Adventures with Astrid

Today's installment of Adventures with Astrid takes us to our local park, yet again. This time around, Astrid ended up distracted by something in the weeds and whatnot by the creek.

For years now, this area of the park and creek have been known to house foxes. This walk took place in the evening, and it's not impossible that Astrid was hearing or catching scent of the foxes. Not wanting to cause a stir with the wildlife, I told Astrid that we needed to move along.

Oh, and if you can see that white thing on her head near her right ear, it's from when she stuck her head in the weeds earlier in the park. See?

Astrid hopes you enjoyed today's adventure! Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is one that I'm not even sure I can fully explain. There are a number of reasons I drew this one, ranging from being inspired by the show Stranger Things to wanting to create yet more concept art for the stories that I'm yet still writing. Either way, we hope you enjoy this silly little doodle.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip relating to taking your cat to the vet is in regard to nonrecognition aggression. In relation to vet visits, nonrecognition aggression is typically when one cat goes to the vet, and when he or she returns home, one of the other resident cats does not recognize them. This is typically because the returning cat smells unfamiliar, with odors from the vet. Though it can be a disconcerting and scary thing to witness, nonrecognition aggression is not terribly uncommon. What's more, there are ways to potentially prevent it, and to help your cats recover from it.

One way to combat nonrecognition aggression is to take your cats to the vet together. This way, neither of them will come back home smelling differently than the other. This method is easiest if both cats travel well and can safely visit the vet together. So, if nonrecognition is a concern in your home and it's a viable option, do consider taking your cats to the vet together to prevent future aggression between them.

There are other options to help prevent nonrecognition aggression. One is to use a synthetic pheromone spray, or a diffuser, to help keep all cats as calm as possible. Yet another option is to gently wipe down the cat returning home from the vet, in order to remove as much of the vet clinic smells as possible. Similarly, when a cat returns home from the vet, you can also wipe them with one of their usual blankets from home, to help transfer their usual scents back to them. Of course these are not fail-safe methods, but they can potentially help prevent nonrecognition aggression between cats.

All of the above being said, sometimes nonrecognition aggression might occur despite your attempts to prevent it. If it does occur, first and foremost, separate the cats who are involved, in order to keep them both safe. Then, reintroduction might be similar to how you introduce two unfamiliar or new cats to each other. Slowly and safely allowing them to sniff, see, and then interact with each other might take some time, but your kitties can indeed return to one big happy family with time and patience.

Tired Tonks Tuesday

Whew. We are having all sorts of technical and life difficulties around here. Nothing major, but just enough that our schedule is yet again thrown all the way off. So, here we finally are with a Tonks Tuesday. And if anything describes today, it's this tired photo of tired Tonks.

Wishing you all a terrific Tuesday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Here's Poe and his kitty Catterina again, this time trying to survive "The Masque of the Red Death".

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Tip of the Day

Can you believe we're still blabbing on about taking your kitty to the vet? Indeed, we still have a few more tips to offer in this series. Some of our very recent tips have been about ways to safely get an anxious or aggressive cat to the vet. These tips included leaving the carrier out at all times, putting treats and toys in it, using Feliway spray in the carrier, administering sedatives to your cat if needed and prescribed by your vet, and using a towel or thick gloves to load a potentially aggressive cat into a carrier. Sometimes, though, even with all such measures being taken, a certain cat might still be difficult or unsafe to easily take to the vet. This might be the case for semi-feral or otherwise aggressive cats. In addition, some cats become so anxious that it's potentially unsafe for them to make the trip to the vet, such as if it causes them to excessively open-mouth breath or have other other respiratory distress.

If any of the above descriptors match your cat and taking them to the vet is extremely difficult or unsafe, then consider discussing with your veterinarian the possibility of scheduling an at-home vet visit. Some veterinary clinics do offer visits in your own home, especially if that reduces any dangers related to taking your cat to the veterinary clinic itself. In some areas, there are even veterinarians who specifically practice as mobile vets. So, if your cat becomes exceedingly distressed or dangerous when it comes time to get in a carrier or travel to the vet clinic, consider the option of having a veterinarian come directly to your home.

Mancat Monday with Nurse Evan

Today, for Mancat Monday, you all get a dose of Nurse Evan.

Once a year or so, an old injury to my neck and shoulder likes to flare up. That happened this weekend. When this is going on, I have to take a muscle relaxant for a day or two in order to be able to properly move again. Between the inability to move and the overall side effects of the muscle relaxant, I'm not much use. So, I usually end up spending the day on the couch. When I do so, Evan always keeps me company. He gives me lots of cuddles and never leaves my side. He's pretty much the best nurse in the world.

Nurse Evan and all of us here wish you a magnificent Monday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

How about another Poe-inspired flashback doodle? This one of course again stars his kitty Catterina, and a certain haunted house from my favorite Poe short story, that being "The Fall of the House of Usher".

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Tip of the Day

We hope you're not getting bored with our tips on feline vet visits, because we still have some more for you. Today's tip is to, if needed, take precautions for the safety of both yourself and your kitty, namely when it comes time to load a kitty up. We're primarily referring to how to safely get an anxious or aggressive kitty into a carrier. We've already given tips on using methods such as leaving the carrier out, putting treats or toys in it, using Feliway, and even using sedating medications if needed. That all being said, for some cats, some or all of the aforementioned methods simply won't work. Even sedatives can be overridden if a cat becomes agitated enough. In such cases, it is important to take precautions to keep you and your cat safe when it comes time to get said kitty in a carrier.

When getting an anxious or aggressive cat into a carrier, a simple towel or blanket could potentially be your best friend. Wrapping your cat in a towel, and putting them in the carrier when they are thus confined, can potentially keep those claws and teeth in check. At the same time, make sure that you have the sufficiently sized carrier placed in a way that loading the cat is as easy as possible. This may mean using a top-loading carrier, or placing a front-loading carrier on its back side so that the door faces up. If a towel or blanket is not enough protection, then you can also look into using thick gloves specifically designed to keep kitty teeth and claws from penetrating, thereby keeping your hands and arms safe.

Some cats are simply less willing to visit the vet and are overall less amenable than others. Differences in personality are part of what make kitties so unique, after all. That being said, if your cat is one who is anxious, aggressive, or otherwise difficult to handle, always take precautions to keep everyone involved safe when vet appointments roll around. When in doubt, of course discuss with your veterinarian the best options for handling your cat.

Kooky Caturday Art with Poe and Catterina

Hello, friends! For some reason I can't find the file for the new doodle I was going to share today, so to make things quick and easy for right now, here's a flashback doodle of Edgar Allan Poe and his feline companion Catterina having a meeting with none other than a raven. Because why not.

Happy Caturday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip in our series on taking your cat to the vet is to be prepared. This may seem strange or vague, but being prepared prior to loading your kitty up in the carrier and taking him or her to the vet can help everyone avoid extra and unneeded stress and anxiety. Being prepared even involves the moments when you're getting ready to head to the vet. For example, before you get your cat into the carrier, have everything ready to go so that your kitty doesn't have to wait in the carrier longer than necessary. Have anything loaded up that you might need at the vet, such as treats, toys, or even goodies such as your cat's fecal sample. Also think of what might need prepped in the car, such as if it's hot outside and the car needs pre-cooled, if it's cold outside and the car needs pre-warmed, or even if you need to prepare a safe seat in the car for your kitty's carrier.

Of course, being prepared doesn't just end with what needs done prior to arriving at the vet. For example, if you have questions to ask or notes to share with the veterinarian, have those written down or otherwise ready to be addressed prior to arriving. This can ensure that the appointment does not last longer than necessary, which is especially important for anxious cats who grow increasingly nervous the longer they're at the vet. So, for the sake of your cat and to reduce any anxiety they might feel during a vet visit, do your best to be fully prepare prior to arriving at the vet for your kitty's appointment.

Friendly Fill-Ins with a Rhyme on the Side

Hello and happy Friday, friends! It's time for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we hope you'll join us! My co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. I would like to see what books are on _________'s bookshelf. (Thanks, Melissa!)

2. I adore _________.

3. There is no amount of money you could pay me to _________.

4. When I failed to _________, I _________.

My answers are below in bold. Save for the first one relating to a human friend in this cat blogging community, mine are all about the furbabies this week.

1. I would like to see what books are on Melissa's bookshelf. (Thanks, Melissa!)
(Melissa, that of course being Mudpie's Melissa of Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, & Meows, inspired Ellen to choose this fill-ins as a result of her answer to one of last week's fill-ins. Since Melissa inspired it, and since I know she is a book and cat lover who of course reads lots of books with cats, I'd love to peruse her bookshelves. I hope that doesn't sound creepy, Melissa, but I'm pretty sure I'd find plenty of books on your shelves to add to my to-read list. After all, a lot of the books she shares on her blog do indeed end up on my to-read list, so I can imagine a look at Melissa's full collection of books would make my to-read list grow even more exponentially. Thanks again for this one, Melissa!)

2. I adore cats.
(Duh. Honestly, I adore all animals, but I feel like I especially relate to cats. They're pretty much my spirit animal).

3. There is no amount of money you could pay me to abandon my animals.
(What prompted me to pick this particular fill-in was an online poll I saw the other day. It simply asked people whether or not they would trade their pet, or pets, for $1 million. I automatically knew my answer was no, so I was admittedly shocked when I saw that just over half of the large sum of people who had participated in the poll had indicated that they would indeed trade in their animal for $1 million. Someone in the comment section of this poll indicated that as long as they knew their pet was going to a good home, they'd take the money. Even then, my answer would still be a big fat no. My kitties and pup are priceless to me.)

4. When I failed to convince Thimble that not every item she finds has to be thrown off of every flat surface she traverses, I admitted defeat and put my breakables into hiding.
(You know those videos of cats who slap anything and everything off of tables, counters, and every other flat surface you can think of? That's the kind of kitty Thimble is. If it moves, Thimble treats it like a hockey puck that needs to be sent flying. It's honestly adorable. That said, anything sentimental that's light enough for Thimble to toss around gets tucked away. Don't worry, she still has plenty of pens and other random items to scatter around the house.)

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, though we're a day late and probably also a dollar short, we're going to share our weekly poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge.

In truth, I'm not just a day late for this poem. This is actually the poem I forgot to share for last week's prompt, with a tiny nod to this week's prompt as well. The two aforementioned prompts our poetic host provided are these images here:

As I mentioned, that first image above is the vast bulk of what this poem is based on. There's a tiny nod to the second prompt as well, because I couldn't bring myself to completely ignore this week's photo. That all said, the illustration for this poem is actually one I completed weeks ago, before we even saw either of these photo prompts. When I saw that first photo prompt from last week, though, it suddenly gave me an idea to go with that illustration I'd already completed. You'll find that illustration after the poem.

Marian the Librarian

There once was a woman named Marian,
Who was, in fact, the town librarian.
She doled out books as if they were candy,
Her knowledge on literature coming in quite handy.

There were rumors surrounding Marian, though.
You see, she wasn't just a librarian, no no no.
Marian, they said, was also a witch.
She could cast a spell without a single hitch.

This witchy woman named Marian,
Who, remember, was the town librarian,
Had apparently been the downfall of a great many folk.
And no, this is not some sort of silly joke.

Marian more than once put out a call for an assistant.
After all, she needed help caring for the books that came and went.
And so, she would put out an ad,
And it would be answered by a lass or lad.
And that lass or lad would, well, disappear.
Soon enough, where they went became quite clear.

Way back when Marian moved to town and took over the library,
She had a single black cat, who often hissed and was just a tad bit scary.
Slowly but surely, Marian accumulated more and more cats.
And this is where we tell you how the townsfolk learned the truth behind that.

It was young Ella Mae who first made the realization,
When she visited the library one day near autumn.
Amongst the books she counted Marian's cats, their number now double digits at ten.
And then Ella Mae stumbled upon Marian's new assistant, Sven.

Ella Mae would have said hello to the friendly librarian's assistant,
But the young man was tucked amongst the shelves and sleeping at present.
At that very moment, though, Marian rounded the corner.
She sighed and huffed as loud as a drama performer.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, Marian. I'm sorry!" Sven did plea.
The librarian only looked at him like a bee ready to sting.
It looked to Ella Mae like Sven might cry tears like a tidal wave,
But, shushing him, it was neither mercy nor patience that Marian gave.

It was at that moment that Ella Mae saw the crystal ball in Marian's hand.
With it, the girl could only guess what the librarian had planned.
"Could you excuse us, girl?" Marian, scowling, said to Ella Mae.
Out of nothing but sheer fear, Ella Mae chose to run rather than stay.

It took Ella Mae over a week to feel brave enough to return to the library.
She simply had to go, though, as her reading situation was growing quite hairy.
The girl all but tiptoed into the bookish building,
Hoping Marian the witchy librarian would be busy elsewhere, perhaps quilting.
If she was lucky, Sven would be around to help her find her next book to read.

As soon as she entered the library,
Ella Mae was greeted with a sight quite scary.
That crystal ball sat on the closest shelf in a glass case.
More so, why did the cloudy haze inside of it look like a face?

"Can I help you?" a familiar voice suddenly said.
Ella Mae turned to find Marian, who stood with a broom in hand and pointy hat on her head.
What came out of Ella Mae's mouth was, "Oh, um, where is Sven?"
The woman's eyes flitted to the cats, who now numbered eleven rather than ten.
The cat nearest Ella Mae was looking at her with wide eyes nearly popping out of its head.
The girl's eyes just wide, she looked at the cat and said, "Sven?"

That there doodle was actually based off of a piece of Halloween decor I saw advertised online. Said piece of decor is a witchy hand pedestal sold by Bath and Body Works, if you're curious. I didn't buy one, but even so, I felt inspired to scribble it up.

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Who's ready for an Eddy fix? You are? Well, good, because we have one for you. This time around, Eddy was hanging out on her cat tree by the sunlit window, and I thought that made for lovely little scene.

That there is more or less a silhouette shot, so I tried to up the brightness so you could at least somewhat see pretty Eddy's face. So, here's that sad attempt I made at using my camera's settings.

Even if my skills at using my camera settings or using proper lighting are lacking, Eddy still makes any photo a great one. Oh, and for anyone who is new or doesn't know or remember, that is indeed a Christmas tree in the corner of my bedroom. Eddy loves climbing Christmas trees, so I simply keep one up year round in Eddy's favorite room, that being my bedroom.

Eddy and all of us here wish you a fantastic day!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip in our series on taking your cat to the vet is yet another plain and simple one, and that is to be and act calm. As you all certainly know, our furbabies can feed off of our own emotions. That's why, if you are anxious, your cat's anxiety could be heightened. So, as best as possible, remain calm and collected both before and during your cat's vet visit. Even speaking calmly and soothingly to your cat could help to make them indeed feel calm and soothed during their excursion to the vet. You can praise your cat for good behavior, of course remaining calm and quiet when doing so, as that can also help them feel more calm. The long and short of this tip is to try your best to keep any anxiety you have in check, and to remain calm for your cat's sake.

Thimble Thursday

Hello, friends! There's been some mid-week chaos in both my personal and work life, and so today we're just popping in real fast to say hello. And by that I mean that Thimble is here to share some happy little bloopers she snapped just for you all.

Thimble also wants to help me share with you all the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I would like to see what books are on _________'s bookshelf. (Thanks, Melissa!)

2. I adore _________.

3. There is no amount of money you could pay me to _________.

4. When I failed to _________, I _________.

And now, here's a flashback doodle to hopefully help give you some sort of inspiration today.

Tomorrow we'll make up for lost time by adding our overdue weekly poem and its illustration to our Friendly Fill-Ins post. We'll see you then, friends!

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Tip of the Day

We're still in the midst of our series of tips on taking that kitty of yours to the vet. Today's tip on this topic is a plain and simple one, and that is to take with you to the vet your kitty's favorite toy(s) or treats. This certainly might not work for all cats, but in some cases, toys or treats can make for great distractions or positive reinforcement during your cat's exam or vaccinations. That being said, though, do try to choose wisely when it comes to what you take as a distraction. For example, does your cat get hyperactive or even aggressive when under the influence of catnip? If so, try to avoid toys laced with catnip, and avoid taking anything else that might cause a problem rather than assist during the vet visit. So, all in all, consider whether a simple toy or some treats might help your cat make it through a vet visit. If so, pack those so that they can go along.

Adventures with Astrid

During her adventure last week, pup Astrid showed you all the beginning of her journey to one of her favorite locations in our neighborhood.

We decided to make you wait to see the final destination until this week, because we're cruel like that, but now we're finally showing you where this adventure took us.

Truth be told, we're not showing you this pretty little corner of the world when it's at its finest. In the spring and early summer, this place is much more colorful and pristine. I'll try to remember to get photos here next spring, before nearly 100°F temperatures can dull its shine, so that you can see it in its full glory. Even if it's not quite as pretty as it was a couple months ago, though, both Astrid and I still love walking down here. And it's still quite breathtaking at times, especially in person.

Astrid loves walking this path so much that she really didn't want to wait and pose for many photos. So, get ready for some blurry bloopers.

It's really nice to sit here and listen to the creek. This particular day was pretty darn hot and humid, and the creek was also very still and quiet, so we didn't stay as long as we sometimes do.

Ready to see why we never skip Astrid's annual leptospirosis vaccine?

One way dogs can get leptospirosis is by drinking water infected with it, stagnant water being a main culprit. Since Astrid is skilled at stealing drinks out of things like creeks and ponds, which she's attempting to do in the photo above, Astrid always gets her leptospirosis vaccine. You know what Astrid refuses to drink? Clean, fresh water we bring with us on our walks. She seems to think the only option for getting drinks on walks is from dirty water that other critters use as toilets. Because obviously.

That all said, I took Astrid down this path again just yesterday, and this time she agreed to pose for all of one photo. So, here's the cute pup wondering why on earth I asked her to stop and sit there.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Why not a little Poe-inspired doodle from many moons ago? If you've been around here for awhile, you've likely seen this old drawing before.

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip for taking your cat to the vet is to consider using a pheromone spray, such as Feliway. A synthetic pheromone such as this can potentially have a calming effect for your cat. One idea is to spray the pheromone into your cat's carrier, or onto a blanket placed in your cat's carrier. This could possibly help make the experience of getting into the carrier more calm for your cat, as well as potentially make the car ride and time at the vet a calmer experience. Also consider taking the pheromone spray with you to the vet, where you can spray it in the air in the exam room, or again spray it on a blanket or toy you might have brought along to the vet for your cat. Of course, a pheromone spray might not work the same for every cat, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to try it in case it might help your kitty feel calm and soothed.