My Furry Valentine

​My Furry Valentine,
Sweet, comic Valentine,
You make me smile with my heart!
 
Those are the words, right? 

​I love Valentine’s Day! I love love! I love celebrations of all kinds! They make me happy. However, I understand that my attitude isn’t shared by everyone out in the world. Valentine’s Day is a holiday which many people greet with cynicism. Some people only view it as a holiday designed to sell cards and overpriced candy. (In some of my darker days, I’ve felt this way, too). Even so, I always go back to what I feel is the heart of Valentine’s Day – love. And I think love is worth celebrating!
 
Love comes in many forms. There’s romantic love. Love can be shared between or among friends. You can love your family. You can love your favorite book or TV series or vacation spot. You can love a lot of things. Of course, you can love your pets. JT Catsby is always my furry Valentine. He never plays tricks with my heart, and we both enjoy our fair share of treats. As far as Valentines go, I think JT is purrfect! If you want to celebrate the love you share with your furry Valentine, here are a few ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with your cat. 

​Get All Dressed Up
You already know that JT Catsby is one of the most dapper little dudes out there! It can be fun to get all dressed up and lean into the cheesy aspects of the day. You may feel dorky at first, but feeling dorky is worth it if you’re having fun. Embrace the cheese! You get bonus points if your outfit is pink, red, or has hearts on it! JT has bow ties for every occasion, but his Valentine’s Day tie is one of my favorites. Pink and red hearts? You can’t get much more festive than that! To match JT, I’m planning to wear my vintage-style Valentine’s Day dress which is covered with red hearts. If I want to keep things more casual (or something cozier in the winter weather), I’ll wear my favorite red sweatshirt with heart-shaped cutouts. It’s good to have options, and it’s fun to be festive with your furry friend!

​Have A Special Treat
For JT, this is an easy choice. Bring on the Churu treats! One of my favorite sweet treats are snickerdoodle cookies. They’re coated with cinnamon sugar and best fresh out of the oven. They’re basically the perfect wintertime cookie. The recipe I use for snickerdoodles comes from a vintage Betty Crocker cookbook printed in 1972. If you want to try out this treat for yourself, here is the recipe:
“Snickerdoodles
 
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour*
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon [baking] soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
 
Heat oven to 400°. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, 1 ½ cups sugar and the eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, [baking] soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls.
 
Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon; roll balls in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from baking sheet.

*If using self-rising flour, omit cream of tartar, soda and salt.”
 
Yum, right? Let us know in the comments if you try the recipe! (This recipe yields approximately six dozen cookies, so you’ll have plenty to share!)

​Do Something You Love
Dinner and a Mewvie (get it?)? Play all day? Take a cat nap? There are no right or wrong answers here! Fill the day with things that you love! Think about what you and your pet love to do together. JT and I love to spend time outside in the backyard, so (weather permitting) we’ll have some outdoor adventures on Valentine’s Day. Maybe we’ll have a photoshoot since JT loves to pose for the camera and I love taking his picture. And maybe we’ll snuggle up and watch a pet-themed movie. The name of the game is spending quality time with your pet. That’s the best Valentine’s Day gift they could ever receive!

​Tell The Ones You Love That You Love Them
I tell JT that I love him all the time. I tell my family that I love them all the time. I tell my fiancé that I love him all the time. I don’t like to throw the word “love” around, but when I mean it – I say it. Tell your pets that you love them. (Honestly, if you’re the type of person who clicked on this post, I’m guessing this is already something you do often!) Your pet may not be able to say it back, but they’ll show you that your love is returned. JT shows love by purring and giving slow blinks (kitty kisses). When he snuggles with me, I know that he cares. The world can always use a little more love. This can start with you and your pet.

I hope this post got you in the Valentine’s Day spirit and gave you a few ideas of how you can celebrate love with your pet. Still feeling cynical? If all else fails, you can cling to the thought that February 15th is Discount Candy Day. I think that’s something we can all agree on!
 
Love, (And I mean it!)
Meowmy


PS – Rescue Spotlight!
For this blog post, we want to feature Fox Foster Kittens. This nonprofit rescue based in Sarasota, Florida believes in the motto, “Save one until there are none.” We have followed @foxfosterkittens on Instagram for several years. This rescue takes on cats and kittens with severe medical cases which would otherwise be euthanized. When other rescues would have given up, Fox Foster Kittens steps up to give the cats and kittens of Sarasota, Florida another chance at life. When rescues take on intense medical cases like those seen by Fox Foster Kittens, large medical bills are a way of life. If you feel so inclined, please support Fox Foster Kittens!
 
To support Fox Foster Kittens –
Follow them on Instagram @foxfosterkittens
To donate money or supplies to further their mission, click this link - https://linktr.ee/Foxfosterkittens19
 
 
Recipe Credit –
"SNICKERDOODLES." Recipe. Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. New York: Golden Press, 1972. 144. Print.