical, healthy kittens and puppies, the AVMA has endorsed spaying and neutering as early as two month of age, and/or when the kitten or puppy has reached two pounds. Many shelters and rescues follow this practice. Some veterinarians will prefer to wait a little longer, such as when the kitten or puppy has reached 3, 4, or even 5 months of age. Essentially, a veterinarian will best be able to determine when is the best time for your furbaby to be safely and effectively spayed or neutered, so of course discuss this with a professional.

Mancat Monday

Evan has a few certain spots in the house where he prefers to snooze. One of them is his cube by the back door.

I have no clue why Evan looks so shocked in this photo. Perhaps because I woke him up? That is pretty rude, isn't it?

We're wishing you all a magnificent Monday!

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Doodle of the Day

We're in the midst of series of doodles involving gnomes. I've been seeing them everywhere these days, especially in the home decor sections of stores. That more or less explains this doodle, I guess.

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Tip of the Day

Today, our Spay/Neuter Awareness Month tip is all about behavior. Yesterday we gave some examples of how spaying and neutering can benefit a cat or dog's health, and the same can be said for their behavior. For example, a cat or dog who is not spayed or neutered will often be more inclined to escape outside, such as to run off and find a hot date. Nobody likes the scare of a loose or lost furbaby, and especially not if they come back with news of a surprise pregnancy. So, to reduce any hormonally-induced escapes, of course have your furbabies spayed or neutered. This is not the only behavior affected by hormones and spaying and neutering, though. Cats and dogs who are not spayed or neutered are also often more likely to display aggression, also often due to their hormones. In addition, there is the chance that they will spray or mark their territory, as well as the chance that they will be more vocal and might yowl, such as at windows or doors, especially if they are in estrus and therefore instinctively calling for a mate. These and other potential behavioral concerns can often be reduced or eliminated altogether if a cat or dog is spayed or neutered. So, in case you didn't already have enough good reasons, please spay and neuter your cats and dogs!

Pretty and Playful in Pink

The kitties here recently got a new toy. It's all pink and pretty, with a bright pink feather and everything. Tonks loves it. She loves it so much that she decided to stop in the middle of a play session with it to strike a pose.

We apologize for the dark lighting of this photo. There was simply no time to mess with the camera settings, lighting, and all that jazz. After all, this photo was snapped smack dab in the middle of a play session. See?

Tonks hopes everyone has a Sunday as fun as hers!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Due to some technical difficulties, I have not managed to scan and upload a new doodle for today. I should be able to sort that all out today, but for now we'll resort to sharing a flashback doodle. Given that it's now February, we figured we'd share one of the very few Valentine's doodles we scribbled up last year. This flashback doodle was actually based on the fact that one of my parents' cats, Trapper, has a major crush on pup Astrid.

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Tip of the Day

With February being Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, we are giving some tips on this significant topic over the next couple of days. Today, we have a few words on how a kitty or pup's health can benefit from being spayed or neutered. Just to give a couple of examples, spaying a female cat or dog can eliminate the risk of uterine cancer or infection, and can reduce the risk of mammary cancer. For male cats and dogs, neutering can eliminate the concern of testicular cancer and can reduce the risk of diseases of the prostate. Of course, pregnancy itself can be risky, so a spayed cat or dog is also free of unexpected pregnancy and the dangers that come with it. There are a great many other health benefits that can potentially result from having a cat or dog spayed or neutered. Due to their reduced risks of various diseases, spayed or neutered cats and dogs are sometimes more likely to live longer, healthier lives. So, for the above reasons and more, spay and neuter your pets! And, as we mentioned yesterday, also consider assisting with or donating to the neutering efforts of feral colonies, so that these furbabies can also live as healthy of lives as possible.

Caturday Art

I'm going to get straight to sharing our doodle for today. After that, I'll give a little explanation on it.

Has anyone else noticed the rising popularity of gnomes lately? I've seen them all over the place in home decor and the like. I admittedly used to be a tad bit freaked out by gnomes. Perhaps that was because I enjoyed reading R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series as a kid, and one of these books was about some rather aggressive gnomes. These unfriendly gnomes were the kind that sat in lawns, with painted faces that never quite looked friendly.

Lately, though, I've been finding myself quite fond of the new generation of gnomes. I most often see these friendlier gnomes in the home decor section of stores. They're usually plush gnomes that you can sit on shelves or mantles, and usually all you can see of their facial features is a big ol' nose beneath a big hat and beard. I was inspired to scribble up a series of doodles starring such gnomes, of course with a furry friend or two, and above is the first doodle in this series.

Happy Caturday to all!

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Our Tip of the Day:

We're going to try to start some new series of tips soon enough, but for now we're yet again doing some repeats from the past year or two. That being said, February is a busy month. At least, in terms of important messages it is. February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, National Pet Dental Health Month, and National Cat Health Month. The last February or two, we filled the month with tips on all of these topics. We've decided to do the same again this year, since the topics at hand are significant ones. So, we'll be repeating and revamping our February tips from last year. Brace yourself for a month all about health and wellness.

We'll start with spaying and neutering. As you all surely know, spaying and neutering your pets, as well as ferals outdoors, helps significantly reduce cat and dog overpopulation. This in turn reduces the number of homeless animals, the number of furbabies awaiting homes in shelters, and the number who are, sadly, euthanized due to lack of space in the shelter system. That being said, if possible, don't just stop at getting your kitty or pup spayed or neutered. If possible, consider assisting in or donating to trap-neuter-release (TNR) efforts, so that even those kitties who are most comfortable with an outdoor life can enjoy a life that does not involve contributing to pet overpopulation. All of us here certainly love animals, but all of us also certainly feel heartbroken when we remember that there are a great many cats and dogs without homes due to uncontrolled reproduction and overpopulation. So, have your pets spayed and neutered, and, if possible, do what you can to help in the efforts to have feral colonies spayed and neutered as well. Stay tuned tomorrow for some facts and tips on the health benefits of spaying and neutering your furbabies!