Tuesday, July 7, 2020

A Tonks, Toesies, and Tongue Outtakes Tuesday

The title of today's post is a mouthful, but it's the title for a reason. Why? Because today you get Tonks, her toesies, and her tongue. Oh, and you get all these in the form of outtakes.




My Google Drive even took my stored photos from this session to create an animation. See?


Tonks hopes you enjoyed seeing her, her toesies, and her tongue today! She sure enjoyed sharing them.

Happy Tuesday to all!



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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today I'm sharing yet another flashback doodle. I've mentioned over the past few days that I'm giving my wrist and hand a bit of a rest since I recently developed carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome, but rest assured that I'm still slowly but surely working on new doodles. I'll get some of those finished up and start sharing them in the next week or two, depending on how well my hand cooperates. For today, though, does anyone remember these sunbathing kitties from last year?




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Tip of the Day

In a recent post we mentioned how cats will chew on their claws to remove the old, outer layer of them. They especially do this with the claws on their back feet. In part because cats more heavily groom their back claws in this manner, you might not need to trim their back claws as often as you trim their front claws. It is often recommended that a cat's front claws be trimmed every 10 to 14 days. When it comes to their back claws, though, you might be able to go much longer without trimming them. Some professionals recommend more like every 30 days when it comes to trimming a cat's back claws, but each cat will vary. Some cats may almost never need their back claws trimmed for them, while others might actually need them trimmed every 2 weeks or so. Older or sick cats, for example, might not groom as often and therefore might not tend to their own back claws much. All in all, try to trim your cat's front claws every 10 to 14 days, and at the same time check the back claws and carefully trim them if needed.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Mancat Monday

Evan was hoping to enjoy some peace and quiet in his favorite sun puddle at the front door. So much for that, though, because his siblings are simply too loud and distracting at the back of the house.




Can't a mancat enjoy some peace and quiet around here? Sheesh. Siblings. Can't live with them, and, well, can't live with them.

Have a magnificent Monday!



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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle from last year takes us to a silly little laundry room. Of course, there's a kitty there to help.




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Tip of the Day

Kitties may enjoy helping us do all sorts of chores, but always keep in mind if those chores pose dangers to a cat or other furbaby. Doing laundry, for example, can pose a variety of risks to a cat or dog. Detergents, dryer sheets, bleach, and other similar materials used to clean clothes can all be toxic or otherwise caustic to a furbaby. Of course, the laundry machines themselves are also their own sorts of hazards. When it comes to doing laundry, keep all detergents and the like tucked safely out of your cat or dog's reach. If it's possible to block a furbaby's access to the washer and dryer, do so. If that's not an option, try to always keep the washer and dryer closed so that no animals can climb inside. The dryer is especially tempting to kitties, for example, because of the warmth it can provide. Even if you usually keep the machines closed, a sneaky, stealthy cat could still perhaps manage to get inside the dryer or even washer when you're in the midst of doing laundry. So, check, double check, and triple check that no animal is inside the dyer or washer before using it. All in all, when doing any chore around the house, keep an eye on your kitty or pup and make sure they cannot get to anything that might harm them.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

Sideways Sunday Selfie

Tonks told me that she doesn't get to star in our weekly selfies often enough. So, she is our selfie star today. The only problem is that this calico forgot to sit upright for her selfie, and so you have a sideways Tonks to enjoy today.


We didn't think you all would mind a sideways selfie, especially not from a calico cutie like this. Oh, and can you see the tiny little freckles on the bottom of Tonks' nose? I'm curious how many freckles Tonks will acquire over time. So far she just has those couple of tiny ones, and I plan on keeping tally of her freckles as she ages. I try to do the same for my orange boy Evan.

Happy Sunday, friends!




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Flashback Doodle of the Day

As I mentioned a couple times this past week, we're going to share more flashback doodles than usual over the next week or two, simply because I recently developed carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome and need to rest my wrist and hand for just a bit. The rest and brace I wear are already helping, so we'll be back to our usual doodle schedule soon enough. Anyway, how about we continue on with sharing the flashback homey doodles I scribbled up roughly this time last year? Today we'll visit the bathroom in the quaint and quirky little home I drew last year, because why not?




***

Did you know?

How about some freckle trivia today? Did you know that, in both humans and cats, a freckle is also called a lentigo? And did you know that the plural form of lentigo is lentigines? Did you know that when it comes to cats, freckles are most commonly seen in orange cats? Freckles can also occur in any other cat with genes for orange fur, including calicoes, tortoiseshells, and even flame point cats. These freckles can be black or a variety of shades of brown. They can especially appear on the nose, lips, and eyelids, and they can grow in number as the cat ages. Generally, these freckles are completely harmless, but of course discuss them with a veterinarian if you see any abnormal changes in the color or texture of your cat's freckles.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Happy Independence Day!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!


To all of our friends in the United States of America, we wish you a happy and safe Independence Day!

To all of our friends outside of the USA, we hope your weekend is wonderful!





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Tip of the Day

We're doing a bit of a repeat tip today, since it is, after all, the day of fireworks. On this 4th of July, there are ways to help keep your furbaby calm and safe during the often booming festivities. While those fireworks go off outside, close all window and doors, as well as blinds and curtains. This will help keep out the sights and sounds of the fireworks. You can further drown it out by putting on a movie or some music, and turning up the volume enough to mask the sounds of the fireworks. Just make sure it's not so loud that it is uncomfortable for your kitty or pup's sensitive ears.


What else can you do to help keep a nervous dog or cat calm during the fireworks shows? To begin, you can try to distract them. Start a game inside with them, such as fetch or hide-and-seek. You can also offer some treats or a special meal, perhaps their favorite snack. Sometimes simply talking to them can help, or even reading a book out loud to them.


Still, there are a few more potential ways to help a cat or dog feel as calm as possible while fireworks are set off this time of year. You can use a ThunderShirt, which, as many of you know, may help reduce anxiety in dogs and cats. You can also fashion something makeshift yet similar, using a blanket, towel, or even one of your shirts. If nothing else, simply provide a scared or anxious furbaby somewhere safe to hide inside the home. Ensure that they have somewhere to retreat that is pet-friendly, whether that be under a bed, behind a couch, or in another nook or cranny. You can also offer them boxes or something similar in which to settle down, if that helps your furbaby feel safe.


Lastly, in the unfortunate event of an escape or other emergency, ensure that your cat or dog has identification on them. Of course try to ensure that they are safe indoors and unable to get out of the house, but should they escape, it is best to be prepared. Many animals are uncertain of the sights and sounds of fireworks, and so if they find themselves outdoors on days like today, they might very well run and hide. This is why it is so important that, today and every day, your furbaby have an updated microchip and/or an identification tag to help them find their way back home. Of course no one wants to think of their furbaby escaping and getting lost, but it is always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Friday, July 3, 2020

Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Friday! We'll get right to the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. If you'd like to participate but missed the fill-in statements yesterday, we'll share them again here. Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.


1. My plans for the weekend include _________.

2. I _________ fireworks.

3. I'm grateful I have the freedom to _________.

4. _________ make(s) a house a home.


My answers are below in bold, accompanied by their usual long, tiresome explanations.

1. My plans for the weekend include a whole lot of blissful nothing.
(I love nothing more than having a weekend with little to no plans. I just want to stay home and relax with my kitties and pup, and that's exactly what I'll be doing this weekend. I also want to get caught back up on blogging and visiting you friends of ours, work on some art, write, read, and all that jazz. I'm still trying to rest my hand a bit since it decided to up and develop carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome, but I also really can't help but try to do all my usual things. I have today off as well as the rest of the weekend, so I'm beyond happy. There will be a couple dog walks in there, and probably a mowing session, but I can handle that if the rest of the weekend is full of a whole lot of nothingness. Oh, and there will be a pizza and ice cream party with my parents and sister tomorrow for Independence Day, which I won't complain about one bit.)

2. I have a love-hate relationship with fireworks.
(I sort of appreciate the celebratory concept of fireworks, and I think they're pretty to watch from afar. Beyond that, though, I'm not a big fan of fireworks. They're loud, dangerous, potential fire hazards, are too often used irresponsibly, and they scare animals, both domestic and wild. I'm lucky that not a single furbaby in my house is scared of fireworks, but I know that's certainly not the case for all animals. My heart breaks for animals, both in homes and outdoors, who are afraid of all the fireworks that constantly go off this time of year. I also feel bad for soldiers or anyone with PTSD that is triggered by fireworks.)

3. I'm grateful I have the freedom to think for myself.
(I'm grateful I have the freedom to think my own thoughts. I'm grateful I have the freedom to speak my thoughts. I'm grateful I can express my thoughts and beliefs in ways that are meaningful to me, such as through art and writing. Sort of in line with this, one of my greatest fears in life is the potential for developing dementia or Alzheimer's when I grow old. In saying this I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone who suffers from such ailments. My grandma has dementia, bordering on Alzheimer's, and seeing it firsthand makes it all the more a devastating and terrifying disease. Losing the ability to remember, losing the ability to have one's usual thoughts, losing the ability to fully express oneself—those are thoughts that plain and simply terrify me. My prayers are with all those who are affected by dementia or Alzheimer's.)

4. Furbabies make a house a home.
(My house would not be a home without my kitties and pup. I'm certain I'm not the only one who thinks this, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one who will give this same answer for this fill-in.)


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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Now, how about your Friday Eddy fix? As seems to always be the case when it comes to photos of Eddy, today's shot is nothing even remotely high quality. With this one, I mainly wanted to show off Eddy's eye color. I love her eyes. They're an aquamarine sort of color, and I'm always trying to snap shots that justify them. I don't know that this shot really does that, but here's Eddy's pretty eye nonetheless.


Do you see Evan in the background there? Eddy and Evan were giving me their usual morning cuddles before I got up for work. I love these cuddle sessions.

Have a fantastic Friday!



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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Both my new doodles and flashback doodles have mostly been in home settings lately. I've scribbled up lots of calm and cozy imagery, so how about something a bit more bright today? Let's go for this colorful kitchen that showed up in my sketchbook last year. Remember this one?




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Tip of the Day

Just as humans can develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease, cats and dogs can develop cognitive dysfunction. Given that this mostly affects older animals, it's sometimes more descriptively called senior pet cognitive dysfunction. As pets age, their brains essentially age with them. This means that their cognitive function can ultimately decline, just as humans' can. In the veterinary and pet education world, signs and symptoms that can result from senior pet cognitive dysfunction have come to be remembered using the acronym DISHA. The areas of an animal's life that can affected by cognitive decline are, as indicated with the acronym DISHA, disorientation, interactions, sleep-wake cycle changes, house soiling, and activity level. In other words, a cat or dog with cognitive dysfunction might act lost or confused, might interact with animals and people in ways abnormal to them, might not sleep or wake at times normal to them, might urinate or defecate inside the house despite being house trained, and might either become less active or more active in a potentially restless manner.

As your furbaby ages, keep an eye on their overall activity and behaviors. You know your furry companion better than anyone, so you are the most likely to notice any changes in the way they act or feel. If you start seeing signs of cognitive decline in your aging cat or dog, discuss this with your veterinarian. There are some medications and even diets that have been used to potentially help treat senior pet cognitive dysfunction. It might not always be easy to see our furbabies age, but it is our obligation to care for them and to help them age as gracefully and safely as possible.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Thoroughly Poetic Thankful Thimble Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday to all! Are you ready to rhyme? We're ready to rhyme, thanks to Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.


Every week our host shares a photo prompt to guide us as we get poetic. This week's prompt is this pretty image here:


The first thing I thought of when I saw that image was Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, which more or less involves a sort of plant-like tree in which certain creatures live. That was a terrible description of the story, but I bet some of you already know what The Lorax is. So, anyway, I let that story idea inspire me and ended up with this silly rhyme:


A Walk in the Park

Bruno quite enjoyed his daily walks,
When he strolled outside with his human named John.
His tail would wag and he'd smile a slobbery smile,
As John tried to keep up with the excited dog all the while.

Bruno and John's usual walk took them through a park lined with ponds.
Seeing birds and hearing frogs put even more pep in the steps of the dog.
Bruno loved meeting new people and making new friends.
He always wished his walks would never come to an end.

On one fine night, Bruno trotted and pranced down the park's sidewalk,
Playing along with the remnants of a child's game of hopscotch.
He would've whistled right along with his human named John,
But he instead let his tongue loll out after an excited, vocal yawn.

The grass was green and flowers grew all over the place to be seen.
There were marigolds and daisies and cattails by the ponds, blowing in the breeze.
Then, with one step, Bruno found himself letting out a mighty sneeze.
He had walked right into a pretty flower as golden as a bee.

The flower grew out of none other than a sidewalk crack.
Hmmmm, Bruno though, would you look at that!
"Excuse me," Bruno then suddenly heard a tiny voice say.
He twisted his head this way and then twisted it that way.

The tiny little voice certainly did not belong to John.
In fact, Bruno's human seemed quite deaf to it all.
"You might want to watch where you're going," the itty bitty voice spoke again.
Looking at the sidewalk flower, Bruno saw the owner of the voice just then.

It was a tiny orange cat standing outside a tiny blue house,
All on the center of the flower that was no bigger than a mouse.
Again, Bruno tilted his head this way and that.
"Look at you!" was all he could say, smiling a slobbery smile at the mini cat.

The cat shook out its fur and trotted in a circle.
Bruno excitedly jumped over the flower like a hurdle.
"You live on a flower!" the dog said with a wag of his tail.
The cat let out a tiny sigh as out of the tiny house on the flower came a snail.

The cat said, "It's my friend here who lives on this flower."
Bruno wondered if the expression on the cat's face was a glower.
Then the feline continued, "I'm a cat. Why would I live on a flower like this?
I live on the cattails you see over there just a bit."

Bruno turned his smiling, slobbering head toward the nearest pond.
Of those cattails he was now growing really quite fond.
He had sniffed and waded through them so many times.
Wait, he thought, I hope I've never tossed around this tiny little feline!

A sigh sounded and then Bruno heard a yawn.
He realized it came from his own very human named John.
"Come on, Bruno, you've sniffed that flower long enough," the man said.
He motioned for the dog to continue walking after patting him on the head.

Never one to disobey his beloved person,
Bruno said to the cat, "It was nice to meet you, little kitty, for certain!"
With an excited hop the dog added, "I come here to walk every single day.
I'll look for you tomorrow! Yes, I will! Okay?"

"Great," was all the tiny little cat said in reply.
Bruno wasn't sure if, sitting on the sidewalk flower, the cat let out a sigh.
It didn't matter, because Bruno was certain the two of them would be great friends,
And he promised to search for his new pal on the cattails before tomorrow's end.




***

Now, as always, Thimble is ready for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.


Following up yesterday's photos of Astrid waiting for Thimble to leave the most popular window seat in our house, Thimble wanted to express her gratitude for her pup sister Astrid.


Thimble is most often quite fond of Astrid, and she rarely seems to mind sharing the window with her drooling dog of a sister.


Pup Astrid may not always enjoy sharing the beloved window seat, but Thimble doesn't always give her any other option. And Thimble loves it.



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Last but not least, how about 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. My plans for the weekend include _________.

2. I _________ fireworks.

3. I'm grateful I have the freedom to _________.

4. _________ make(s) a house a home.




We'll see you tomorrow, friends!



***
Tip of the Day

Today's tip is an obvious one, and it's to keep an eye on your pup or kitty when they are outside. This especially goes for when you are somewhere away from home and therefore potentially unfamiliar. For example, some areas outside of your yard might contain hazardous plants, such as certain type of lilies, ivy, peonies, and a variety of other potentially toxic greenery. And while some plants aren't truly toxic to cats and dogs, they are still dangerous, and just one example of this is cacti you might find outside. Another aspect of the outdoors to monitor around your furbaby is the wildlife. There might be potentially hazardous snakes, spiders, and even some frogs that can produce toxic substances. Yet another consideration to make is the food and other trash that might have been thrown outside. Some food might be left in certain areas to help feed wildlife, and other times there might be food carelessly littered outdoors. In both cases, it's important to try to keep your furbaby from eating food or any littered material found outside, as you can never be certain what it contains and what dangers it might pose. Also keep an eye out for hidden bodies of water, such as small ponds, as well as other dangers along the lines of broken glass or other debris. All in all, when your pup or kitty is outdoors, don't turn a blind eye. Rather, be aware of the surroundings for the health and safety of your furbaby.

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Woof Woof Wednesday

Astrid is in a bit of a pouty mood today. Can you tell why?


Do you see the source of Astrid's pouting in the background there?


That's right. Thimble stole Astrid's favorite window seat. Or, perhaps when Astrid's in the window it's because she stole Thimble's seat? Honestly, these two girls are the most likely furbabies in the house to duel for this window. I honestly think Thimble most often wins these battles, but Astrid certainly wins sometimes, because otherwise we wouldn't have all the shots we do of her pouting in said window. There are at least a dozen windows in our house, but this one is the holy grail.

Do any of you friends of ours have to duel your furry siblings for your favorite seat? Do you have to share your beloved window views? Aren't siblings such a drag sometimes?

Happy Wednesday!



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Flashback Doodle of the Day

After this flashback doodle I'll explain why there's indeed a flashback doodle rather than a new doodle being shared today. First, though, here's yet another homey doodle I scribbled up last year.


I don't usually share flashback doodles on Wednesdays. Flashback doodles are usually only shared on Tuesday and Friday each week. That being said, there will be a few more days of flashback doodles than usual over the next week or two, simply because I seem to have developed carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome in my dominant hand. I now have a brace for my wrist and all that jazz, and it just needs a bit of rest.

I will always refuse to give up on my passions of drawing, writing, blogging, and all that wonderful stuff, so at this point I'm simply trying figure out what works best to alleviate my carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome symptoms so that I can get back to regular scheduling. If I'm being honest, I can handle the wrist pain. The weirdest and most difficult part for me and my hobbies is when my fingers decide to just up and go numb. It's quite difficult to make a pen produce a drawing when I can't even feel the pen in my hand. Until now, I honestly had no idea that numbness in the fingers was a symptom of carpal/cubital tunnel syndrome.

Anyway, I have plenty of new and upcoming doodles already in the works, but while my current flareup settles down I'm not able to draw quite as often as I usually do. I still draw when my wrist and hand aren't at their worst, and so I will still definitely have some new doodles to share during this upcoming week or two. I'm mainly putting on hold some of the bigger series of doodles I'm in the middle of producing, because I like to chronologically create and share all of the doodles in a series, and right now it's easier for me to complete and share simpler, standalone doodles. Anyway, there will still be a daily doodle. More than usual of them will be flashbacks for just a while, but you'll still be seeing new ones as well. I'm determined to get back to my usual doodle schedule by mid-July, and now I'll stop rambling and just leave it at that.



***
Tip of the Day

Today's tip is one that we've mentioned in one way or another in the past. This tip is to make sure that, especially if you live in a multipet home, you offer multiple resting or napping spots for the furbabies in the house. Especially when cats are in the mix, make sure these multiple napping spot options are not only horizontal but also vertical. You can of course place blankets and pet beds throughout the house on the floor or on pieces of furniture, but it's also in cats' best interest to consider offering cat trees or cat-friendly shelving systems in multiple areas throughout the house. Also consider what each individual cat or dog seems prefer. Does one cat like to sleep as high up as possible while another prefers to find a cubby in a closet for a nap? Take such things into consideration and then try to make accommodations throughout the house accordingly. Without enough places for all the furbabies in a house to get comfortable, there can be tension and fights amongst them. This can all of course depend on the individual furbabies and their personalities, but overall it is important to make sure that there are plenty of places where cats and dogs in the home can have peace, quiet, and comfort in their own company. This can allow all furbabies in the home to remain happy and healthy.