there's that fucked up three-eyed thing that lives in the woods. whose turn is it to chase it off again??

I have a mimikyu that my aunt caught in an abandoned walreinmart in alola. It is a major asshat, but its friendship level is high enough for a ribbon, is it just Like This, are all mimikyus Like this, or is it stressed?

+ is it me or are people super weird about it unnecessarily? Like "does that bite" "keep it away from your younger cousins" and other such. Things. What's your mimikyu's personality like?

I’d probably have to have more info on your mimikyu and probably observe it in person to fully give a proper response, but I’ll try my best to help you out. Also, this got kinda long, so I’m sorry about that.

First of all, is it an asshat to you, or to other people and pokemon, or everyone in general? If it’s aggressive towards others, you definitely want to get that under control if possible, or take it to a specialist who knows how to deal with dangerous pokemon.

However, if it’s not causing anyone any harm and just does things that annoys you, it’s probably just your mimikyu’s personality. Many ghost types like to play harmless but often annoying pranks on their friends and family. If these pranks are a big issue for you, you should probably try to train your mimikyu to cut back on the pranks. Since its bond with you is very strong, it should listen.

It could be acting out due to stress, though. I’m not sure where that abandoned Walreinmart is, but if it’s in an area with a lot of predators, then your mimikyu could definitely still be upset from that, especially if it’s lived there its whole life. There could be other stressors in its life that I’m not aware of, though, that could be causing this. Either way, I’d suggest giving your mimikyu a small enclosed space that it can hide in (mine likes to hide behind a box I have underneath my bed). Mimikyus tend to live in small dens, so providing it with a small space in your home could provide it with a sense of comfort.

And no, not all mimikyus are like this. It’s an unfortunate stereotype that mimikyus are excessively violent pokemon. This stereotype partly comes from their ghost typing (which are commonly seen as malevolent) and partly from the fact that they lash out when someone tries to remove their disguise. The people who are acting weird about your mimikyu are likely only aware of misinformation and stereotypes about the species. People are definitely weird to me about my mimikyu (he’s often not allowed outside of his ball in stores or restaurants, even in pokemon-friendly ones, and when he is, I have to “keep a close eye on him”).

And to answer your final question, my mimikyu is actually quite docile. My parents got Geist (my mimikyu) for me from a breeder, because mimikyus born in captivity are generally better behaved and more friendly towards humans than wild ones. He’s not aggressive towards me or others at all, unless they threaten one of us. Although he does like to play pranks on me (he took my wet clothes out of the washing machine once and let them dry outside in the winter), sit on my head and chew on my hair for some reason, and steal my clothes to cut them up and sew things. Most of these behaviors can be annoying at times, but at the end of the day, he is a pokemon (and therefore a little menace), and none of his behavior really causes any harm (except to my clothes, rip my favorite sweater), so it’s really not a problem and is honestly a sign that he’s happy and healthy.

💜 Yuri (DDLC) Pokemon Team!! 💜

“may i get a pokemon team for yuri from ddlc with an emphasis on dark and ghost types? thank you very much!” - @autistic-anime-girl

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

misdreavus -> my first idea for the team. the vibes/looks are on point and yuri would be the right person to deal with a misdreavus’s shenanigans. plus the absorbing fear for energy thing could be good to help calm her down!!

morpeko -> from what ive seen in the games theyd be a great pair. a bit much at times but a great addition!! personality switches like a light switch from monika’s influence too—

duskull -> theyre said to actually be pretty kind, especially to children!! i think she’d vibe taking care of one :)

zigzagoon -> in a world where the raccoon poem was supposed to be taken literally... OK THATS JUST MEAN ILL SEE MYSELF OUT

driftloon -> i may or may not have a bias towards driftloon in general, but the aesthetic matches and i think yuri would def appreciate the (relative) calm that drifloon brings.

lampent -> i saw her commonly paired with this pokemon’s final evolution but i think she’d have a hard time taking care of it, so this is a by-popular-demand one. also cool late-night writing light?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Humans Actually Have “Types” Like Pokémon Do

If you look at the game NPCs or the anime, there’s actually a fair share of humans with “special abilities” aren’t there? I mean, it's pretty much confirmed that there are humans in the pokémon world with psychic powers or can understand the hearts of dragons, so I think the idea that humans have evolved to a point where a portion of them have a “type” isn’t totally off-base.

I’d probably put the actual percentage of “typed” humans to be around 20% of the whole population. Naturally, you aren’t going to see kids flying through the air or your neighbors breathing fire or anything like that. Rather, the genes that manifest these expressions of the elements are watered-down versions of what makes a pokémon’s own typing. For example, a “water-type” woman can’t breathe underwater, but they can hold their breath for a considerably longer time than other humans. A lot of these type-users do commonly end up as members of the Pokémon League (gym leaders, elite four, etc.) as a result of this affinity. 

So here’s how these typed humans can be identified:

1) NORMAL

By far, the hardest to distinguish from regular humans. They have no notable enhanced physical abilities like strength or endurance. Instead, the key identifier for Normal humans is their astounding health. Most documented Normal humans have great immune systems, hardly ever coming down with illness and can fight them off almost instantly when they do. Their bodies are highly adaptable, generating a new homeostasis to account for sudden changes in the environment. The most common of the typed humans.

Notable examples: Norman, Mina   

2) FIRE

No, they're not pyromaniacs. Fire humans are generally hot-blooded, both physically and often times in personality. This manifests in a sort of “sixth sense” that allows them to very broadly perceive heat levels beyond the scope of regular humans. The common example is being able to tell a hot frying pan from a cool one just by looking. In some cases, fire-typed humans can even emit a small level of heat when emotionally “fired up”.

Notable examples: Malva, Kiawe

3) WATER

Somewhere in-between a professional swimmer and a merperson. While by no means aquatic, they have an incredible tolerance for moving in the water. Water humans are naturally adept swimmers, and can breathe underwater for extended time periods. Additionally, Water humans are gifted with a natural hydration system within their bodies, almost like an internal reservoir. A few cases have seen Water humans being able to filter out impurities in the water of which they drink.   

Notable examples: Lana, “People of the Water” (M09)

4) GRASS

Basically, the expression "having a green-thumb" made manifest. Grass Humans have an innate ability to “feel” the wellbeing of plants and grass-type pokémon. It’s strong enough that some Grass humans claim they can physically accelerate the growth of plants by touching them. Fittingly enough, grass-typed humans also have a slight affinity for associated types such as ground, water, and even poison. While not especially durable, Grass humans have surprisingly high stamina, with many taking up aromatherapy as a hobby. 

Notable examples: Ramos, Milo 

5) ELECTRIC

Electric humans are most notable for being almost always reactionary. Their bodies have a natural insulation that helps to protect them should they be hit by electricity from a pokémon or other means. It should be noted that this is not a full immunity; they are resistant to permanent internal damage, but it will still hurt like a bitch. There some very rare cases of humans being able to slightly redirect the flow of electricity.

Notable examples: Ash Ketchum, Wattson

6) ICE

You've probably seen them wearing shorts in Snowpoint City. The main trait of Ice humans is their astoundingly high tolerance for cold weather. In fact, some even revel in it, preferring it to a more “optimal” climate. One can compare this characteristic to that of a beartic, which thrives in snowy environments. The trade-off, however, is an aversion to hot weather, which makes more them uncomfortable than the average human.

Notable examples: Candice, Melony

7) FIGHTING

Somewhat easier to identify than Normal humans, you can tell Fighting-types from their above-average physicality. In addition to great strength, they’re also noted for their great balance and quick reflexes. A large portion of the grow up to be bodybuilders, martial artists, and even dancers. Incidentally, Fighting humans have a strong mental fortitude, which is believed to have derived from being in touch with one’s “chi” energy. They also tend to have very healthy and hearty appetites.

Notable examples: Bruno, Maylene

8) POISON

Neither poisonous nor venomous, Poison humans are some of the most misunderstood. In fact, they are some of the healthiest individuals in the world. This comes from a near-perfect immunity to foreign toxins, and a sixth “sense” for identifying toxicity levels in pokémon and the environment. Poison humans can withstand many gases and even smoke before needing any treatment. While many find their calling in the sanitation industry, some Poison humans enter the medical field as nurses and doctors.

Notable examples: James (Team Rocket), Nurse Joys (some)

9) GROUND

Commonly referred to as “The Children of the Earth”. Ground humans are among the most attuned to sensations underneath the surface. A notable portion of them can sense tremors or even earthquakes before they strike. When asked, many Ground humans state that they are one with the Earth as a single organism, which allows them to see the “feelings” within the land. As such, they are often noted for having grounded personalities, pun intended.

Notable examples: Courtney, Hapu

10) FLYING

Like I said, you ain’t going to see them flying through the air. Instead, you can identify Flying humans for their fantastic spatial awareness. This translates to being able to detect movement in their vicinity with amazing accuracy. They are often regarded for their peripheral vision and a lack of discomfort at high altitudes. Vertigo and acrophobia are almost alien to them. Flying humans are very attuned to the air in general, perceiving the direction of air currents and impurities with ease. Many are professional Sky trainers.

Notable examples: Falkner, Yvonne (Pokéspe)      

11) PSYCHIC

By far, the most obvious and “flashy” of typed humans. Effectively espers, Psychic humans have arguably the most dangerous abilities of any human, being able to execute psychic powers at will. These techniques span a wide range from clairvoyance, reading minds, telepathy, and full-on psychokinesis. While not to the degree of psychic-type pokémon, all Psychic-humans must be registered as such on account of being “dangerous individuals”, which has led to some controversy.

Notable examples: Sabrina, Olympia  

12) BUG

Never underestimate a Bug human. Despite not having any physical or mental enhancements, they are well-documented for their heightened senses. The five senses (touch, sight, etc.) are incredibly developed, which arguably makes them superhuman. Impeccable hearing, a keen taste palette, and a sense of smell similar to a growlithe’s are just of few of their traits. Bug humans are the hardiest of the typed-humans, being able to live off of the flora and fauna should they feel the need to. 

Notable examples: Guzma, Tracey Sketchit

13) ROCK

Easily mistaken for ground-types, what makes Rock humans unique is their longevity. The age expectancy of rock-typed humans is quite high, due to their long history of adapting to the elements. Rock humans have a sixth “sense” that allows them to recognize the history, composition, and durability for all aggregate matter, namely rocks and minerals. As a result, it’s quite common to find them living their lives as archeologists, paleontologists, and even meteorologists. 

Notable examples: Steven Stone, Olivia  

14) GHOST

Second to psychic-typed humans in terms of obvious powers, Ghost humans are highly attuned to the spirit realm. Their most prominent ability is being able to communicate with those that have passed away, particularly with restless spirits. They are often thought to be necromancers and exorcists, though most Ghost humans don’t appreciate this connotation to black magic. There are some who believe that Ghost humans are the reincarnation of spirits who have not atoned for their sins.

Notable examples: Morty, Allister    

15) DRAGON

Amongst the rarest of the typed humans, Dragon-type humans have an amazing assortment of physical enhancements. Great strength, highly intelligent, and incredibly charismatic to name a few. They are also the only humans who can communicate with dragon-type pokémon almost verbatim due to understanding the “hearts of dragons”. There is a great deal of controversy regarding the supposed elitism of Dragon humans.

Notable examples: Lance, Iris

16) DARK

In most cases, Dark humans are more known for their personalities and than any fantastical powers. As a whole, Dark humans are known for their high intelligence, cunning nature and craftiness much like the pokémon type. They tend to struggle with empathy, which manifests in unique ways. At its worst, Dark humans are prone to narcissistic and near-sociopathic behavior. The best, however, have healthy outlets and generally have the best of intentions. There is much debate for the labeling of Dark humans as “evil” in the pokemon world. 

Notable examples: Grimsley, Giovanni

17) STEEL

The differences between a Steel human and a Rock human are minimal. What makes a Steel human unique though is their high influx of bodily metals (iron, calcium, etc.) that would otherwise be disruptive in regular humans. They live generally healthy lifestyles as a result of their natural endurance, and similarly to Rock humans, can ascertain metals with relative ease. A few Steel humans claim some metal textures are comforting to sleep on. 

Notable examples: Grant, Byron

18) FAIRY

Fairy-typed humans are exceptionally rare, but contrarily, are the easiest to spot from appearances alone (opaque sclera). Their quasi-magical traits manifest in different ways: youthfulness, gifted talents, and the rarest of all, healing properties. They have the most delicate features of the typed humans, which often hide their large sexual appetite. While incredibly social and play well with others, they have trouble with empathy much like Dark humans, occasionally leading to anti-social behavior.

Notable examples: Valerie, Ilima

Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard the Lizard pokemon line.

This line of pokemon are very famous in every region because most of them are very outgoing. They are also very adaptable to most places, in the big plains to forests and valleys, to the tops of mountains whether they have snow or not. This is a very hardy pokemon line and very strong workers if trained right.

The most common are the flying fire types, but there has been talk about hidden types. One unique type is the flying ghost type found in the Geona region's place of resting. Another is near Lumiose City in Kalos, a flying electric variation. In Alola, they had mutated to becoming flying dragon pokemon due to the large mountain area where mostly dragon pokemon reside. Another sighting was at Mount Silver of what looked to be an ice type family, though investigation is still underway.

All variations are strong pokemon, and love to show off their strength and power by helping humans in their work. Charmanders use their scorching breath to help cooks or even heat up spas. Charmeleon works well with Machops and other fighting types in doing heavy lifting while also retaining their usefulness of their fire and claws to cut fruit and vegetables. Charizards are much too bulky for most inside jobs, so they enjoy helping lift and carry things and people through the sky, especially seen in Alola.

Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard are all mostly meat eaters. Though they do enjoy the occasional berry platter, they like to torch their food to their own liking, and it is of course different for each individual and may even change upon evolution.

These pokemon are not exactly recommended for young children, with the flames at their tails, sharp claws and fangs also poise a threat to those not able to handle them well. But they make excellent guard pokemon and can be very gentle when taught right once they hatch.

The myth of the flame at their tails going out meaning that they'll die is mostly untrue. The flame is a very good indicator of their health, but it is not their life source and it can be reignited if it does go out. That being said, if the flame starts to go out and the pokemon is feeling rather cold, you should immediately take them to a pokemon center. If it starts popping and crackling like an out of control campfire, they have been working too hard and need a rest, and also a trip to Nurse Joy wouldn't be too bad either.

Because they could easily get sick from their tail going out, and that the tail can catch things on fire if not watched out for, these pokemon are not recommended for places such as Seafolk Village in Alola or Pacifidlog Town in Hoenn.

In battle, this line of pokemon are actually very fast. So the need for moves that go first shouldn't be a priority. And, most people tend to go one way or the other when it comes to physical or special attacks, though the higher stat is commonly special attack. They also learn a variety of moves from Thunder punch, Earthquake, Dragon Claw, Iron tail and more. So, when putting together a team, you should know first what other teammates you are going to have as well as what you want to focus on.

Another thing people seem to forget when they are Charizards, they gain flying type, so they must watch out for electricity and ice moves.

Either way, these pokemon love to work and train. You must always see which you are most compatible with, because if they don't see you as an equal and a leader, they may end up not listening to you.

Upon seeing your pokemon tag, this can only mean one question: what kinds of pokemon would the f13 game characters have? I imagine Chad having something considered fancy like Furfrou and AJ and Adam with Murkrow and Pangoro respectively, but I can't think of the others.

So I’vebeen thinking long and hard about this question, and I’m slowly piecingtogether a response. Making fitting pokemon teams for fictional characters hasbeen a bit of a hobby of mine for a while, but gosh does F13 have a TON ofcharacters to deal with. XD So, instead of trying to come up with completeteams for everyone, I’m going to try to find just a few pokemon I feel like fiteach individual and what types I see them favoring too.

AdamPalomino:Isee him as favoring Dark types, along with some steel types as well (since he’sclearly a bit of a gearhead.)  That said,Pangoro is a great choice for him, and I’d also offer up Pawnitard for theDark/Steel duality, as well as Sableye for the ghost typing (because AJ 😉 )

A.J.Mason:I feel like AJ would be fond of Ghost types, so I’d probably give her aMisdreavus or a Mismagius, along with probably something like a Yamask. 😉 But Idefinitely can see her having a Murkrow too, especially if it was one Adam gotfor her.

BuggzyWilson:Fighting types, no doubt. The one I put down for him as a certainty would bePassimian due to it being football themed, but I can also see him having aMachamp as well or maybe a Hawlucha

ChadKensington:I totally agree he seems like the type that might have a Furfrou, though I don’treally see him favoring Normal types overall (too “common” probably XD).Type-wise, I’d put him down as someone who likes Fire types, especially since I’veseen a ton of guys who latch onto fire types almost exclusively because theyseem to be so wildly powerful (and are, sometimes, but not always.) Somehow,something about Chad to me screams “I have a Blaziken.” And probably aCharizard too XD

DeborahKim:Okay, I’ll admit, I’m struggling a bit with Deborah. XD Part of me wants togive her some electric types (phone and power repairs obviously) but Normal orPsychic types seem possible too. I’d probably give her a Buneary, if just forthe reference to her Halloween costume, maybe a Minccino or Rotom (for thoseelectrical repairs.)

EricLachappa:Is it bad all I see when I look at him is “this guy definitely has bug types?”I’d probably give him a Swadloon and a Charjabug, with maybe a Scyther orHeracross added in.

JennyMyers:I wrote down “Ground Type” for her because she’s got such a high composure, soshe’s “grounded.” 😉But I’m not entirely sure what kind of pokemon I’d give her.Normal also seems likely, as the “girl next door.” Maybe something like aChansey (she’s got the second highest luck stat after all) or an Audino, sinceI can see her being good with patching up her fellow counselors. (I can alsomaybe see her with a Cubone for some reason.)

Kenny Riedell:Rock types. He feels like a very rock/ground trainer to me. I’d probably givehim a Rhyhorn and a Sudowoodo, and maybe an Onyx. He might have a grass type ortwo, but something about him feels like he’d pick very sturdy Pokémon.

TiffanyCox:For Tiffany, I jump straight for Fairy types. Most of them are pink and cutebut can absolutely wreck you if you aren’t prepared. Wigglytuff’s the first onethat comes to mind for Tiffany, and maybe a Spritzee because it’s based off aperfume bottle. I’d probably also give her something like a Lovdisc or Miloticfor the love/beauty theme. I can also see her having a Snubbull somehow.

VanessaJones:For her I’d go flying types. A Fearow or Swellow maybe, possibly a Chatot (theycan plan pranks together :3), or a Skarmory. A Braviary also feels like itmight be a pokemon she’d like.

Idon’t have much in mind for Fox or Mitch; perhaps a Crobat or Slazzle for Foxand Mitch would probably specialize in grass types (for obvious reasons) thoughI would probably give him a Simipour as well, since it’s got a bit of ahippie-ish look about it.

Asfor what I’d give Tommy, I don’t have anything concrete. The ones I’ve writtendown for him were all dog-themed, like Lucario, Rockruff or Mightyena since hedid seem to have a very close relationship to his dog in part IV, and dogs arecommonly used today as therapy helpers for PTSD sufferers. (Though they weren’tin the 80’s but that’s beside the point XD) Other than that I’m not sure what I’dgive him.

So there’smy thoughts! Long, rambly and took a while to get down but I hope it’s what youwere looking for! And of course these are all based off my interpretations soif anyone sees it differently, that’s not a problem at all. :3

Voltron Pokemon AUs “Statistics” and “Analysis”

So I did an experiment for fun and profit.

I went through every Pokemon AU post I could find that I’ve reblogged and tracked the Pokemon assigned to each of Team Voltron, and did a little bit of a half-assed analysis because I’m kind of curious about what the fandom consensus is when it comes to Pokemon AUs and because I’m bored apparently. This is what I’ve discovered, if anyone is interested.

Shiro:

The majority of the Pokemon assigned to him are Dark Type, with Steel Type being a distant second. I was a bit surprised by this at first, but I guess with him being the Black Paladin, it sort of makes sense. There wasn’t really one specific Pokemon that seemed to be associated with him, but Umbreon came up a couple times. So I guess in conclusion Shiro would be a Dark (and Steel?) Type trainer with an Umbreon on his team.

Pidge:

Pidge is a pretty even split between Grass, Electric, and Flying Types apparently. This is heavily skewed of course by the fact that Pidge is often paired with Rowlet and/or Pidgey. The Grass and Electric typing makes sense, considering she’s the guardian spirit of the forest, but she’s also huge into tech. Pokemon commonly found on Pidge’s team are Rowlet, Pidgey, and Rotom, so those would definitely be on her team if she was a trainer.

Keith:

I’m sure no one will be surprised to hear that Keith is almost exclusively paired with Fire Type Pokemon (there was literally only one Pokemon I found associated with him that wasn’t Fire Type at all). I’m also sure that no one will be surprised that Fighting Type came in (albeit distant) second. Keith seems like he’d definitely be a Fire-Type trainer, not just because of the guardian spirit of fire thing, but because a lot of Fire Types seem to fit him. He’s mostly paired with the Fire Starters, with the Litten, Charmander, and Torchic lines being the most popular. He also often has one of the Vulpix or Growlithe line. Yay Gen 1 bias??

Lance:

 Again, no surprise this boy is a Water Type trainer, with Ice being his second most common typing. In fact, the ratios between Keith and Lance’s first and second most common typing were exactly the same. I guess these two are pretty straightforward (though I’m actually surprised Lance didn’t have more Ice Type Pokemon on his teams, considering Blue actually has ice powers, not water). Lance has a pretty diverse pool of Pokemon that I’ve seen, but the Popplio line and the Alolan Vulpix line have popped up a few times. Gyarados is also a slightly more popular option.

Hunk:

An even split between Rock and Ground Types. Again, I don’t think this one was too much of a surprise. What was surprising to me was that Grass Types came in at a very distant third, especially Grass Starters. It’s actually kind of cute! In terms of Pokemon commonly found on his team, there was one that stood out, and that’s the Geodude line. Otherwise he has a pretty decent mix of Pokemon. I was actually surprised at some of the variety I saw.

Allura:

Allura is a three way split like Pidge, between Fairy, Psychic, and Ghost Type. Fairy and Psychic seemed pretty straightforward to me, but I was a little surprised by the strong connection to Ghost Type Pokemon. Then I remembered that pretty much everyone Allura has ever known is dead, and the connection made way more sense and also I got really sad. Vague consensus seems to be that she’d have SOME Eeveelution, though whether that’s Sylveon or Espeon is up for debate. Gardevoir also popped up a few times.

Coran:

Coran unfortunately doesn’t show up very often in Pokemon AUs so his data is hella skewed based on only a few posts, but Rock and Electric Types were the most common types for him. And I guess that makes sense? He’s steady and dependable, but he’s also tech-savvy like Pidge? He really doesn’t have a common Pokemon because every single time he shows up in an AU post, it’s with something different. More data is needed for conclusions to be made.

So what can we take away from this? Probably that I was really bored and needed to waste some time farting around on the internet.

And yo, don’t take this too seriously if any of this conflicts with your personal headcanons. Obviously I wasn’t doing a lot of in-depth research here, and the data I was drawing from is limited to things I’ve seen and reblogged. There could be a bunch of posts out there pairing Shiro with mostly Bug Types, but I haven’t seen them so that aren’t taken into account. Also, my results are heavily skewed by posts that had full teams, because obviously they’d have more information to take into account.

This was all in good fun because I was bored, curious, and love me some Pokemon AUs. I hope somebody out there finds this at least slightly as interesting as I did :)

20 questions with Dr Ferox #2

 Greetings Vetlings! Ready for a second round of 20 questions (and answers) as I work through my inbox? If you’re not sitting comfortably, doing so now would be a good idea. these are in no particular order. If you’ve asked on anonymous, see if you’ve been answered below.

@sckoviaaccords​ asked: My cat had bladder stones, the dissolvable kind with medicine and proper food fortunately, but she got in the habit of peeing everywhere because it hurt her. The stones are gone, but she's still peeing inside, when she used to use the doggy door. My mom keeps saying that we'll have to get rid of her if she keeps peeing on the carpet. How do I stop her from doing this?             

First make sure the stones are actually gone, and that there are no crystals remaining, or residual pain. Contact your vet about this. Cats may avoid where they used to toilet if they have associated that place with pain. Then consider using litter trays inside, especially if there is a particular spot the cat is already frequently urinating. Different cats may prefer different styles of litter tray, or different types of litter, so use one she prefers (offer her two, then stick with the one she chooses). If she will use a litter tray inside, you can then slowly move it a foot or so each week closer to a more appropriate location. As a cheap trick you can also put down tin foil (aluminium foil) where she is urinating. You can also make decoy food plated by gluing some dry food to a paper plate, adding some loose food and leaving them where the cat is urinating. Most cats only urinate where they can get food, but this may only deflect her to another inappropriate location on its own.

@in-a-drought-lioness asked: What kind of bladder stones are there? I've heard there are up to 6 different types? I answered the last question tax but I think there was an old one about pokemon? I would say you remind me of Tauros, because in the latest game they seem to be protector pokemon and you are a protector of animals.

There can be several different types, and it’s not impossible to get a mix of two. the most common ones are struvite and calcium oxalate. Urate, cystine, calcium phosphate, sillicate or drug residue stones/crystals (looking at you trimethoprim sulphonamides!) can also occur, but are less common. 

@rarmeowz​ asked: Do lungworms cause any long term damage in cats? My cat was a stray, and when we took her in she had lungworms. She was quickly and successfully treated and has been worm free for over a year, but I'd like to know if there's anything I should look out for, or if her lungs could be potentially damaged somehow

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the species usually referred to as cat lungworm, though other parasitic worm species exist which live in the lung. They don’t seem to cause long term damage in my experience, though incompletely treated infections can predispose to chronic bronchitis. Affected cats often have an elevated eosinophil count on hematology. This parasite is not always detected with faecal flotation, you often need a Baermann technique.  

@thehollowedangel​ said: Hi! I love your blog and was wondering if you had any other veterinary blogs to recommend? Thank you, hope your doing well!

Confession. I don’t actually...follow...any...veterinary blogs. They are just too reminiscent of work and don’t let my brain switch off and relax. i pop in on some sometimes when I’m in the mood, but don’t want unexpected random rants or clinical pictures popping up on my feed and forcing me to think. I do try to relax in my downtime

One place I do recommend checking out though is Dean Scott’s FunnyVet.com as the cartoons are funny, but very accurate.

Anonymous asked: Do you find that any dog sports are more dangerous to dogs than others? Thank you for the wonderful blog, since I'm curious, do you play D&D currently?

Not particularly if you’re talking about endangering their life. Anything that involved jumping or sudden turns if you’re talking about injuries. But in perspective, more dogs tear their cruciate ligaments around the home than they do at an event. Racing greyhounds are an entirely different topic.

And unfortunately no, I’m not playing D&D at the moment. But I am being involved in a sci-fi podcast.

@mygearsarestartingtotremble​ asked: I started getting curious about heartworm in Australia and if you guys had it and you do! Which surprised me. How big is preventive care in your hospital?             

Why would it surprise you? Lots of things try to kill things down here, and we most certainly have the mosquitoes! Prevention is very big in more northern states, but down here it’s not as big. There is even one local clinic who actively claims other vets that push heartworm prevention are ripping you off! I always advise people that prevention is so easy, and while the risks may be low locally, the consequences of infection can be catastrophic. I suspect it will be more common here with climate change, the disease already seems to be moving south.

Understandably Anonymous asked: (cw: animal death, uh... taxidermy?) When my cat dies, I think I want to keep his pelt (in the least creepy way possible - of course I would get a professional to do it). Is this Too Weird to talk to a vet about, and I should make some vague noises about taking the body home to bury if we ever have to put him down, or are the odds high that my vet has Seen Everything and won't be fazed by That Weirdo Who Wants to Skin Their Cat? I don't anticipate this being relevant soon, he's only 11ish.            

That is certainly a weird one, but not that extra weird. I don’t know whether your vet would be fazed with this knowledge at all, but you are certainly within your rights to take a deceased pet home, usually for burial. Most vets will shave a patch of fur on a leg for catheter placement or intravenous access though, you might have to address this if you’re not okay with that.

@vantastrophe asked: Anything cool happen to you this week? :) Hope you have a good day!             

I had a public holiday last Monday and discovered red velvet ice cream. That’s pretty cool.

@lapras-defense-squad asked: Hello Dr. Ferox :) I was wondering if you could please provide some advice on how to approach vet clinics in order to get a volunteer position. I am an undergraduate with no clinic experience, so I am really nervous about calling. Would asking for a volunteer position immediately (after submitting a resume and cover letter though) be too ambitious? Should I ask to shadow first? Thank you!            

I suspect things work a little differently where you are, but generally in Australia we have students for work experience, which is unpaid. There’s a relevant post here. Asking to shadow before asking for a volunteer position is probably prudent.

Anonymous asked: Have you done anything on harpy or half-human/half-bird biology?

No I have not. I don’t know when I might either, that will depend on my Patreon supporters asking or voting for it.

@a-floral-ghost asked: Is it true that when a dog or cat has an upset stomach it'll eat grass? Or is that just a weird myth

It’s half true. Some dogs and cats will eat grass just because it’s there, at a chewable height, or because they investigate the world with their mouths. Some will chew grass when they feel nauseous. It’s not so much a matter of eating grass makes them vomit, but more they felt like vomiting anyway so ate grass.

Anonymous asked: Could I ask you about cats that have shorter limbs? More specifically, the issues that you commonly see in cat breeds that have shorter limbs (those munchkins cats) and those that "naturally" have a larger torso to limb length ratio". (Question tax: Came for animal facts. Stayed for Sass and "WTH does that happen in Aussie?!") Thanks for taking the time to answer~

I’m not sure what you mean by the ‘natural’ cats, but I’ve written about Munchkin cats here.

Anonymous asked: In your hospital (is a vet's office called a hospital) have you encountered any amazing dog rescues and recoveries? They're just so heartwarming to see

Not much from the dog rescues here, but I was involved with more in Tasmania. My favorite animal sanctuary is Big Ears, and I heartily recommend everyone check them out.

@gram-stained-paws asked: In what dilution do you use salty water for wound flushing?

In the clinic I use sterile saline. For at home I tell people to use a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water (ideally pre-boiled). It’s easy for them to remember that way.

@bi-furiosa said: Hi! I wanted to recommend, if you haven't already seen it, a channel on YouTube called VetRanch. They're a charity of sorts that pull unwanted dogs in need of medical attention from local shelters, help rehabilitate them, and then work to get then adopted. They video the full process, including surgeries. They also frequently feature animals with demodex, and since that's what you're favorite parasite is, I thought you might be interested. Love your blog, and your patience with asks!

I’m sure that will appeal to a lot of people, but it doesn’t appeal to me at all. It’s work, and I get enough of it at work. I don’t need to be watching more veterinary cases, exposed to the compassion fatigue that’s likely to generate, and assess or critique everything that’s done or said. It’s just not going to be relaxing, but that you for thinking of me.

Another Anonymous asked: Okay! You're a vet so you obviously talk about living animals a lot, but if you could chose one extinct species to bring back, which one would it be??

I would have to say thylacine. They’re pretty special to me, unlikely to be a threat to humans, and only went extinct recently so their habitat would probably still support them if they were to be released. It’s also entirely our fault they went extinct, so I feel it’s only fair if we were to bring them back.

Anonymous asked: Kind of a stupid question but is it possible for a lizard to be warm blooded? Also, what is the difference between red and blue blood and can a mammal evolve with blue blood?

Warm and cold blooded are a bit of a misnomer. Ectothermic animals, like reptiles, are dependent on external heat to maintain their body temperature. They can get quite warm! It’s certainly possible for a lizard to evolve endothermic capabilities, if that’s what you’re asking.

The difference between red or blue blood is the metal ion in the oxygen carrying molecule. Mammals have haemoglobin which contains iron, producing the red color. Some insects and molluscs have haemocyanin which contains copper, causing the blue-green color. Haemocyanin is not present in mammals, and if a mammal-like creature did evolve it, I would question whether it truly was a mammal.

Anonymous asked: One of my rats is rather fat, and also blind. This is a problem, because it seems she doesnt use the enrichment i have for the rats as much (especially the wheel) maybe because she is blind? All the rats get is a constantly full bowl of oxbow rat food and occasional treats of plain cheerios and very rarely (maybe once a month) chickpeas. I give two of my rats other, higher calorie treats because they are so active they have problems being too skinny. Is there anything i can do to help my fatrat?

I really don’t see a huge number of rats to be able to offer you advice. If she’s blind she may not be able to use enrichment objects that require movement, but may still be able to enjoy enrichment objects with different textures or smells to explore. There’s bound to be better ratty folks to ask than me though.

@und1ne-prince asked: What/which is your favorite dog and cat breeds?

There are lots of dogs I like, including greyhounds, JRTs, Dobermans, and Swedish Valhunds. For cats it’s the humble moggy.

The last Anonymous said: Wait, what? There are people who think vets should work free? Why? It should be obvious that you're practicing actual medicine, not just randomly pulling diagnoses and treatments out of your ass.

Ah, but they say that if we really cared about animals we’d treat them for free.

Here's a list of the Top 10 Saddest Burger King Toys Ever. While it's great that Burger King puts a free toy in each kid's meal, these are the top 10 worst Burger King jr meal toys ever. ➡️ Subscribe to BabbleTop: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg?sub_confirmation=1 It’s fairly common for fast-food restaurants to offer toys with their kids’ meals to appeal to children. Burger King started selling kids’ meals in 1990, and the meal included an entree, side, drink, and most importantly, a toy. Similar to McDonald’s Happy Meals toys, some of them were loved by kids and even worth some money today, but some other ones were not so great. These are the Top 10 saddest Burger King toys ever. If you enjoyed this list of top 10 saddest burger king toys ever, then comment: #BurgerKing #KidsMeal #Toys TIMESTAMPS: 0:31 Beetlejuice Figures  1:44 Twilight Toys 3:18 Furby 4:43 Backstreet Boys Cyber Crusaders 6:05 Pocahontas Finger Puppets 7:22 Shrek 2  8:48 Angry Birds 10:15 Teletubbies 12:55 Pokémon Toys Recall 13:24 WWE Plushies SUMMARIES: - Beetlejuice is a classic Tim Burton film released in 1988 about a couple who has recently died and returned as ghosts to haunt the owners of their old home. - The 2008 movie Twilight based on the Stephanie Meyer book series was massively popular during the time of its release, especially among kids and teenagers. - Furbies were first released in 1998, and were a hit among kids across the nation. These furry little creatures were great to play with because they had the special feature of speaking to you. - The Backstreet Boys were one of the most popular boy bands of the 90s, and they’re pretty well known to this day. And when one earns a lot of success, sometimes some pretty weird marketing decisions are made to capitalize on the fame. - The animated Disney film Pocahontas was released in 1995, and was extremely popular among children at the time. So like for many other popular movies, Burger King hopped on and decided to release a set of toys based on it. - Everyone’s seen the classic DreamWorks animated film Shrek. You’ve probably also seen one or all of its many sequels. It’s hard for a sequel to be better than the original, and you could definitely say the same about the set of toys that Burger King released for the promotion of Shrek 2 in 2004. - If you were a kid or had a kid growing up in the early 2010s, you’ve definitely played or at least heard of the app Angry Birds. It was first released on the app store in 2009 and got pretty popular quite fast, and since then there’s been a number of spinoffs created. - Teletubbies was a British kids show that aired between 1997 and 2001 in over 100 countries, allowing millions of kids to witness the oddness that was this children’s program. It may not have been scary as a kid, but looking back on it, those meadow dwelling aliens were pretty creepy with their sentient vacuum and laughing baby faced sun that rose every morning. - The first Pokemon video game was released in 1995, and has since grown into a major franchise, spawning trading cards, movies, TV shows, toys, and more. In 1999, Burger King took advantage of the franchise’s popularity and released a Pokemon set of toys consisting of 57 different Pokemon, each in its own Poke Balls. - World Wrestling Entertainment, commonly known as the WWE, formerly WWF, is the largest wrestling promotion in the world and is watched by over 30 million people. It’s also fairly popular among kids so it’s no surprise that Burger King decided to capitalize on it when it released its line of WWE toys in 2010. ➡️ SUBSCRIBE to BabbleTop! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg?sub_confirmation=1 🥳 JOIN and become a BabbleTop member! https://www.youtube.com/babbletop/join 👕 Check out our MERCH! https://ift.tt/2xcFumO 🔥 Our Most Popular VIDEOS! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOvb3ZRIwh0&list=UUX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg Top 10 Saddest McDonald's Happy Meal Toys Ever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXjSIxWR9Jo&list=UUX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg&index=63 Top 10 Most Popular Secret Menu Fast Food Items https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEDoWmFKBWI&list=PL2AXIR2uRsIlSkW5W0YF4gcw66jKxXUCy&index=13 Top 10 Candy Bars America Wished They Had https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiVIx10iBgc&list=UUX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg&index=40 10 Coca-Cola Drinks That Embarrassed The Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEqcMBAbur4&list=UUX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg&index=15 10 McDonald’s Items That Would Make America Great Again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UksU5Ki0SW4&list=UUX--mGSg0UwDjl7MDL8H5Jg&index=9 All clips used for fair use commentary, criticism, and educational purposes. See Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, 276 F.Supp.3d 34 (S.D.N.Y. 2017); Equals Three, LLC v. Jukin Media, Inc., 139 F. Supp. 3d 1094 (C.D. Cal. 2015).