Thankful Thimble Thursday: Farewell to the Festive Donkey

Hello and happy Thursday, friends! Thimble is of course here and ready for angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful she got to enjoy a season full of festive friends. When she found out Tonks got to recently share photos of her and our festive Eeyore, Thimble wanted to make sure she also got to share a photo shoot with him before he's tucked away this weekend. So, here is Thimble's farewell photo shoot with festive Eeyore.

Truth be told, this Eeyore stuffed animal hangs out around the house year round. His reindeer antlers are just a headband I put on him during the Christmas season. So, I'll remove that from him, and then Thimble can continue to hang out with him.

Of course, we're also thankful for all of you friends of ours!

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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. Wouldn't it be nice if _________.

2. I don't mind buying used _________.

3. I have a strange habit of _________.

4. I have enough _________ to last a lifetime.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

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

Adventures with Astrid: Snowy Shenanigans

We've shared some photos recently of Astrid enjoying some snow on her walks. Today, we're going to share some more of those, but this time in the form of bloopers that hopefully better show her excitement.

Astrid's love for winter weather, mixed with her joint supplement that works wonders for her nearly 11-year-old body, often turns her into a running, darting, jumping pup. I'm hoping we get at least one good snow this year, because Astrid especially loves when she can dash through substantial amounts of the white stuff. For now, though, this will do.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

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

Tonks Tuesday: Napping in Another Tree

Tonks found out that her beloved Christmas tree will be taken down this weekend. In preparation, she decided to stake her claim over one of the Christmas tree cat beds that stay out at our house all year long.

When Tonks realized she was the star of this photo shoot, she wanted to make sure she was spick and span. So, excuse her while she bathes away.

Have a terrific Tuesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We're having us a winter storm that consists of a little bit of snow, and lots and lots of rain. So, this weird little winter umbrella doodle seemed apt enough. 

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Tip of the Day

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

Mancat Monday: More Merry Naps

Since our Christmas decor is still up, Evan is getting as many naps under the tree as possible.

Evan's heard that his beloved Christmas tree will likely disappear next weekend, so he's making these festive naps count.

Evan wishes you all lots of naps as well, today and every day! Oh, and if your Christmas tree is still up, he highly recommends you take a cozy little snooze under it while you can.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Red trucks don't stop running just because the Christmas season technically ended. Well, at least that's the case at our house.

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Tip of the Day

Today's discussion on shelters for outdoor ferals in the winter is to make sure you regularly check said shelters, to ensure that they are in good condition. Such checks should include looking for leaks and making sure that the shelter is dry inside. It is also, of course, important to look for broken or loose parts and pieces. These sorts of checks are especially important after storms or high winds, in order to ensure that no parts of the shelter broke loose or are posing a risk to the cats using the shelter. This time of year, it's also important to check outdoor cat shelters and their doorways after snowstorms, such as to make sure entrances aren't blocked by the snowfall or snow drifts.

In addition to regularly checking outdoor cat shelters for damage, also check to make sure that the shelters are clean and as sanitary as possible. If you are using straw as bedding in the shelter, regularly check it for dirt or excrement, and determine if it needs replaced or replenished. If cloth bedding material is being used, regularly check to make sure that it is dry and clean, and remedy it if it is not. There are many factors that go into maintaining a comfortable and clean shelter for ferals, also of course including food availability. So, if you are caring for outdoor cats, try to regularly check shelters to ensure that all is well and safe for potential inhabitants.

Caturday Art with a Christmassy Canine and Festive Feline

Today is Epiphany, also known as Three Kings' Day. In Christian religions, this is the day when the three kings, also known as the three wise men or the magi, finished their journey to visit baby Jesus and gifted him with frankincense, gold, and myrrh. In some cultures, families and friends exchange gifts on this day in honor of the three wise men and their gifts to baby Jesus.

Since today is still celebrated by some as part of the Christmas season, which is exactly what we do in our household, we of course have yet another Christmassy doodle to share today. This is a new one I scribbled up on a day when I simply wanted to draw a cute little kitty and pup.

Merry Neverending Christmas Season, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Today's tip on caring for ferals and other outdoor cats yet again relates to shelters. If outdoor cats aren't using a shelter you've put out for them, first look it over and make sure nothing is off with it. Make sure it is not too confined or that its entrance isn't too small, as such things might make a cat feel trapped or cornered inside. If need be, such as if you do think an unused feral cat structure is being avoided due to confinement, add extra doorways or in another way make the shelter less likely to make cats feel trapped.

In some cases, outdoor cats just need a little extra help realizing that a shelter is safe and for them. If you have not already done so, put food and treats inside the shelter to tempt feral and other outdoor cats into the shelter. You can perhaps similarly tempt a feral into a shelter with bedding and a heat source, if you have found a workable, safe way to provide that in the shelter. If further tempting is needed in order to get cats into outdoor shelters, you can even try sprinkling some catnip, or silver vine or valerian root, inside in order to entice them.

Friendly Fill-Ins and Eddy's Twelfth Day of Christmas by the Tree

Hello and happy Friday, 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. If you looked in my closet, you'd see a lot of _________.

2. When I'm having a bad day, I like to _________.

3. _________ is the best remedy for _________.

4. It's no secret that I _________.

My answers are below in bold.

1. If you looked in my closet, you'd see a lot of skeletons.

(My skeletons are both literal and metaphorical, because you'll find some Halloween decor as well as secrets in there.)

2. When I'm having a bad day, I like to cuddle up with Evan on the couch.
(I'll happily cuddle any and all of my furbabies. That said, the one who's always most eager and willing to cuddle me for hours on end is my momma's boy Evan. So, after a long, difficult day, there's nothing that I want more than to get home to my couch cuddles with Evan and any other willing participants.)

3. Feline company is the best remedy for anything and everything.
(Obviously there are medical remedies that people should seek for certain ailments. That said, piggybacking off of #2 above, no matter the issue at hand, feline company can make it far more bearable. Also canine company, as I also love me some pups.)

4. It's no secret that I have lately been lacking when it comes to blogging and my other hobbies.
(While my full-time job is of course one factor keeping me from putting as much focus as I'd like on my hobbies, I've also been having a ton of technological issues. I mentioned recently how I haven't had a fully functioning computer at home in quite some time. A lot of my blogging and writing has been happening on my work computer during breaks and lunch, hence all of the late blog posts and all that jazz. Thanks to a Christmas gift from my wonderful parents, though, I will now finally have a new laptop, and it's due to arrive today. It's a more advanced laptop than I've ever had, so I can't wait to use it to get back to properly writing and scheduling blog posts, commenting on the blogs of you friends of ours, writing the stories still living in my head, and so on and so forth. I cannot wait.)

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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Who's ready for the their Eddy fix? All of you? Good, because Eddy is here, festive and yet again refusing to look at the camera.

I tried to adjust the lighting during that photo shoot. I'll let you guess how good I am at that type of photography skill.

There's a reason Eddy is keeping her beloved Christmas tree company today. It's the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas. And so, Eddy and all of us here wish you a very Merry Twelfth Day of Christmas!

Don't worry, because we're actually still not quite done with Christmas. We're sorry for anyone who is sick and tired of the festive continuation, but we're also sort of not sorry because we love this season so much. One reason we're still not done with Christmas is because tomorrow is Epiphany, also known as Three Kings' Day. What's more, because of my work and general life schedule, we won't be taking down our Christmas decor until next weekend. I'm also still watching Christmas movies, and reading Christmassy books, and am simply not yet ready to bid the festive season farewell.

In addition to that, with the new laptop I'll be setting up this weekend, I'll finally again be able to more easily scan and upload my drawings. I have a few Christmas doodles that I haven't shared yet simply because of technological difficulties, so thanks to the arrival of my new laptop, I will be able to finally share those late Christmas doodles.

So, again...Merry Twelfth Day of Christmas!

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Tip of the Day

We're still working through our series of tips on caring for outdoor feral and stray cats in the cold winter months, and we're currently still on the topic of shelters. If you do care for feral or other outdoor cats, if possible, try to offer more than one shelter. These could even be just multiple plain and simple shelters, and even makeshift ones that allow cats to find some form of respite from direct exposure to the elements. Having multiple shelter areas can allow for more cats to find a potentially safe and warm place to spend a cold day or night. Multiple shelters can especially, of course, help reduce competition, especially amongst cats who might not get along and therefore might not readily share shelter space. Putting shelters in multiple locations is also a way to reduce competition and to allow more outdoor cats to find a safe place to stay in the winter. You can also offer varying shelter types, such as those made from different construction materials and those with different internal layouts. This could help cater to feral or other outdoor cats who might be picky about where they are comfortable staying. Offering any shelter at all, even just one, is of course incredibly beneficial to outdoor cats in the cold winter. If you are able to offer more than one shelter, though, do consider this as a way to enable more cats to be safe and warm in the winter.

Thankful Thursday: Secret Santa Paws Came to Town

It's Thursday, which means we're here for angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Usually, Thimble shares her own personal piece of gratitude on Thursdays. Today, though, all the kitties want to share how thankful they are for the amazing goodies we received from our Secret Santa Paws this year. We're way later to post this than we wanted, but the kitties did open their gifts on Christmas and have been enjoying them since.

Our Secret Santa Paws were Puffy, Black Cat, Fang, and their mom Patty of Books, Cooks, Looks.

All of the kitties here are so very grateful for the fun and tasty gifts they received from our wonderful Secret Santa Paws.

Evan loves these treats, and so he knocked over the open bag so as to help himself to a bigger snack than this stingy mom of his was doling out.

The kitties find all of the little bird toys so fun. This here human finds them absolutely adorable. I'm a huge fan of robins, but I managed to not steal that one from the kitties. I also received plenty of wonderful gifts myself. I have never seen a cup cozy as cute as the kitty one I opened up. Do you see it up there? It's too cute for words!

Oh, and Evan also wanted to let everyone know that the box our gifts arrived in is also quite cozy.

For anyone who might not know or remember, my orange boy Evan is hind limb paralyzed and also gets his back end regularly shaved to help keep him clean despite his urinary incontinence. That might explain some of what you're seeing in these photos.

Thank you so much, Puffy, Black Cat, Fang, and Patty! We're enjoying our gifts so very much.

Merry Eleventh Day of Christmas to all!

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That's not all, though, because now we have for you 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. If you looked in my closet, you'd see a lot of _________.

2. When I'm having a bad day, I like to _________.

3. _________ is the best remedy for _________.

4. It's no secret that I _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Festive Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

As we mentioned yesterday, today's tip regards what type of bedding to put in an outdoor cat shelter, such as for feral cats. We'll start by cutting right to the chase and saying that an ideal form of bedding for an outdoor shelter is straw. A cat can burrow down in straw in order to stay as warm as possible in the cold. Unlike blankets and towels, straw will not hold moisture, and therefore will less likely freeze or become uncomfortable in rain, snow, and so forth. This is one huge reason why straw is often a better choice over cloth bedding material, because it can repel moisture, and can therefore allow for a consistently dry, warm form of bedding for outdoor cats. Straw can also be easily replaced or replenished. That being said, do make sure you know the difference between straw and hay. They are not the same thing, and hay will hold onto moisture, become wet and uncomfortable for outdoor cats, and can also become moldy when wet. Go for straw, not hay.

If you do put out cloth bedding for outdoor cats, check it regularly. If it is wet or dirty, be sure to replace it, clean it, and so forth. Try to keep all cloth bedding in areas where it is least likely to get wet, so that feral or other outdoor cats can use it comfortably. Cloth bedding works best in shelters that are free of leaks and that are in some way heated, as that will help it remain dry and comfortable.