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alleycatallies · 5 months

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Junk Science Gets Cats Killed

Lately, scientific research is being exploited by fringe interests to promote the absurd notion that outdoor cats are the leading cause of bird species declines in the United States.

The most commonly cited was published in the online journal Nature Communications and funded by the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (“The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States,” January 29, 2013 by Scott R. Loss, Tom Will, and Peter P. Marra).

News outlets have sensationalized coverage of this and similar “studies” by labeling cats as “serial killers” and using other exaggerated metaphors to manufacture a fake debate about outdoor cats and species decline that plays right into the fringe interests and bolsters their flawed arguments.

The common-sense and seldom-reported facts, however, are that habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change are far and away the greatest threats to birds and wildlife.

Bogus reports, propagated by the mass media, sidestep serious discussion on the real threats to birds and wildlife, and end up scapegoating cats.

The Smithsonian-funded study published in Nature Communications is not rigorous science.

It is a literature review that surveys a variety of unrelated, older studies and concocts a highly speculative conclusion that suits the researchers’ seemingly desperate anti-cat agenda. This speculative research is highly dangerousit is being used by opponents of outdoor cats and Trap-Neuter-Return (including the authors) to further an agenda to kill more cats and roll back decades of progress on TNR. And it is being spread unchecked by the media. Only a handful of reporters, including CNN’s Erin Burnett, have questioned the Nature Communications research. Burnett noted the ridiculously large margin of error the authors employed, deemed it “unacceptable,” and told her viewers, “When it comes to the danger of cats, it seems like they’re just telling tales.”

To assess the integrity of the Smithsonian study, Alley Cat Allies commissioned a respected, independent statistician, Gregory J. Matthews, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Dr. Matthews conducted a thorough review of the statistics and methodology used in the study and found major flaws that should have made the authors’ research unacceptable for publication. Some key insights from Dr. Matthews’ assessment:

The authors looked at a number of previously published studies to make their case. The studies have a huge range in size, scope, and geography. Some were not peer reviewed. Some were decades oldone of the studies the authors used was published in 1930. They counted one study twicea major error that was not picked up by peer reviewers.

There was no use of a meta-analysis to normalize across all these very dissimilar studies. Use of a meta-analysis is common, and the authors failed to address why they did not use one. They also failed to acknowledge that each individual estimate itself has error.

The authors used extrapolation where it was not warrantedoften. They failed to account for variations in season, geography, or predation opportunity.

“If a student turned something like this in for a freshman statistics class, he would have failed the assignment,” Dr. Matthews relayed to Alley Cat Allies in an interview.

No one should be swayed by this junk science.

But such misinformation does confuse the issue about outdoor cats, and the authors know it. Indeed, they are doing nothing more than promoting cleverly veiled propaganda to promote their true agenda, which is mass extermination of the millions of outdoor cats in the United States.

Here’s the real story: Trap-Neuter-Return remains the only effective approach for feral cats.

Animal protection experts, individual caregivers, mayors, city councils, and county commissioners across the country are turning to TNR as the best response to feral cats. By humanely trapping, neutering, vaccinating, and then returning outdoor cats to their natural environment, communities can end the breeding cycle, protect cats, and save taxpayer dollars.

Studies clearly show that TNR policies effectively reduce the size of outdoor cat colonies both immediately (with the removal and adoption of kittens and socialized cats) and over time (as the population stabilizes and the breeding cycle ends).

Supporters of catch and kill programs have spread misinformation in an effort to slow down the adoption of TNR policies. They have spread myths about outdoor cats’ health and their impact on the environment. They are desperately clinging to these myths in an attempt to cover up the truththat catch and kill is extremely cruel, ineffective, and wasteful. Decades of failed catch and kill policies prove that it does not even permanently reduce outdoor cat colonies, and it wastes taxpayer dollars that should be used to protect animals.

Trap-Neuter-Return is safe for our communities. It’s humane. And it’s effective.

Because TNR is proven to stabilize and reduce cat populations over time, it is now the gold standard for feral cat management in the United States. More than 300 communities have passed laws or enacted policies supporting the practice of TNR. Major cities including San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and dozens more have embraced TNR. Animal control and public health officials have endorsed it, calling it common-sense and effective. Trap-Neuter-Return reduces calls into municipal agencies, keeps cats out of shelters, encourages spay/neuter practices, and saves tax dollars.

Junk science gets cats killed.

It’s time for the national media to start reporting on the thinly veiled agenda of anti-cat researchers: their proposed “solution” really endorses the continued mass killing of cats.

Content source: https://www.alleycat.org/resources/junk-science-gets-cats-killed/

#Cat Rescue Near Me #Building Outdoor Cat Shelters #Outdoor Cat Shelter #Cat Shelter #Stray Cats #Feral Cat Shelter #Community Cats #Cat population control

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skeletalheartattack · 6 months

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What are your favourite youtubes to eat food to?

i can't say i really have a favourite honestly, it's kind of luck based. i'll usually try to watch streams while i eat food, but if ive run out of the ones i'm interested in watching, it's likely im eating to a much shorter video.

#ask #anon #i tend to watch rtvs vods or rtvs adjacent vod channels. been watching videochess's star fox adventure streams recently for example #before that i was watching their stream of eggs of steel. since that game kind of stuck with me after scorpy streamed it once in the past #i gotta get back to watching facefullabugs' mother 3 stream since they got back into that recently #as for like. non-stream related content #i watch simpleflips stuff when he uploads stuff #urban rescue ranch i watch a lot of. though i try not to watch his stuff while eating food.#same kinda goes for haha ha's videos sometimes. if theyre building stuff for their cats then its a good watch #if they upload a video of them catching and cooking fish for their cats. i try to watch those later #since they tend to show themself preparing the fish in the video. which isnt great to watch while eating.#but otherwise i just like watching their cats #im not subscribed to any but theres a few tf2 channels that upload clip compilations from 2fort and doublecross and the likes #zeyo is the one ik by name. another has a cat icon. the other only has two videos uploaded on their channel so far.#i just kinda watch them when they appear in my reccomendeds #eager to see quintonreviews last part of his icarly+ videos. his stuffs always incredibly fun to watch #but ive also been rewatching waynes sonic adventurequest streams from the beginning so i have some audio while i work #but also im looking for a song he played on stream and i dont remember where it played amongst the 10 streams #uhhh ive been waiting to see billiams third Lost series episode. because of him i watched through the rest of Lost.#i remember my family watching that show when i was a kid. its pretty fun near the beginning but. near the end man. ough.#also if youre wondering why i replied with the channels in the tags. its cause i knew id be talking a lot #and i dont know if i can add a Keep Reading on a post with the version of the tumblr app from last year.#anyway i hope. all of that suffices as an answer for you anon #thank you for the ask!!!!

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hussyknee · 3 months

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Note to self: a large meal is a very effective sedative for hyperactive cats.

#not something i can do regularly obviously #but Mau was driving me up the wall ever since I brought them inside and closed the windows for the evening #he feels it's his god-given right to gallivant after dark even though i keep dragging his ass inside after every jail break #and he freaks out after 20 mins alone in the garden anyway #Moo also disgraced himself by throwing up his lunch all over my room‚ escaping while I was cleaning #and then finding himself stuck up another fencepost on the perimeter wall and mewling pathetically for me to rescue him #i went back to the house to fetch a ladder again only to find monsieur dragging his sorry butt up the steps behind me after all #maybe I do coddle them a bit too much #since keeping them inside all day is a flat impossibility in this house #they should have some degree of self-sufficiency so their fool asses can come home if they do prowl #i'm hoping that keeping them near home long enough will discourage them wandering too far even if they do go beyond the perimeter #for all dogs were exhausting i never had to worry about this shit with them #just close a door and a gate and boom. problem solved #cats though. fuckin Houdini-ass mfers #knee of huss #Méka Mau Moo #cat mom problems

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ssaalexblake · 1 year

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i do not feel bad for laughing at my sister having a mouse problem because her cat is apparently a Great mouse stalker. Not so great at killing the mice though. She found a live one in her sock drawer this morning.

#i don't feel bad bc she could keep the cats in #she also asked me to #if they go away #watch the app attached to their cat trackers #and if they go near a road to go rescue them #basically it's fine if I get killed at 3am on a busy road but Not the cats #the cats... one of whom runs the fuck away if i go near it #the other who Sometimes runs but sometimes not #like yeah. sure. i don't feel bad that you have mice in your underwear.#vehicular violence mention

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albatris · 2 years

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3:30AM UPDATE

in a feat of uncharacteristic bravery sweet darling boy tiramisu scaled the curtains all the way up and got stuck in the curtain rod and wailed pathetically for help and I had to balance precariously on the back of the couch in order to scoop this sad baby out of his own chaos while he clung on with his claws

we did however apparently bond over this mortal peril and he will now sit on my lap

#me bleary eyed and sleepy wondering what all the noise is about #walk into lounge room looking for my cat #He Is Near The Ceiling #tiramisu: rescue!!! NO detach claws!! only rescue!!#tira time

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afieldinengland · 1 year

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#my cat died last night. we got her as a rescue at least ten years ago and she mainly lived in the outside boiler room so— at least for #my parents— the bond wasn’t necessarily that strong. not for me though i loved the old mog to bits #so perhaps it wasn’t the best idea for my dad to break the news at the start of a dog walk as casually and as suddenly as if he were telling #me he’d seen a roadkill pheasant on the way to the pub #i don’t know what to do. what to think. i know i didn’t see her often but i loved her #i don’t know how she died or if he’s buried her. i didn’t ask. i just felt absolute cold grief and anger that he hadn’t told me earlier or #told me better. jesus christ— emily #she had a good life i know that a long life but why he thought he could tell me so easily i don’t know #and she had a better life than she’d had before too. when we got her she wouldn’t come near men #and even though she was always aloof i— christ.#when my dog died and i used to go out at midnight in the rain and the cold to kneel at her grave for an hour i used to end it by coming back #and letting emily into the kitchen to have her on my lap #she’d knead my legs and purr for a bit and then she’d want to go again #and now she’s dead. and the first i heard of it was at four in the afternoon

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lesbiten · 2 years

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attack peysmart

petsmart explosion

#its weird to me because petsmart (at least the ones near me; i dont know if this is true in All Stores) does like #partnerships with shelters and stuff so all the cats (and occasionally dogs) they have up for adoption are rescues from shelters #but all their other animals are basically like. puppy mill but for reptiles/birds/rodents/etc #there ARE tons of local non-dog/cat animal rescues nearby that would benefit a lot from a petsmart partnership #where they could display their animals up for adoption at petsmart #but whatever i guess #asks #mutuals tag

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littlebittywildflower · 8 months

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A cat in the neighborhood has decided we are his family know. He hasn’t left for days and finally today I brought him in and let my animals be around him some. He has a leg injury he finally let me clean and luckily it’s not as bad as I first thought. Poor guy was definitely a pet but I have been trying hard to find owners and no one has come forward plus it’s obvious he has been living outside and is unfixed. I am giving it a few more days on the Nextdoor app and the Facebook groups but….

I think I just got a new cat. Now how the hell do I get both cats to get along until I get them both fixed?

#he is older than my boy cat Salem but I have to wait on the vet to find out how old #Salem just hit one year so we are going to be fixing him soon #he suffered from severe malnutrition as a kitten from his injuries that happened before I rescued him #so we gave it time so he could fully mature without issue #now though I got two unfixed boy cats and idk how to work with that #Salem doesn’t want the stray near me he gets so jealous

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grannyandgrandpascreations · 1 year

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Pet Rescue Emergency Garden Yard Flag

Shop our Rescue Pet Garden Yard Flag, In Case Of Emergency Please Rescue Our Pets Inside Garden Yard Flag! This is a perfect gift for anyone who owns a pet. Our Garden Yard Flags make great Housewarming Gifts! Shop Granny and Grandpa’s Custom Creations other Garden Flags!

Garden flags are an exciting and easy way to express yourself and add some color and cheer to your home, your porch and/or garden especially with the many different options of Granny & Grandpa’s Custom Creations Garden Flags! Decorative and eye-catching garden flag to theme your home outdoor yard. Our Garden Flags make great Housewarming Gifts!

Granny & Grandpa’s Custom Creations can also personalize your Garden Flag with a monogram, your family name and much, much more; please reach out to us at [email protected] to personalize your Garden Flag.

Our designed is on a durable 11.81 x 17.72 inches, white single layer, polyester durable garden flag.

Fabric Care Instructions: Machine wash cold, no bleach, no softener. Do not dry clean. Do not iron. Air dry.

Due to different light settings the actual color might vary a bit from the pictures.

Flag post is NOT included.

All items are created or designed by Granny & Grandpa's Custom Creations. We also print and heat press our items using our professional, commercial grade heat press! Each design is made with High Quality, Heat Transfer Vinyl.

After a package leaves my hands with the post office, Granny & Grandpa's Custom Creations is not held responsible. Current Turnaround Time due to upcoming Holidays - 1-5 Business Days. While we always use priority shipping options, once shipped we cannot guarantee delivery due to the backlog current being experienced USPS/UPS/FedEx. If you have a strict deadline, please message me when ordering so that I can note any rush requests. Ownership of packages turned over to USPS transfers to the Buyer. We are not responsible for lost, held, damaged packages or delayed packages, once your package(s) leaves our Shop it is completely out of our control. Thank you for understanding!

Thank you so much for supporting our "small Granny & Grandpa's Shop", we truly appreciate YOU!

Please visit www.grannygrandpascustomcreations.com/shop to view more of our creations!

LET’S GET SOCIAL & BE FRIENDS! Like, Tag & Follow us for Our new Creations, Inspiration & Giveaways!

website/ www.grannygrandpascustomcreations.com/shop

facebook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GrandpaHandmadecreations/

instagram.com/ https://www.instagram.com/grannyandgrandpacustomcreation/

goimagine.com/ https://goimagine.com/granny-and-grandpas-custom-creations/

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#grannygrandpascustomcreations - #garden - #flags

Shop our Rescue Pet Garden Yard Flag,In Case Of Emergency Please Rescue Our Pets Inside Garden Yard Flag! This is a perfect gift for anyone who owns a pet. Our Garden Yard Flags make great Housewarming Gifts! Shop Granny and Grandpa’s Custom Creations other Garden Flags!

Our designed is on a durable 11.81 x 17.72 inches, white single layer, polyester durable garden flag.

Fabric Care Instructions: Machine wash cold, no bleach, no softener. Do not dry clean. Do not iron. Air dry.

Due to different light settings the actual color might vary a bit from the pictures.

Flag post is NOT included.

Thank you so much for supporting our "small Granny & Grandpa's Shop", we truly appreciate YOU!

Please visit www.grannygrandpascustomcreations.com/shop to view more of our creations!

LET’S GET SOCIAL & BE FRIENDS! Like, Tag & Follow us for Our new Creations, Inspiration & Giveaways!

website/ www.grannygrandpascustomcreations.com/shop

facebook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GrandpaHandmadecreations/

instagram.com/ https://www.instagram.com/grannyandgrandpacustomcreation/

goimagine.com/ https://goimagine.com/granny-and-grandpas-custom-creations/

pinterest.com/https://www.pinterest.com/grannyscustomcreations

#grannygrandpascustomcreations - #garden - #flags

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avephelis · 1 year

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if anyone's got good pick-me-ups lmk i could really use them

#preferably without animals/pets #this might get a bit venty #sorry im just trying to extend the preamble so nobody gets triggered lol #um basically (animal death tw)#tw animal death #vent #my cat passed away really unexpectedly like 3-4 hours ago #his name was monty he was six i love and loved him a lot #we think he got stuck in a fence by the time we found him rigor mortis had set in #im really grateful for all the time we had with him and im glad we could give him a good life (he was a rescue)#really fun little guy really silly and super social with people. really helped me with a lot of tough mental health stuff #and just made life a bit livelier generally #im glad it was a really beautiful day today when he died. and im glad he got to come home and live the last of his life near us.#but yeah um. shit's sad shit REALLY sucks and i wish we had more time but that won't bring him back so ive got to treasure what we DID have #trust him to die in such an unexpected manner he's always been wildly unpredictable. kind of caught between crying and laughing.#but yeah if anyone has like. pick-me-ups or resources for grieving pets that'd really help i dunno.#he loved and he was loved and thats all i couldve really asked for

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hsmagazine254 · 1 month

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Embracing Blessings: Adopting A Cat During Ramadan - H&S Pets Galore

Fostering Compassion & Joy Through Feline Adoption During Ramadan As the sacred month of Ramadan continues to unfold, many individuals find themselves drawn to acts of compassion, kindness, and charity. While these noble deeds often extend to fellow humans, there is another avenue through which one can spread love and blessings – by welcoming a furry friend into their home. Adopting a cat during…

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alleycatallies · 1 year

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6 Ways to Help Kittens This Spring

April showers are about to bring May flowers—and kittens! When the weather warms up, most kittens are born. That is why the spring and summer months are known as kitten season!

Compassionate people will always feel the pull to protect kittens they see outdoors. However, they don’t always know the best ways to help.

Alley Cat Allies has the information and resources you need to become a kitten hero this spring! These are our top tips:

1. Don’t separate kittens from their mother

Humans can’t replace the special, instinctive care mother cats give their kittens to help them grow up strong and healthy. And we can’t replace a mother cat in teaching her babies how to, well, be a cat! There is no need to remove kittens if their mother is present, regularly caring for them, and the little family is not sick or injured.

Please know that even if you haven’t seen mom for a couple of hours, it does NOT mean she isn’t caring for her kittens. Mother cats will often leave for stretches of time to find food—and she will return. If you are concerned, watch the kittens from afar over a course of several hours. You can also try spreading a bit of flour or baby powder around where the kittens are to see if you can spot mom’s footprints coming and going.

If you’re really eager to help mom raise her kittens, you can lend a hand by providing her a comfortable and safe outdoor shelter, as well as regular food and water!

Learn more about what to do if you find a kitten outdoors, including more situations in which your help may be needed.

2: Don’t bring young kittens to the shelter

Many shelters simply do not have the policies, programs, and resources to provide the round-the-clock care neonatal kittens (kittens younger than 4 weeks old) need. As a result, these kittens are often killed.

As a general rule, the more cats we can keep out of shelters through foster networking, spay and neuter, and caring for the cats in their outdoor homes—the better.

3. Learn how to care for kittens who DO need you

If you’ve carefully watched and waited and the kittens’ mother doesn’t return—or you know for certain that she is gone for other reasons—make sure you’re prepared to care for them! Anyone can be a kitten caretaker with the right tools and know-how.

Keep in mind that neonatal kittens require round-the-clock care with different needs depending on their age. At this vulnerable age, they cannot feed themselves or even go to the bathroom on their own! Replacing mom is no small job, but it’s worth it every step of the way.

Alley Cat Allies has neonatal kitten care information available on our website.

Our Kitten Care Kits have the gear you need to raise kittens up healthy and strong.

How do you know if a kitten needs immediate care or if Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the best option? That all depends on her age! Our How Old Is That Kitten? Guide will help you find out.

4. Use your kitten care knowledge to volunteer

Shelters and rescue groups across the country and around the world are always on the lookout for ready and willing bottle baby kitten foster caregivers. You can be that critical resource! If you don’t have experience, train yourself with our information above or pursue training on neonatal kitten care.

We have a webinar that will walk you through the basics of kitten care here.

And once you’ve become a powerhouse kitten foster caregiver, encourage and empower your friends and neighbors to do the same!

5. Do Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)

TNR is the only effective and humane approach to stabilizing community cat populations—and it is more critical than ever in and around kitten season! In a TNR program, community cats are humanely trapped and brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped (the universal symbol that a cat has been neutered and vaccinated) before being returned to their outdoor homes. Learn more about TNR.

Cats as young as four months can have kittens, so it is important to spay and neuter kittens as soon as they are ready. A good rule of thumb is the 2 Months, 2 Pounds: Time 2 Spay and Neuter Rule. Kittens can be safely spayed or neutered at two months of age or as soon as they weigh two pounds.

6. Advocate for programs that protect kittens

Contact your shelter and local officials and tell them you support lifesaving policies for cats, Trap-Neuter-Return, and Shelter-Neuter-Return (A TNR program in which cats are brought to the shelter for spay and neuter and are then returned to their outdoor homes).

Encourage your local shelter to adopt a Wait Until 8® program! This unique, vital program involves shelter staff encouraging community members who bring in young kittens to care for those kittens themselves. The shelter would provide training, resources, and kitten care kits to facilitate that fostering.

Then, when the kitten is 2 months old and at least 2 pounds, the community member could bring the kitten back in to be spayed or neutered and adopted!

Learn how you can help your local shelter save more cats’ and kittens’ lives.

Visit www.alleycat.org/Kittens for a comprehensive guide to caring for kittens.

#Alley Cat Allies #Kitten Season #Cat Shelter #Kitten Rescue #Kitten Shelter Near Me

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coolfoxykitkat · 1 year

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Woke up this morning at 3am to [INTENSE PAPER BAG SOUNDS] and went back into an unsettling half sleep bc yesterday at three am my cat woke me up via screaming so he could go in his Paper Bag Tunnel with me watching and be told he is a Good Boy at three in the morning for going in his Paper Bag Tunnel so I assumed he was doing that again, except [INTENSE PAPER BAG SOUNDS] intensified and I finally sat up to find that he had another paper bag which I had set out as additional enrivcement to the tunnel (hidey hole v tunnel) AROUND HIS NECK bc this one had like. Those stuff cardboard twine handles which I didn’t even THINK about before and anyway this fucking baby almost KILLED HIMSELF with a paper bag >:(

#personal rambles #claude #cat death cw #just in case?#accidental suicide mention #?? idk what to tag this as #he is so so stupid 😓😓#after i rescued him he climbed into bed and intensely cuddled me the rest of the night 😭#basically he put his head through the handle #got stuck and just. ran around the room whipping his head around which probably only increased the danger/choking #im gonna have to be more careful with. fucking paper bags i GUESS #and other things i give him #he turns 15 this march #which is incredible considering how fucking STUPID he is and how many near death experiences (most of his own making)#i have rescued him from

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prismatic-bell · 1 year

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HEY PHOENIX-AREA TUMBLRITES

Do you want a cat?

Meet Marmalade.

Marmalade was rescued last week from a park near my job. He was dehydrated and starving, and literally hopped in my car of his own accord to get the hell out of there.

A vet visit has determined he’s roughly a year old, healthy, and unneutered. He’s both super-cuddly and playful, and has approximately as many brain cells as his fur color would lead you to expect.

Alas, if my landlord found out we had a fourth cat, we’d promptly get evicted. And so I turn to you, Arizonans of Tumblr, to find this darling boy a forever home. I’ll be crossposting this to my Facebook, but I have significantly more reach here, so please help me find his forever family!

#signal boost

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astarioffsimpmain · 2 months

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Unsolicited Affections (Part 1)

[Screenshots and Tav, Ban, by the lovely @brabblesblog]

Halsin x Plus Size F!Reader

Warnings: Body insecurity; internalized fatphobia; otherwise, floof (for now)

Synopsis: Your growing feelings for Halsin can no longer be ignored. Even so, that doesn't mean you don't try for your poor heart's sake. However, Halsin keeps bringing you closer, and you aren't sure how much longer you can take it without confessing... even though confessing is your worst fear.

Author's Note: Thank you so much to @brabblesblog for taking these screenshots and allowing me to use Ban in the header! For all readers, there will be a Part 2 to this fic and it will be the smut you all requested from the poll I took! This became a super duper indulgent fic for me, as I struggle with all of the insecurities the reader struggles with here. But I hope this little 2 part creation can act as a balm for anyone who has ever struggled with their bodily image, or wondered if they'd ever be seen as beautiful. This one's for you; for us. <3

Part 2 Here

The battle had been bloody. Grime and viscera was spread across each body, hair color lost in deep dyes of red in the wake of the victory. You and your companions trudged back to camp in silence; exhausted. You had failed to obtain what the battle had been fought for in the first place, and you were certain that your mood was soured for the rest of the evening. Upon reentering your campground, Gale was the first to greet you all, thankful to see that everyone was alive, albeit roughed up; obvious disappointment creased his features for a moment when you told him the news that you had failed to obtain the magical object you had set out for, but he hid it behind an understanding smile and ushered you to sit by the fire as he finished dinner.

You had reasoned that if the Netherese Orb in Gale's chest required the consumption of magic to remain stable, that the more powerful the object, the longer it would sate him. So you had taken a group and set out for the most powerful magical object in your direct vicinity - the Circlet of Blasting. You had recognized it the day previous on the head of a Drow with several of its companions near the Myconid colony in the Underdark. Once you found them again, you approached to inquire whether you could cough up enough gold to take it off their hands, but when they turned and pierced you with vicious red eyes that gleamed back at your group with a reflectiveness like a cat's, you knew gold would not satisfy them. And as they drew their daggers, you were proven correct, and the battle had begun.

You slumped over on the log next to the fire, too exhausted to properly stow your weight, as you removed your armor piece by piece. The second person to approach you carried a warm bowl of stew and placed it gently into your palms. The hands were tender and gentle, and much too large to belong to anyone but your favorite Archdruid. You raised your weary head to meet his beautiful bright green eyes, creased with worry, but soft with care as he lowered himself to the ground beside your legs, his muscular arm grazing the now-bare skin of your thigh as he adjusted. A flutter ran through your stomach at the contact, but you clamped down on it before you could get carried away. You knew his kindness was platonic. It had to be. Halsin was simply…kind.

The tell-tale signs of complicated and painful feelings had risen within your chest since rescuing Halsin from the goblins, and although you had tried to deny them, recently it had proven impossible. But while you finally admitted to yourself that you had fallen for his disarming smile, the scratch of his well-worn fingertips against your softer skin, and how passionately he cared about every living creature in nature, you refused to admit it to anyone else. You would be sparing yourself that embarrassment this time around. Your chest ached, remembering the many times you'd fallen for someone and approached them with this truth, only to be turned away over and over again. Inwardly, you snarled, blaming the extra plush your body carried for your lack of luck in love. Whether the objects of your affection had been kind, polite, or downright rude, there was always a moment in which their eyes would quickly rake your body up and down before delivering their blow. Perhaps they didn't even recognize that they did it, but you saw. You always saw.

So, while you knew Halsin would never be unkind to you, you had been trying to make peace with the very probable fact that he would only ever see you as a friend - never quite attractive enough to be anything more. It was something you were used to, but it never seemed to dull the throbbing pain in your heart whenever you thought on it too long. There was a part of you, somewhere deep, that knew you were not at fault; that knew you were not to blame; that perhaps if they had deigned to look beyond the surface for even a moment, that they would have seen how genuine your heart was, and how they never would have had to go without affection, love, or loyalty should they have chosen you. You weren't without this enlightenment, but the constant dissatisfaction of, or concern for, the body you carried from those around you - from well-meaning friends to pushy strangers - weighed heavy on your tired mind.

This moment around the fire was no exception, your burning desire to curl around Halsin's broad shoulders like a cat and purr was strong, but overshadowed by the fear of rejection. You had him near, but pulling him too close was to risk sending him far away, and you weren't sure you'd be able to stand it were that to occur. An icy shudder ran through you at the mere thought of Halsin retracting his warmth from your side. "- giving you a chill?" His dulcet voice pulled you back to reality like a line reeling you in, but you caught only his last few words.

"What?" You said, blinking as his image in your eyes grew sharper again. "Apologies, my mind was far away."

"No worries." He chuckled. "I merely asked if the night air was giving you a chill. You were shaking, my heart."

My heart.

You melted a little. The nickname was fairly new. The first time he had called you that had been two mornings prior, after a late start and a quick bath in the bioluminescent pools near your campsite in the Underdark. You had come trudging back to camp in clothes that were quickly dampening due to being pressed against your still wet skin, wringing your hair out ferociously as you tried to hurry to catch up with everyone else's progress. You had just started to wrench your boots up over your clinging pants when Halsin had approached you, laying a warm hand against your wet-stained shirt. You had startled, your head snapping up to his in a surprised daze.

"Slow down." He had said, running a soothing hand down your bent spine and back up, sending full bodied shocks through you like tidal waves. "You needn't worry, my heart. We will wait for you."

As the memory warmed your cheeks, you cleared your throat and averted your eyes, praying he couldn't see the thoughts lingering just inside the colors of your irises. "No, I'm alright. Just- just a bit weak from not eating all day. Thank you, for bringing me this." You finally acknowledged the bowl in your hands and raised it a little.

"Of course. Please, eat. I hear from the others that you had a rough skirmish. I implore you to let me check you over once you've finished your stew."

Ignoring the way your heart jumped dangerously near to your throat, you nodded silently, opting instead to pick up the wooden spoon in the bowl and begin to eat. It was one of Halsin's spoons; one he whittled. It was smooth and beautiful and easy to hold. Almost all of the cutlery in camp had been fashioned by Halsin, and several of the stools you kept as well. It was his hobby and his form of relief, to create things with his hands. Subconsciously, you glanced down to where the hands in question rested on his knees; large and rough, his hands had seen it all and done it all through his 300 plus years of life, and you couldn't help but quietly admire how much they had learned and lost in the process. And after all of that, he chose to create beauty with those hands that knew so much. It made your heart clench with a new wave of affection. You swallowed hard, as if the feelings would force their way back down in the same way as the contents of your bowl.

Again, you were drawn back from your reverie by the Druid's movements, one of his hands moving from his lap to yours. His palm came down to rest flat on your thigh, only a thin layer of fabric left to separate the blazing heat from your skin. You barely suppressed a gasp of surprise at the sudden contact, feeling much more intimate than it probably was, and locked eyes with Halsin, whose brow was worried into wrinkles. "You seem more distant than usual, are you sure you're alright?" He said, his thumb taking a slow drag across your leg, sending your poor heart racing in your chest.

"Yes," you managed to respond, rather breathlessly. "I- I'm alright." Even you weren't convinced by your attempt at deflection, and Halsin's frown only deepened.

"When you've finished your stew, come find me by my tent. I will have some healing herbs waiting for you." He said sternly and you nodded silently. His eyes softened at your wide-eyed expression and he reached up to gingerly tuck a stray piece of hair behind your ear. "Promise me you will come." He murmured quietly, his eyes never leaving yours, and your heart stuttered wildly in your chest.

"I promise." You replied, and a soft smile graced his lips. He nodded in return and stood up, brushing himself off before walking back towards his tent.

"Gods," you muttered under your breath, pressing your palm to your chest in an effort to keep your pounding heart inside.

"You've been given the perfect opportunity, darling." A voice chimed lyrically behind you, and you turned your head to find Astarion eyeing you appreciatively. "Don't waste it." He grinned widely, putting his fangs on display as he did so.

"Shut up, Astarion." You mumbled, your face heating as you pressed your hands over your eyes. You only hoped you wouldn't make a fool of yourself.

fin

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