Another Wintry Walk on Woof Woof Wednesday

Though it's been 50°F and 60°F this week, this past Friday we had us some snow. That was when the wind took out our power for most of the weekend. That said, though it's March and nearing spring, Astrid continues to have wintry adventures to share with you all.

Sometimes this here human tries to get artsy with her less than professional camera skills, like with this odd shot.

Astrid sure does love crawling under trees and coming out covered in snow, though. It's one of her favorite things to do on a snowy walk.

Astrid and all of us here are sending you warm wishes!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

I'm sure I don't need to tell you all, but as part of our tips for National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we're here to remind you that many human medications are indeed toxic to our furbabies. One of the most common pet poison emergency culprits is ibuprofen. It can be very dangerous and even fatal if ingested by your kitty or pup, and its side effects can include gastrointestinal distress or even kidney failure. Ibuprofen is of course not the only human medication that can have dire consequences for our cats and dogs, though. Decongestants such as excess pseudoephedrine can also be toxic, as well as medications for treating blood pressure and ADD/ADHD, just to name a couple. Needless to say, keep any and all human medications hidden away in a secure cabinet, drawer, or other such confines.

It is also worth noting that certain topical creams and ointments that we humans use can also be dangerous for cats and dogs. These such medications can be sneaky as well, since you might apply a potentially toxic cream to your skin, then you might forget about it, and then your furbaby might lick your skin or even clothing that touched the topical medication. This, in turn, can possibly result in toxicity. As a couple of examples, creams for pain management or hormone treatment can easily contain ingredients that could lead to life-threatening side effects for your kitty or pup. So, not only should you safely store medications, but you must also be diligent about how you might be exposing your furbaby to toxic ingredients.

Tonks Tuesday: Bath Time

It's Tonks Tuesday, and today this little calico is here to share some not-so-high-quality photos, but with a PSA. And that PSA is to never forget to clean between your toes during bath time.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is rather apropos, given what Tonks shared above.

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Tip of the Day

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

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

Mancat Monday: A Sunny Snooze

Today, on this Mancat Monday, Evan is happy to have both a cozy nap and warm sunshine all wrapped into one.

This past week Mother Nature has been throwing all sorts of confusion our way. Last Monday we had thunderstorms complete with what were luckily non-damaging tornadoes. Then on Friday we had an excessively windy snowstorm that knocked out our power for a good chunk of the weekend. Now, today, we're having us a sunny, 65°F day.

What's the weather like in your corner of the world? Evan hopes you're getting to enjoy some sunshine like he is!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

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

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

Caturday Art in the Dark

Hello, friends! Thanks to some gnarly wind, we've been out of power at our house since noon yesterday. They think it'll be back up by 10 o'clock tonight. Maybe. We're a bit chilly in the house, and yet the contents of the freezer and fridge might not survive this, but we're all managing well enough. There are lots of kitty cuddles happening, and lots of burrowing under blankets, that's for sure, but I don't mind that one bit.

All that to say, I didn't have my laptop charged, though luckily I did have my phone as well as my charging brick good and charged. After I got home from work yesterday, I got out flashlights and lots of our battery-operated candles to light the house a bit. I did a bit of doodling in the dim light, and while doing so realized that I've never really shared with you all any of my in-progress drawings. So, since I can't use my computer or scanner right now, this morning I took a photo on my phone of one of the pencil outlines I scribbled up in the dark, alongside some of the rather unorthodox light sources I was using last night. Oh, and you can probably spot some of the weird and wacky decor on my desk as well.

You'll be seeing the final product of that doodle, and others, this upcoming week. I'll be making use of today's daylight and the lack of technology to get said drawings done, of course while cuddled up to some kitties.

Warm wishes to all!

P.S. My apologies for any issues in formatting. I have no idea if posting this on my phone will translate well, as I rarely ever blog this way, but we're giving it a shot.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Hello, friends! We're ready for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, and we'd love for you to join us. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two fill-in statements, and I came up with the second two.


1. _________ is always _________.

2. Did you _________?

3. I know _________ all too well.

4. I can't explain _________.

My answers are below in bold. Yet again, they're all about the furbabies.

1. Home with my furbabies is always where I want to be.
(As I've said more times than any of you probably want to hear, I'm a major homebody who just wants to be home with her kitties and pup. It's really as simple as that.)

2. Did you know that Eddy was named by my dad?

(When I adopted Eddy from a local rescue, her name there was Daya. She was only 10 weeks old and didn't respond to that name, and it wasn't a personal favorite of mine, so I tried to think of a new name for her. For some reason, though, she had me stumped. At the time, Eddy had a neurological disorder that caused her to tilt and spin in circles. As I was brainstorming names, my dad just up and says, "Since she spins in circles, just call her Eddy." As you all probably know, an eddy is more or less another term for a whirlpool. And since I have the same sort of dark sense of humor as my dad, I thought that was a great idea, and so now I've got me a little tabby girl named Eddy.)

3. I know how to clean up cat urine all too well.

(Truthfully, I'm not yet a true pro at this, but I'm getting there. I still have some tricks I need to learn when it comes to cat pee on certain surfaces, mostly certain fabrics, but hopefully I'll eventually get the hang of even that. When it comes to blankets, cat beds, hardwood, laminate, and even most rugs, though, I've got my armory of cleaners and my steps I follow that usually take care of that lovely cat pee odor. These skills of mine are courtesy of Evan's urinary incontinence, mixed with his wild bladder habits ever since his urethral obstruction back in December.)

4. I can't explain how Evan's bladder can hold as much urine as it does.

(Evan's bladder has always been a thing of wonder, as weird as that sounds. He can pee in his toilet right before I'm ready to take him to the vet, and then he'll nervously pee as I put him in the carrier, and then he'll pee in the carrier, and then he'll pee all over the vets and vet techs, often multiple times, and each time it's a large amount. The vets and vet techs are always shocked and awed by his bladder skills. What's more, ever since his urethral obstruction, he's been on food that intentionally causes him to drink more water, and so now it's all even more shocking. Despite being on medications for it, some days Evan's now chronic urethral spasms cause him to urinate five or more times in a row, within a matter of minutes, each time being a large amount of urine. He also, as I like to call it, rage pees. When I give him his meds, he often gets mad at me and will pee in anger, and these rage pees are probably his urinations of the most volume. I feel like he could win a world record for how much a cat bladder can hold.)

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? Much to this human's delight, Eddy decided that today you all needed reminded of how adorable her snaggletooth is.

Just look at it! Eddy, her snaggletooth, and all of us here wish you a happy Friday!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is from a couple of years ago, and it's rather randomly one of my favorite doodles I've ever scribbled up. I don't really know why, I've just always liked it. That's probably why every spring my mind jumps to this freaky flowery fiasco and is inspired to create more like it.

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Tip of the Day

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

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

Thankful Thimble Thursday in the Sun

It's Thursday, so of course Thimble is here and ready for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Yet again, this little tabby girl is beyond grateful for sunshine. 

After some nasty thunderstorms with three tornadoes (that luckily didn't touch down) in our town earlier this week, we're finally enjoying us some sun. And the kitties are ecstatic, of course Thimble included.

Wishing you all lots of sunshine as well!

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Now, let's share 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. _________ is always _________.

2. Did you _________?

3. I know _________ all too well.

4. I can't explain _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

After our severe thunderstorms on Monday, we're now expecting snow tomorrow. Oh, and flowers are starting to bloom in our neighborhood. That said, here's a flashback doodle in honor of Mother Nature, who's just as confused as the rest of us.

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Tip of the Day

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

Adventures with Astrid: Pawprints in the Snow

Hello, friends! We're way late in posting today, because sometimes life is just crazy. But, here we are nonetheless. It's Woof Woof Wednesday, though it's actually one of the resident pup's Adventures with Astrid posts. After all, this one stars a recent snowy walk we had.

Want a closer look at some of those paw prints?

Does one of these things not look the others? Do you see the 3-toed paw print? That's Astrid's back right leg. She lost that toe to cancer years ago, and she has thankfully been cancer-free since. That's also the same leg in which she tore her CCL back in October of last year, though, so it's just a really busy leg, I guess.

Now, want to see some other pawprints? 

Who knows what animal made those? We regularly have these visitors in our yard at night, in no small part because we put out cat food for strays and ferals.

Warm wishes to all!

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Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is actually one I scribbled up on Astrid's birthday, back on February 20. It was inspired by Astrid's busy past few months with her back right leg, which we often joke is now bionic since it's had so many surgeries on it and actually has a metal plate in it at this point. Oh, and of course Astrid gets some beloved ice cream in this doodle, while donning a not so beloved sweater.

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Tip of the Day

We're yet again going to be repeating a series of tips from previous years. This is because the topic at hand is an important one. After all, March is Pet Poison Awareness Month, and so we'll be giving some tips relating to this over the next couple of weeks. We'll begin with a simple one. For today, we just want to remind you to always have a plan for an emergency, of course including the possibility of your furbaby ingesting some form of toxic material. This could be chocolate, a poisonous plant, human medication, or even an item such as a battery. Being prepared would include knowing where to take your furbaby, as quickly as possible, in the event that they consume anything poisonous. For example, if the trip to your regular veterinarian is not a quick drive, then perhaps have another backup clinic in mind, one that is closer, in the event that you need to get your furbaby help in a very timely manner.

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