#also used to carry one of the newborn rescue kitties like that one time

[pixlokita]

Why are you sorry? You're correct! They're just tiny little guys

Idk I feel bad I think some people find it annoying xD but yeah ;v; bless 👌💖 they’re just tiny in my heart

[lostboys-fangposting]

demetri's cats:

first of all you should know he has a tortie, two orange idiots, a grey bastard, and a tabby. also he knows each of their personalities so well that he can track them using his gift

the tortie:

anne

she's one spicy kitty! known for her sass and being highly opioniated, once you're on her bad side you best know she has a vendetta against you (the only exception to date is demetri, who she'd lie and say he's just her can opener if she could talk).

she's also been known to carry out revenge against demetri just for being given the wrong food (she constantly changes her mind about what her favorite flavor is) and when he tried to reverse-psychology her into learning tricks, she spent a whole week holding a grunge against him... until he came back from the market with fresh shrimp for her.

she is by far his favorite, though he'd deny it if you asked. she knows it too! she's even got the bejeweled collar to prove it. plus, she's not even expected to hunt, just sit pretty! (though when she does, she's not afraid to get her murder mittens bloody. demetri just praises her and cleans her right up)

the two orange idiots:

elagabalus

caligula

demetri found these two brothers as kittens on a return from a mission. he quickly scooped the pair up from the gutter, soaking from the rain and proceeded to bottle feed them every two hours right on the dot until they could hold down solids.

like most orange cats, these two share one communal brain cell with the rest of the world's population of gingy boiis. they've been known to get stuck in the strangest and highest of places, requiring felix's rescue. however, don't be fooled! these two are menaces prone to mischief (about the only thing felix finds entertaining about them).

unlike anne, these two will eat anything, including plastic, electrical wires, spiders, and the secretary's lunch if left unattended. they're not the brightest, constantly requiring supervision. if these cats were vampires, they'd be the romanians: never capable of getting anything done.

however, there's a few notable distinctions between the two: caligula, in the off chance he has the communal brain cell, is known for his occasional evil genius. a great hider, he'll climb up high where he isn't visible and swipe at the heads of passing vampires, even capable of striking an invisible afton. elagabalus, on the other hand, doesn't even need the communal brain cell to be a true garlfield - he creates a distraction just to make the secretary abandon her desk just so he can gorge himself on their lunch. hey, if it worked once, surely it'll work again, right? (each secretary catches on quickly, but they're replaced so often that this poor boy doesn't know the difference).

the grey bastard:

shadow

meet demetri's russian blue!

she's the castle's best hunter, single-handedly taking care of the majority of the rodents occupying the castle grounds. demetri found her in a forest as a roughly eight-month-old kitten in the forests of forks right after dealing with the cullens and their newborn fiasco. demetri, ever fond of strays, picked her right up out of the cold and brought her home.

this kitty is aloof and quiet, preferring peace and minimal company. her favorite person is demetri, but felix is a close second and she is known to prefer felix's company (and his room) when demetri has company or gets too extroverted for her tastes. if it weren't for the bell on her collar, no one would know where she is.

while being most loyal to demetri (she follows him around the castle), she is still known for being petty. she's bitten many secretaries ankles just for standing in her way and has even attempted to bite demetri for feeding her one minute past normal dinner time.

while her face is sweet, don't let her fool you. she's snuck into the basement to snack on the bodies of dead meals (demetri insists it was only once and due to her feelings of food insecurity, having previously lived in the wild).

the tabby:

bandit

oh you thought the orange idiots were mischievous? meet demetri's tabby. no one knows what's wrong with her, but she's definitely got a few screws loose. her strangest habit is staring at you until you get paranoid or angry, then running off once you finally address her.

like all tabbies, she is hyperactive and prone to causing trouble if not given enough stimulation (and no dad demetri, chasing and killing mice is NOT enough). she's also known for staring at things no one else can see, zoomies at all hours, and chasing her own tail like a dog. her favorite toy happens to be hair ties, and a close second is plastic grocery bags.

did you know tabbies are highly intelligent? this is the only cat demetri successfully taught to play fetch. she also knows sit and stay, and is also very good at brain puzzles. despite this, her one failure is her inability to hide/be sleuthy: she will "hide" behind curtains, glass doors, and in tubberware storage boxes thinking you can't see her.

[the-iron-orchid]

Anjali: Jinana’s Familiar

Got hold of this meme and decided to just fill it out in a post of my own instead of going for ask prompts or cluttering up the rebagel train...

General Questions

1. What is their name, pronouns, and species?

Anjali - she/her - Sand Lynx (Catclaw Desert variety)

2. Describe their appearance!

Anjali is large even for a sand lynx, over two feet high at the shoulder and weighing well over 60 pounds. Like all of her kind, she has a pale coat with faint lilac-grey spotting that helps her blend into the gypsum sands of the Catclaw Desert. The color shades into a darker lilac-grey around her lower legs and paws, the end of her tufted tail, and her ears. She has long black ear-tufts and dark markings on her face and muzzle. Her nose and paw pads are black, and her eyes are a pale blue with rounded pupils.

3. What is their personality like? How are they around strangers vs. people they know?

Anjali is suspicious of strangers, and will place her own body between them and Jinana, hissing quietly if they get too close for her comfort. (Like a caracal, she will hiss at anything she dislikes the tiniest bit.) With people she knows, she is a shameless beggar for food and attention. With people she adores, she acts like a daft kitten, despite being the size of a large dog, and will throw herself to the ground and roll around at their feet (’social rolling’).

4. What are their magical abilities?

Once per day, Anjali can use an ability that functions as a Jump spell for one round. This triples her already-impressive jumping ability for a single bound that can cross 75+ feet of horizontal distance, or 36 feet vertically. Imagine this creature just... appearing on the roof of a three-story building... terrifying.

5. What’s their goofiest quirk?

Anjali is fully capable of using a doorknob, standing up on her back legs and using her paw pads to get traction. The quirk, however, is that she always closes the door behind her. 😆

6. What snack will always get their attention?

Cheese. She adores any kind of cheese, but the stinkier the better. She won’t (intentionally) knock you over to get the cheese in your hand... but almost.

7. Do they have a pet peeve? (pun intended)

Anjali does not like to have her ear tufts played with... but it’s so hard to resist...

8. What’s their most special skill?

Sand Lynxes are known for their jumping ability, and Anjali is no exception. She can leap up to 12 feet vertically (an ability shared by real-life caracals and lynxes) and catch birds on the wing.

9. How energetic are they?

Like most felines, Anjali spends a lot of time sleeping. But when she is awake, she is a ball of energy and needs some time each day playing, running, and jumping. 

10. Do they enjoy attention or are they more of a loner?

Anjali loves attention and will actively demand it if she feels she isn’t getting enough. She will bump with her head, smack with her tail, pat a person with one of her paws or even lightly chomp a limb to get attention.

11. What’s their level of mischief like?

Relatively high. She is endlessly curious and forever poking into things to investigate them. Like all cats, she enjoys knocking things over and getting into high places.

12. What’s their favorite way to let off steam?

She actually loves to play fetch! She also loves to try and catch an airborne toy in mid-air (but it has to be thrown like... really high), and to play tag.

13. What were they like as a baby? Did your OC know them back then?

Originally, Jinana discovered Anjali as a lost, hungry kitten at an oasis in the Catclaw Desert, not terribly far from Nopal. S/he hand-reared the sand lynx, who bonded with hir over time. Anjali was pretty much like any other kitten, except larger!

14. What song would you use to describe them?

"Jump” by Van Halen 🤣🤣🤣

15. 3 emojis that sum them up?

😼🍖😻

16. Most likely to…?

Shove herself into bed between Jinana and anyone else who might be there, where she will then sleep belly-up with her legs in the air.

17. What’s the most unique thing about them/makes them stand out?

Anjali is capable of running small errands at the Market, wearing a set of saddlebags with a pocket for coin and a note from Jinana. The merchants aren’t sure if she can count... but they’re not about try and cheat her! (Don’t send her to pick up meat or cheese though... most of it won’t make it home...)

OC Relationship Questions

18. How did they meet your OC?

Having lost or become separated from her mother and littermates, Anjali was discovered at an oasis in the Catclaw Desert, starving. Jinana coaxed her into eating and drinking, bringing her back to Vesuvia with hir and raising her to adulthood, magically bonding with her in the process.

19. What is their relationship with your OC like?

Anjali adores and is very protective of Jinana. She would go everywhere with hir if allowed to... so long as it isn’t raining. ;P All the same, she can be kind of judgmental (like all cats) and has strong Opinions on things.

20. If your OC lost their memories, do/did they remember their familiar? If no, do they now and how did the reunion go?

In the Apprentice continuity, Jinana did not recall Anjali, nor vice-versa. Because of the way that mage and familiar are bound, bringing Jinana back to life brought Anjali back as well, her spirit arriving in the body of a newborn kitten. (Asra suspected but could not confirm this.) She is three years old and has had litters of her own by the time that Jinana finds her again. In the interim, they regularly dream of each other, but neither of them know why until Jinana gains the knowledge of hir own death and resurrection.

21. How do they feel about other people in your OC’s life?

Anjali likes Asra, but was slightly jealous of him in Jinana’s previous life. She adores Heron. She likes Julian because Jinana likes him, but also enjoys making him nervous. (“I think she wants to eat my face.”) Portia’s delight in meeting a cat so large charms Anjali in turn. Inanna, being one of the few familiars around that is larger than Anjali herself, gets particular respect.

22. What’s your OC’s favorite thing about them?

EAR TUFTS GO FWIP FWIP FWIP (only Jinana is allowed to play with them!)

Also Anjali will sit up on her back legs and ‘dance’ with Jinana when s/he is practicing, it’s adorable.

23. What’s their favorite thing about your OC?

HUMAN NAILS (they give scritches)

24. What’s one thing they do for your OC that no one else can?

Anjali can sense when Jinana is feeling disconnected or having intrusive thoughts, and will come and sit with/on hir or even just flop on hir to squish hir soul back into hir body, so to speak.

25. How often are they with your OC?

More or less constantly, outside of times she is sent on an errand, or stays at home because a) it’s raining or b) Jinana is going somewhere that a 60+ pound cat-thing is probably not welcome.

26. How easy is it for them to get away with things with your OC? Vice versa?

In non-Apprentice timelines, Anjali sees Jinana as a parent figure, and while she might have Opinions, she generally defers to hir and doesn’t act out much. 

In the Apprentice timeline, however, having raised two litters in the wild, Anjali sees Jinana as her charge, and won’t let hir get away with things like not eating or resting enough. It’s going to take some time to re-establish a balance in their relationship.

27. Which Disney character-animal sidekick duo is their relationship most like?

...I don’t have enough background in Disney to be able to pick one. Open to suggestions, though!

Creator Questions

28. What was your inspiration for this familiar?

Real-life caracals and lynxes, but bigger and adapted for true desert life. Sort of a Big Floppa of the desert. 😂

29. Why did you choose them for your OC?

I considered a bug familiar, which would have been on-brand, but it’s also very on-brand for Jinana to have rescued this ‘poor kitten’ which grows up to be a big horrible sand lynx that follows hir everywhere.

Heron: “Jinana, that is a sand lynx. It’s going to get almost as big as you are.” (Jinana did not care.)

30. What’s your favorite trait or bit of lore pertaining to them?

Anjali has a strong maternal instinct and will attempt to raise any small animal that comes into the household... including Julian’s wrinkly little puppy. He probably freaks out the first time he sees her carrying the puppy in her mouth (having just rescued the critter from its own curiosity).

31. If you were to meet this familiar irl, how would you react?

By herself? Terrified lmao

In the company of her person? Fascinated and dying to peT THE LORGE KITTY

32. What would your familiar be? Why?

A housecat. Because that’s just how it be. 😸

[crazyrandomfucker]

Adrien Augreste: Abandoned

He didn't understand it at all. What is the point of having pets if you won't take care of their children? When he found the cardboard box with six kittens in it, he simply sweared that if he ever had a pet, he would keep their childs and raise them. He couldn't and didn't want to believe there was people who would abandon six precious kittens in the streets, and certainly not while it was raining.

The kittens meow desesperatedly, crying for help. There were two calico kittens, a snow white one, two stripped kittens and a pitch black one. Without an ounce of doubt, Chat took the box and carried the kittens somewhere sheltered from the rain, ending in the Trocadero. Once he was there, he began to think what could he possibly do with the kittens. He thought of giving them to an animal shelter, but he didn't know where was one in Paris and wasn't exactly sure if he could go there as a hero.

As he stared to the horizon, the image of a young kind-hearted designer drawing came to his mind and he knew what to do. He closed the cardboard box and made some holes with his feline nails so the kittens would be able to breath normally, then he picked up the box and headed to the best bakery in Paris. He carefully landed on Marinette's balcony and tapped on her trapdoor, waiting for her to open it.

She took her time to open ther trap door, but when she did, she made Chat enter to her bedroom and gave him a couple of towels. He gladly accpted the towels and dried his hair and suit before one of them could even talk. Once he was done, he took the cardbox near him and opened in front of Mari so she could see the kittens.

"Princess, look what I've found in themiddle of this rain" said the hero without his usual punny tone. "Whoever abandoned them did it today despite the rain, because they weren't there yesterday".

"Oh no, who could be so heartless? They are newborns and completely adorable" said Marinette with a hint of heartbreak in her voice.

"I know. They were crying for help when I found them in the street. I can understand how could someone abandon them in such state" agreed Chat. "I came to ask you if you could take care of them, even if it was only one of them. I'm not allowed to keep them in my house".

"I'll try to convince my parents, leave me a minute" said the designer with determination on her eyes.

She went downstairs for a bit, also calling to her brother to come, and talked with their parents. Later, the four of them went upstairs and greeted Chat, which startled him a bit.

"Marinette has told us why are you here young man, there's no problem" said Tom smiling, calming a bit Chat.

"Sorry for the intrusion thought" apologised Chat.

"Don't worry about it, we know it was for a good cause. We also know you're friends with our children and that's why you came here. Furthermore, you're a regular client and you that gives us quite the publicity we need." said calmly Sabine. "So we've talked about the kittens and decided that we'll take care of two of them for a while, just make sure to came to the bakery more often, you always look so thin".

"Thanks a lot miss and mister Dupain-Cheng. I'll make sure to come more and give you a publicity boost" said Chat sincerely

"Well then, now we just have to choose which will be the lucky kittens" said Tom.

They let the twins choose a cat each. Marinette picked up the black one, because she liked those olive green eyes. Marin choosed the white one because when he kneeled down to take a better look at the kittens, the white one walked towards him and meowed. Happy with their good action, the family waved Chat as he runned over the rooftops with the kittens' box.

This time, Chat knew who to visit precisely. He still remembered the embarrasement and humiliation he suffered when he recovered from the catnip effects, clearly remembering what he did while he was high and how Ladybug reacted. Yes, he was going to pay a visit to some certain gingers and their four identical younger sisters.

He gently landed on a balcony and knocked at the window, waiting for someone to open it and let him in. With a confussion look on her face, Alya opened the window and let him inside, hurrying to also get him some towels before he got all the floor wet. Once she returned with towels and Alen and Chat dried himself with the towels, Chat brought the box in front of the twins and showed them the kittens, explaining why he was there with some random kitties.

After reminding the twins how closed they had been to cause an akuma to win, as well as stating how embarrassed he felt and how much they had played with him, the twins accepted to take two of the kittens in. Chat pointed that now they could use all those toys on a not superhero cat, to whichthe twins could only agree.

Then, the reporter duo chosed the two stripped kitties and wrap them up in a warm towel. Chat asked them curiously why didn't they talked to their parents first, to which the twonse responded that their father was a zoo keeper and their mother loved animals, so they wouldn't exactly oppose to the idea of having cats at home, more so because they were adorable kittens who were cruelly abandoned.

Before Chat left, he turned and ssked where could he go to give this kittens and after descarding the designers because they already had beenvisited, they told him to go to the Lahiffe house, telling him where to go and where to knock, because their parents were pretty chill and they were normally quite busy.

After a short race under the rain, which was now turining into a storm, the cat-themed hero arrived to the Lahiffe household. As Adrien, he could probably just enter through the main door, talk with his best buddy and give him the kittens, but now he was Chat and they hadn't had much interaction aside from the Bubbler incident or all the times he had rescued Alya and brought her to Nino, which didn't give him enough reasons to randomly appear by his window.

After some minutes of self debate, he knocked on the window and Nino immediately opened, as if he had been waiting for Chat to come. When the hero mentioned it, Nino just told him that he shouldn't have an inner debate on his window, laughing a bit about it. Nina came into the room, holding a couple of towels and offered them to the hero, making a remark that people would end up thinking that their cat hero was a stalker or something worse. Once the cat was dry again, he opened the box and told once more the story of the abandoned kittens.

"Okay dude, I get your point" said Nino. "Just tell me one thing, why did you come to me? Or us, I'm not sure who were you looking for. I mean, we've barely interacted except for when we were akumatized and all those times when you brought us Alya and Alen to ground them during an akuma attack".

"And that's precisely what my inner debate was of. The reason is simple thought. Alen said, and I quote: 'They would be the best option to take care of the kitties, well more Nina than Nino'. The Alya added: 'Also, I'm sure they will love their calico eyes and specially their orange almost ginger fur'. And here we are now" explained Chat.

"I have to agree, I'd make an splendid caretaker of the kittens. Mainly because Nino is generally focused on his DJ hobby or his obsession to become a film director. I'm rather relaxed" said the girl and Chat couldn't help to think about all the times she hadn't been relaxed when he was Adrien.

The siblings took the kittens out of the box, made a quick call and confirmed that they could keep for a while the kittens, lifting a weight from Chat's soul. When he turned to leave, Nina grabbed him by his tail and scolded him about how dangerous it was to run over the parisian rooftops in the middle of a storm and convinced him to stay and play some games until the dtorm cleared s bit. It goes without saying, but Chat's afternoon was completely made better by having fun with Nino and Nina.

[professorpalmarosa]

Commander Saturn (Saturnalia)

There is no consistent personality for Saturn. He’s going to be completely different wherever you find him.

His game version (and therefore the Generations version) was organized, dependable, and somebody Cyrus apparently trusted enough to leave the organization to in case things went wrong. When I wrote Koyaanisqatsi, I tried to channel that version, along with his disillusioned comments in the Platinum end-game about how “extremism never solves anything.”

His anime version showed some of these traits, but we saw so little of him.

If you use his Special/Adventures version, he’s an agoraphobic man-child who loves to play video games and remotely torment people with his gadgets. The fact he puts tape on the floor and gets peeved each time Mars encroaches on it makes me laugh every time.

In Diamond Pearl Adventure, he’s fiercely loyal to Cyrus: even to the point of begging for a chance to redeem himself when he loses to Hareta. He’s a capable battler (more so than any Commander other than Mitsumi), and also clever enough to play a double agent role during Charon’s takeover so he can rescue Cyrus.

Although Saturn’s personality is all over the place, that loyalty and desire to support Team Galactic rang true in all his iterations. I decided to focus on that when designing his fragrance. It wasn’t so much about how the oils smell in Saturn’s case, but what the oils do. And hoo boy, do they do a LOT...

Saturn’s synergy (Saturnalia) promotes a relaxing, calming effect and soothes tired muscles after a stressful, frustrating day. Many of the oils inside the blend are good for alleviating physical pain, but two of the oils in this synergy are also fantastic for anxiety and insomnia.

The main note in Saturnalia is Roman Chamomile. There are two types of chamomile you can purchase in essential oil form: German and Roman. They both smell like a cup of chamomile tea by themselves, but the Roman is a little stronger and has more of a sedative effect. That and my cat loves the Roman Chamomile, so I keep buying it.

But since I wanted to give his more dimensions than just a tea dupe, I took a look in my inventory to see if I had any other cool, calming oils that would blend well with the chamomile, give me the results I wanted, and—I did!

The next oil I added to the blend was Sweet Marjoram, which has given me really good results with my back problems in the past. The problem then was that poor Saturn’s blend now smelled like delicious Greek food rather than something anyone would want to wear as a cologne. I wasn’t anywhere remotely near done!

So in went the Juniper Berry (the key ingredient in gin) for a cooling effect, paired with woodsy Blue Cypress and medicinally floral Blue Tansy.

The end result was a “hot cup of tea on a cold rainy day” sensation for my muscles and nose. I could feel the oils soaking in through my skin and the water turned a dramatic sapphire blue.

I got the support I needed from this blend. My back (my biggest pain area) felt spry and healthy the following morning. My dreams were pleasant. I didn’t wake up seven to eight times in the night due to pain or bad dreams. It was a soothing, calming experience from start to finish.

Now it’s time to talk about the pros and cons of these oils from a safety perspective…

Aromatherapy isn’t just about pretty smells and scented bath water. Essential oils are in such a high concentration that even absorbing them through your skin can leave you with the therapeutic (and potentially toxic) benefits.

If you are allergic to a plant, you are 100% without question going to be super allergic to the essential oil.

There’s also such a thing as contraindications: where some oils may affect you in weird ways if you have a certain medical condition or take certain medications.

The information below is for your safety if you want to attempt to make this blend at home (as a bath bomb, a body spray, or even scented bath salts). And do be sure to wear gloves. Some of these oils have recommended dilution rates as small as 0.4%. You don’t want that to slide on bare skin!

Roman Chamomile

There are actually two true chamomile Essential Oils on the market: German and Roman. Roman is the more potent of the two, so I mixed it into this blend. It worked. That bath bomb had me in bed by 8:00 PM because I was so sleepy afterwards!

Pros:

It’s one of the safest Essential Oils to diffuse around your kitty! While no Essential Oil is truly safe for a cat and you should always leave the door open so your kitty can escape if you’re using Essential Oils, Roman and German Chamomile are two of the least harmful for your feline friend. My kitty Gaius loves the smell, so I’m saving up to get it in Hydrosol form.

Fight off insomnia! If you’ve ever had a good calming cup of Chamomile or Sleepytime tea (Celestial Seasonings), then you are already familiar with the relaxing properties of Roman Chamomile. This Essential Oil (especially when mixed with other soothing scents like Lavender or Lily of the Valley) promotes a calm, peaceful atmosphere which makes it so much easier to sleep. It works for me, and I’m sure it’ll work for you!

Feeling nauseous due to stress? Fix it with Roman Chamomile! Roman Chamomile can be used for various stress-induced digestive disorders including indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and bloating from gas.

Chamomile can be a girl’s best friend! A lot of women use Roman Chamomile (especially in tea form) for morning sickness and really painful menstrual cramps. It’s considered to be a “blood purifier” and general female tonic, reducing menstrual pain and better regulating periods.

Relieve pain and swelling! Roman Chamomile is great for reducing pain and swelling of the mucus membranes, sinuses, and joints. It can also be mixed into lotion and applied to the skin for swollen, inflamed areas. It can also be used on wounds, burns, eczema, frostbite, bedsores, hemorrhoids, and diaper rash.

Diffuse it to help your sinuses! Roman Chamomile can be diffused and inhaled for sinus inflammation, hay fever, sore throat (something I’m battling right now), and ear inflammations.

Cons:

Since Roman Chamomile can stimulate a period, pregnant women should avoid this oil to reduce their chances of a miscarriage.

Since Roman Chamomile’s effects on newborns has not been studied, it is best to consider it unsafe for nursing mothers to use.

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil has powerful sedative properties and should not be applied or diffused if you plan to drive, operate machinery, or perform a task that requires your full, complete concentration.

Although Roman Chamomile is good for relieving nausea, too much of it will actually make you more nauseous.

If you have an allergy to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, or similar plants, avoid Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile.

Sweet Marjoram

Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil (much like its cousin, Oregano Essential Oil) has a calming effect on your body, and the smell is lovely...just kind of “foody” by itself.

If you’ve eaten Mediterranean cuisine before or ever taken a good whiff of a gyro, Marjoram is one of the main spices you’ll smell. It has a very strong “seasoning” scent, but pairs well with a lot of gentler fragrances.

Pros:

It’s good for your circulatory system! Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil can increase your blood flow and lower blood pressure.

It’s good for aches and pains, especially on overused and exhausted muscles. This is my go-to massage oil after a workout. It’s also great for flu and fibromyalgia pain, sore muscle strain, and a queasy stomach. I originally bought it for menstrual cramps, but it’s worked best on my overexerted muscles.

Cons:

If you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, don’t use Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil and stick to only using marjoram in food amounts. This is also true for young children, as Marjoram Essential Oil isn’t a kid-friendly oil. Do not use this bath bomb for anyone under the age of 10.

If you have any of the below health concerns, I recommend talking to your doctor before using Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil in any capacity:

Bleeding disorders

Diabetes

Gastrointestinal or urinary tract obstructions

Lung conditions such as asthma

Ulcers

Slow heart rate or low blood pressure

Seizures or epilepsy

Juniper Berry

If you’re a weirdo like me and love the way a gin and tonic smells, you’ll fall in love with Juniper Berry Essential Oil the first time you sniff it. It’s got that cool, crisp, biting aroma along with a slight medicinal after-scent...all in a good way.

I love blending it with Grapefruit, Balsam Fir, Pine, Cedarwood, Camphor, or anything in the mint family. But Saturnalia is a special blend: truly therapeutic and relaxing. I can’t think of what could possibly be more relaxing than a Gin and Tonic...aside from a Basil Flower Gimlet--which also has gin!

Pros:

It’s a helpful digestive aid! Diffuse Juniper Berry for half an hour to an hour. The antispasmodic, tonic, and stomachic properties of this oil can help put that fussy tummy back into working order. Your twisted guts will unravel, you’ll build up more gastric juices, and be able to push whatever made you feel miserable out a little bit faster. Some people even use this oil to get some relief from constipation.

Carrying some extra water weight? Maybe Juniper Berry can help! I’m not gonna lie. I use it for this exact same reason, though I pair it with my Cardamom oil for a workout. I tend to bloat when I eat salty foods or my time of the month arrives. This flushes all that excess water right out! Juniper Berry makes your body sweat more, but also stimulates your kidneys. Just be sure to drink a lot of water if you use it for this purpose!

It’s good for arthritis, spasms, and cramps! Try a 1-3% dilution of Juniper Berry Essential Oil with a carrier (like jojoba, coconut, or sweet almond oil) and rub it into the sore area. It works quickly and should leave you feeling at least a little better in a few minutes.

It’s good for your skin and promotes a pretty complexion! Some people will use a 1-3% dilution ratio to treat eczema and psoriasis trouble spots. Try mixing it with jojoba oil (a carrier) for maximum effect. I’ll a drop of this (and Palmarosa Essential Oil) to my nightly astringent. I only get a zit or two during my cycle and that’s it.

Calm down, get a good night’s sleep, and banish all those stressful thoughts! Dilute the oil and apply it to the back of your neck or chest right before going to bed. I like to add a drop to my lotion and massage my temples after work, especially if it’s one of those days where I’m stuck in back to back development meetings and I think my head’s going to explode. Even a few drops in your bathtub should do the trick!

Cons:

Never apply this essential oil neat (undiluted) on the skin. Some people have reported irritation, redness, swelling, and a burning sensation when applied neat.

Prolonged use of this essential oil may result in kidney problems, seizures, and other severe side effects. Occasional use should be fine.

Juniper Berry is not an oil you should use if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Juniper is a known abortifacent and can interfere with a uterus’s fertility.

If you are diabetic, you  may want to avoid Juniper Berry Essential Oil. There have been reports of this oil lowering people’s blood sugar to unsafe levels.

Never take this oil internally, as it may irritate your gastrointestinal tract.

If you are on any blood pressure medications, contact your physician before using this essential oil in any large capacity, as Juniper Berry Essential Oil may make blood pressure harder to control.

Juniper Berry Essential Oil may make it more difficult to control your blood sugar before and after surgery. If you’re scheduled for surgery, ere on the side of caution and don’t use this essential oil (and therefore the Saturnalia bath bomb) at least 2 weeks before the scheduled surgery.

Juniper Berry Essential Oil is not a kid-safe oil. Don’t use this oil (or bath bomb) with any kid under the age of 10.

Blue Tansy

Ah…one of my favorite Essential Oils!

Blue Tansy comes from (believe it or not) a yellow flower. It gets its name because its oil is a dark navy blue. It’s a seasonal plant and one of my more expensive oils (about $60 USD for a 10ml bottle), but definitely one I plan to replenish once I run out.

The smell is reminiscent of German Chamomile, but so much stronger. I call it “Chamomile on Steroids” and is a very useful, versatile oil. It’s a cousin to the daisy flower.

Pros:

Treat fungal infections on your scalp, hair, nail, and skin! Blue Tansy has an antimicrobial and antifungal property. While you can apply it to bruised skin (safely diluted with a carrier oil), it’s never a good idea to put an essential oil neat (undiluted) on a cut, scrape, or wound. Still, if you’re prone to fungal infections, Blue Tansy may be your new best friend!

Treat seasonal allergies (without the grogginess)! Blue Tansy can be diffused to reduce seasonal or other allergies, as it is an asthma-safe oil. It has natural antihistamine properties, but isn’t a sedative. It’s cleared me right up and I’ve had wonderful results with this oil.

Fight aches and pains! Blue Tansy can be massaged into the muscles with a carrier oil to fight tired muscles after a strenuous workout or even the effects of rheumatism or gout. This oil has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and can dramatically reduce swelling. I’ve even been able to kill a headache with this super-oil before.

Calm your jittery nerves! While Blue Tansy isn’t a sedative oil (like Roman Chamomile), it does have several calming properties. It promotes peace of mind, relaxation, and a more easygoing atmosphere.

Alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort! When applied (with a carrier oil) to the abdomen, Blue Tansy can help you with stomachaches, constipation, abdominal gas, and even menstrual cramps.

Get the perfect skin you always wanted! So long as it’s diluted first, Blue Tansy can be applied to the skin to moisturize the skin as well as kill many of the bacteria and fungi responsible for acne outbreaks.

Cons:

If you plan to purchase this oil, be sure you’re buying Blue Tansy Essential Oil, as opposed to Tansy Essential Oil. Tansy (not Blue Tansy) has a high concentration of the chemical thujone in it. Thujone is a dangerous neurotoxin and will really, really, REALLY mess you up.

Due to Blue Tansy Essential Oil’s high camphor content, people with Parkinson’s or epilepsy should avoid this oil. This also means it is absolutely NOT safe to diffuse around a cat or dog.

There are a whole slew of fake Blue Tansy Essential Oils on the market, so be sure you buy this one from a reputable source. I recommend Plant Therapy.

If you are allergic to daisies, avoid this essential oil.

Blue Tansy Essential Oil should not be used neat (undiluted on the skin) or ingested. Never ingest essential oils without first contacting your physician.

While Blue Tansy Essential Oil is considered safe for use during pregnancy, consult your doctor beforehand just to be on the safe side.

Exercise caution if you are using certain medications (antibiotics, antihistamines, antipsychotics, and antidepressants), as Blue Tansy Essential Oil may interfere with these medications.

Blue Cypress

There are multiple Cypress Essential Oils on the market (I have 3 in my collection), but Blue Cypress is my favorite. Alone, it is faintly woodsy and you have to use a lot of it to get its smell, but it makes up for its delicate smell by providing a whole slew of therapeutic benefits.

Pros:

Quickly heal cuts and scrapes! If you’ve scratched yourself, popped a pimple, or damaged your skin in any other capacity, you may want to consider adding a drop of Blue Cypress Essential Oil to your lotion or astringent. For some people, it’s been known to speed up the healing process. The oil contains an antimicrobial chemical (camphene) that helps keep some strains of bacteria and fungi from infecting a wound.

Cramping up or have a pulled muscle? Blue Cypress can help! This essential oil has antispasmodic properties, meaning it can help your muscles relax and ease up, even when all they want to do is seize tightly and make your life difficult. I’m not a physician, nor do I claim to be one, but studies have been conducted to determine Blue Cypress’s effectiveness on conditions like Restless Leg Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel. The results look promising.

Soothe aches and pains. Most aches and pains are caused by a buildup of lactic acid. Due to Blue Cypress’s diuretic properties, it can help your body flush that acid out faster, leaving you feeling better much, much sooner. Some people claim the diuretic effects of this oil can also help flush out several toxins.

This is an asthma-safe oil and can soothe a sore respiratory tract. You can breathe easy with a little Blue Cypress in your diffuser!

This oil promotes blood clotting. Another reason people like to use Blue Cypress on scratches and cuts is because it speeds up the clotting process. Blood vessels contract, blood flows more easily, and tissues can tighten up.

It’s a natural deodorizer! Although Blue Cypress doesn’t have a strong smell, it’s really good at neutralizing other odors. Try adding a few drops to your laundry detergent!

Had a stressful day? Calm down with Blue Cypress! Blue Cypress has sedative properties, which can make it easier for you to fall asleep after a long and trying day. As little as 5 drops in your bathtub can make all the difference.

Cons:

Due to the sedative properties of this oil, do not diffuse or apply this oil if you intend to drive or operate heavy machinery. It’s also ill-advised to diffuse this oil at work if your job requires your full concentration and alertness.

Since Blue Cypress promotes blood clotting, exercise caution if you are using a blood thinner or a clotting medication, as contraindications may occur.

Do not use this oil if you have an allergy to cypress or peaches. If you are allergic to a plant, I can guarantee you that you’ll be allergic to its essential oil.

Prolonged use of this essential oil may result in some kidney irritation.

There is not enough information available online to determine whether or not this oil is safe for breastfeeding or pregnant persons. Ere on the side of caution if you are nursing, pregnant, or intend to become pregnant.

[arizonagirldiary]

KITTYGATE: A True Crime Story

THE CRIME

It all began on a warm autumn day. Summer stays around for a long time here in Arizona and it was over 90 degrees before noon that day.

That morning, to be precise.

I awaken slowly in the morning. I'd had a few cups of coffee, played on Twitter, and I really don't remember why I decided to walk outside of the back of my house where I have a small patio and a carport.

The patio is fenced in and I could see a plastic storage bin tipped on its side on the other side of my gate, with its top tightly in place. It was clear plastic with a white top. The type of container you might pack Christmas decorations in. I could see fabric, blankets, something that had fallen to the bottom when the bin was placed on its side.

“What the holy hell?"

I opened the gate, righted the tub, and pulled off the lid. What happened next sent me through so many emotions at one time that I decided I would first just scream and then sort things out afterward.

Inside the storage bin were 11 kittens. Later I would find out that they were two different litters. Seven two-week old and four four-week old kittens. The bin was swelteringly hot and the kittens were limp from the heat and no air. At this point I had stopped screaming and was now crying while hiccuping nonstop oh-my-Gods.

I knew, that if I had walked out my back door—perhaps five minutes later--this story would have a very different ending and I would never be telling you about it because I refuse to listen to or tell sad animal stories.

With all the commotion I was making, my across the alley neighbor, Gladys Kravitz, came running over to find out what was up for her bulletin reports to the neighborhood. Little did she know I was going to feed her enough info for a newsletter throughout the weekend.

As I mentioned, I was overcome with so many emotions. Fear, not understanding, confusion, maternal tugs, and looming above all others was a big grey cloud was an anger that stayed for days over this outrageous animal cruelty.

As I began to gather clues and witnesses for later reference for Kittygate, I noticed a note inside the bin which read:

"Dear friend,

Thank you so much for agreeing to take these kittens. We know you are the perfect person to take care of them."

Unsigned, of course.

THE SUSPECTS

Interestingly, my first suspect, Gladys Kravitz, who in addition to being the block gossip, is also known as The Cat Lady because she takes in the pregnant abandoned cats in our condos and finds homes for the kittens. A worthy deed. Indeed.

I knew.

I absolutely, unequivocally knew.

That the bin of kittens was accidentally left on my carport instead of Gladys's.

And so did she.

The proof was in her disappearing immediately. I could not believe it. All those litters she raised and no offer of help? My anger cloud grew, loomed and seethed. But I had no time to make a small doll and stick pins in it. I had 11 new children and not a clue of what to do with them.

There is also an older red-headed woman (a man I know says red hair is a sign from God) who is quite nosy, complains about the abandoned cats, and frequently walks by my house. Suspect number two.

THE CARE & FEEDING OF ROGUE KITTENS

I didn't know much about kittens but I did know they had to be in a safe, cool, place and must be fed. I make a 911 call to my sister-in-law, also a Cat Lady but much younger and nicer, to help me with these poor babies. She was over in 10 minutes. We corralled them in their first temporary home--a pillow fort in my bedroom. Cross that off your list as a good place for kittens. The older kittens immediately found delight in climbing over the pillow barriers and scampered all over the bedroom. Apparently the cooler air gave them a second wind. The smaller ones just piled on top of each other and slept.

My sister-in-law, who knows about all things feline, sent me off to a feed store for kitten formula and a stop by CVS, to get teeny plungers to feed them with. When I came home, my very wise sis-in-law had moved them to the bathtub where the porcelain walls made escape impossible. She asked if I had anything soft to put down on the bottom so I ran to raid my closet.

I returned with nearly all of my cashmere sweaters and scarves. I had just moved back to Arizona from California. A tank top and flip-flops are winter wear here. Sigh. I knew I'd never wear cashmere here. Might as well donate them to kittens in need.

As it turns out, kittens require nourishment every two hours. Thoughts of newborns did cross my mind. Especially thinking of waking every two hours and the idea of lack of sleep. Fortunately, my sister-in-law is a bonafide card-carrying Cat Lady. She not only feeds her own cats, but every stray within blocks of her home. She has a heart of gold and is one of my favorite relatives. Her daughter, Sara, is a Cat Lady-in-training, and was soon called in to action to join Kittygate. Between the three of us, we turned my bathroom into the perfect kitten feeding station.

YOU’RE ALL ON NOTICE AND I KNOW WHO YOU ARE

I took the note taped to the kitten’s bin and spewed venom all over a large note and pinned it to the back wall of my condo. Well, it might even qualify as a sign, I suppose. I accuse whoever left the kittens that they had left them at the wrong house, I was not their “friend,” and furthermore they nearly killed the kittens locked in an airless bin. Outraged I was. I wrote that I was going door to door (not really) to find the perpetrator.

ANIMAL CONTROL

This was a strange plot twist, but the next day Animal Control left an unsolicited note on my front door wanting details of Kittygate. Did I know that whoever left the kittens had committed the crime of animal cruelty? Hah. You bet I did. A copy of the Animal Control note was pinned to the ever expanding, okay it is a sign, on my back wall. Jail. I wanted jail time for these murderous fiends. I contacted Animal Control and told them what little information I knew. They even wanted the bin the kittens were left in, as well as the note. My kind of bureaucrats.

DAY THREE

By now, the four older kittens had figured out how to scale the Mt. Everest bathtub wall and were wandering around the toilet area. Kitty dorm had now became two separate areas. Which, in a way, was good because the older ones were now eating soft kitten food.

I have a cat, but have never had a kitten. I assumed they were born knowing how to use a cat box. Um, no. They were very adept at pooping next to the shoe box top litter boxes I made, but never quite hit the target.

It was time to find a place for the kittens to go—as much as I wanted 11 new pets. Of course, my sister-in-law had called every cat rescue in town. Cats are impossible to find homes for, and if you bring them to the city shelter…well, it's not good news.

THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER

BUT. Wonderful sis-in-law found a shelter in Phoenix that would take all 11 kittens if I would pay for foster families to care for them until they were six weeks old—an adoptable age. And the very best part, they were a no kill shelter.

So we bundled them up in cashmere-lined boxes and drove to Phoenix from where I live in suburban Mesa. Only when the intake person made up cards for each kitten did I truly believe there was really going to be a happily ever after for my precious kittens.

I made my final entry on the Kittygate sign and left it up for one more week before I took it down.

Total cost, kaching = $256.00 you heartless (x-rated words)

SOLVING THE CASE

A bright spot to come out of this whole debacle is that most of my neighbors are now afraid of me and no one talks to me. As I prefer. My brother Danny claims that everyone is afraid of me due to an incident with my mother's gardener. I rather like it this way. Fear me. Even Gladys Kravitz returned her spare key to my house. A guilt offering, no doubt.

I suppose I'll never find out who left the kittens at my door, upended my life for three days, and cost me the $256 I really didn't have to spare. But I can tell you this much…

My neighbors now all believe I'm BADASS.

_________________

This true story is dedicated to Allison Pecallier.

[moonraccoon-exe]

Papa ardyn with twin babies -3-

I was midways through this, I thought it saved in my clipboard, copied something else, and WOOPS MS Word thought it’d be a good idea to BETRAY ME.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edit: IT HAPPENED TWICE.

I am so angry. (￣︶￣)

Gonna start over, but hey! Let’s look at the bright side. I don’t know which it is, but there’s gotta be one.  (￣︶￣)

Dear anon, first of all, I’m sorry for taking so long. Yours was here before I posted this other one (they were in inbox at the same time but with many other requests/asks in between), so it’s been a while.

Dear other anon (the one of the pic), I kind of melt a little at the way you say ‘Please’. I believe you’ve been here before for other requests and the little “Please”s at the beginning always kill me a little. It’s so nice. (*ﾉ▽ﾉ)

I do hope the wait will be worth it, though.

Ireallyhope so.(・ u ・)

This goes for you two.  ♡ ～(‘▽^人)

Ardyn with twin daughters:

Ardyn created these two.

You’re not getting the point; he literally created them.

After 2000 years of life and nearly killing EVERYBODY ON EOS, it’s kind of hard to aspire for a partner, and Ardyn ain’t really interested in one, but he wanted to have kids, so he used his daemonic powers to literally create his babies.

He wanted two kids so he was like “I’m going to make both at once, then. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Hahahahahahahha, Ardyn you IDIOT.

So basically these girls are like Prompto; only the dad’s genetics. And daddy is a daemon piñata, so these girls are half human half daemon.

Best family EVER.

When they finally appeared in front of him, newborn and lying there, Ardyn was like

“Okay. So I wanted kids. And here they are. Fantastic. Uhm…yeah. Great. ………now wat (・・;) ”

Lmao Ardyn is going to figure out that having a kid is troubles.

And he has TWO.

This bloody idiot.

He tried to convince Aranea to help him 24/7

Aranea smacked him.

Pfft, like he needs her. He’ll be best dad ever, you’ll see.

Ardyn you just forgot your other child on the ground.

Don’t worry, Ardyn will get a grip of this.

Now that was the beginning of this story and explanation, now get ready for the real headcanons of the daily life of Papa Ardyn with his twin daughters:

Ardyn loves both in equal measures but never confuses which is which.

As you know from that other post, Ardyn likes to raspberry them whenever he changes their diapers or clothes.

Ardyn adores to kiss their cheeks and tummies.

Baby Twin #1 adores his hair, so he’s usually picking her and dropping her on his head like she’s but a tiny kitty, and lets her play with and pull from his hair all that she wishes.

Baby Twin #2 adores his beard, so he’s usually holding her close or letting her stay close to pat at and rub at his beard.

This makes things difficult because Ardyn has to keep it short all the time, enough so it’s felt, but not too much so it’s gone, but has to shave when it grows too long and baby twin #2 is upset when he’s shaved clean, so it’s a mess, really.

The twins love Ardyn’s real face.

It’s the best way to have them stop crying, show it to them, coo at them while with his deamon face on.

Sometimes the twins will wake up in the middle of the night to cry, so Ardyn has to go check them.

You’d think they want food or that they peed or something, but nope. They just want to see Ardyn’s daemon face.

You cannot blame them, they’re basically daemons, they love his face.

Ardyn loves to have conversations with them.

They’re smol babies so they don’t understand, but Ardyn loves to talk long with them and never gets tired.

He uses baby voice and toys with their hands a lot as they ‘talk’.

His baby voice is a slight raise of his voice pitch, and it’s always in almost a murmur, and he’s constantly laughing softly and lowly and kissing at their cheeks or hands.

This man is ridiculously sweet with his babies.

Ardyn bids goodnight by kissing both cheeks of both babies, so that’s 4 kisses each night.

Ardyn reads them to sleep.

Ardyn loves to carry each baby in each arm, to rock both at the same time, and hum them to sleep, too.

Sometimes it’s impossible to get this man away of his daughters when it’s bedtime, so he just stands there all night.

Not like he needs sleep, anyway.

Plus, his daughters are his entire universe, he could watch them all day and not get bored.

Ardyn quietly humming to them turns into a daily thing.

Ardyn actually has a nice voice for humming.

The look in his face when he looks at them, dammit, he loves them so dearly it’s impossible.

Ardyn can go all day hugged to his babies.

They make him so happy and he loves them lots, he can’t let go.

The babies sometimes pat or caress his face, and he loves when they do.

You should have seen this man’s face when he discovered onesies.

You’re NEVER going to get twin girls out of their onesies.

Ardyn’s favorite to dress them in is the moogle ones.

ARDYN LOVES MOOGLES AND ARDYN LOVES HIS DAUGHTERS OKAY THIS IS THE BEST COMBINATION SINCE OXYGEN + FIRE

Baby girls love to fight each other for mere fun.

These baby girls are daemons, so there’s a lot of black mist and weird liquid on their faces and fangs and hisses and magic and this is demonic, satanic stuff.

Ardyn watches like “Aaaaaw!  ♡ ～(‘▽^人) “

He cheers them on so both dare themselves to be stronger than Sis.

If a baby girl accidentally makes her sister cry, she’ll cuddle her until she’s not upset anymore.

They they will continue fighting.

Both babies always pat each other on the head after they’re done fighting.

What is this demonic family

Ardyn likes to dress the girls the same in matching clothes

Ardyn grows as a fanboy of costume stores

He visits costume stores at least once a week to see what’s new so he can get his daughters

Ardyn’s dressing them in costumes no matter if it’s just a normal day

Baby girls have been female Ifrits, garulas, moogles (YES, they have the onesies AND costumes), black & yellow chocobo, bats, fairies, kittens and all other things available in stores.

Speaking of costumes, this family has the best Trick or Treating in the world, because they can either dress up or just pull their real faces out.

“*GASPS* That’s such a realistic costume! D:”

Lmao Barbara these are real daemons shut up and hand out the candies

Ardyn and the smol girls like to play monster a lot.

Ardyn will pull his real face out and will act as if though “real Papa” is possessed, and Smol Twins will team up to ‘rescue papa’.

Ardyn chases both around the house and could go on for hours.

Sometimes smol twins hide and ambush Ardyn.

Ardyn will “fight” them and growl and try to raspberry them.

Some of these times, Ardyn will let them win.

The reward is having his human face out again while he acts as if though he had just been rescued.

“My heroines! You’ve saved me, you two are so strong!  (˙︶˙)♡”

Ardyn likes to praise them a lot.

They’re his most beloved treasure, he’s often telling them how pretty and how strong they are.

Ardyn likes playing patty cake with both.

AT THE SAME TIME.

One hand per girl, so both are entertained.

It’s such a challenge, omfg

Ardyn says in-game he doesn’t feel physical pain so I’m going to assume his physicality isn’t too sensible so:

the twins like to hide. On his head.

Sometimes, baby twins will team up so one helps the other on top of Papa Dyn’s head, and Ardyn will go for hours with her hidden there and won’t know where she is,mistaking the weight on his head for his hat.

what is this family doing

The twins like to steal his hat and run away.

Twin little girls like to try his hat on.

It’s too big so it’s always falling to cover half of their faces, but that only makes them burst into a giggling mess, and both share the hat so each can try it over and over.

Ardyn usually watches while smiling and lets them play with it because dammit, they are adorable and he loves them.

As they’re often dressed the same, they always try to trick Ardyn into changing their names for their sister’s, but Ardyn always knows who is who.

Still, he sometimes pretends he’s been fooled and ends up playing with them.

Ardyn and twin girls like to curl up together to watch movies.

There’s Ardyn, watching princess movies because HE CAN.

There’s baby girls, watching gore because THEY CAN.

These girls like both fairy tales and horror movies, okay, let them be

Ardyn prefers the princess themed ones.

Papa Ardyn sits in the middle and each twin curls at each of his sides.

If it’s a musical movie, Ardyn will sing and dance to them with his kids.

He learned all the lyrics to all their favorite movies’ songs so he could sing them with them.

Ardyn’s not embarrassed to often dress up as the prince or hero of the movies so his kids have someone to play with.

They’re often calling the attention because they go in costume to the theatres when a new child movie is released.

Plus it’s three red-haired from which two are adorable twins, they are THE BEST FAMILY EVUR.

The three also curl in bed when it’s story time.

Ardyn lies in the middle and each twin at each side, in a way so the three can look at the big children book in Papa’s hands.

Ardyn likes to read to them slow and with the required emphasis, and truly enjoys of this.

Each twin likes to point at which part of the drawing of that page is their favorite before turning the page.

As they grow, Ardyn teaches them that way to start reading, at bedtime stories.

He reads a sentence, then encourages one girl to read the next one, and both him and sister help if she gets stuck, then he reads another, and encourages the other girl to do as her sister before, and so on and on until the three finish the book together.

The three are often falling asleep together.

Ardyn joins them in their tea parties.

You should see it, it’s Skyscrapper Tall Ardyn sat in a chair the size of a four year old, having invisible tea with two tiny girls, a headless chocobo plush, and a daemon plush toy.

Ardyn loves to smooch his daughters’ cheeks.

Every morning and every night, there’s still his ritual of kissing the four cheeks.

But there’s also random smooching of cheeks across the day.

Ardyn tried hiring Ignis to teach his daughters to bake cookies and muffins.

Ignis hung up on him.

The Daemon Family are learning on their own.

“Who needs that sassy nerd, anyway?  ヽ(ˇヘˇ)ノ “

Ardyn went tantrum that day because dammit Ignis’ cookies are the best, how could he be rejected? ;____;

oh I wonder why Ardyn

The Daemon Family almost burnt their own house.

The Daemon Family are learning at their pace, don’t pressure them.

They’re having a lot of laughs together at the failed results.

Once they get a grip of it, the Izunia ain’t going to stop baking from now on.

They have Cookie Monday, Muffin Tuesday, Brownie Wednesday, Cake Thursday, and so on and on because the three LOVE desserts okay

They don’t seem to be affected by sugar, these lucky people.

They joke and play around while they’re baking.

They bake together btw

Little twins team up to use the rolling pin, each holding an end

Ardyn’s in charge of putting things in the oven and out of it.

They like to sing and do silly dances while they’re waiting for things in the oven.

Little girls are often dancing on the counter.

The Izunia always end up all covered in dough and flour, but the result is worth it and they eat their desserts together.

Ardyn still adores to dress them up.

He wants them to feel like princesses, both powerful and beautiful, so he takes a lot of time (and love

Nothing that makes them adult, all according to their age, ofc.

Ardyn practiced since they were babies so that when they grew up he could be prepared: hair braiding.

(Ardyn practiced since they were babies just so when they grew up he could give them pretty hairstyles, aaaawww

Ardyn likes to braid their hair using colorful ribbons.

RIBBONS. ARDN LOVES TO PUT RIBBONS ON THEM.

Ardyn also loves to let them braid or comb his hair.

As each twin wants to make a braid or tail on him, he assigned a side of his head to each girl.

This always results in Ardyn inevitably getting two ponytails or braids.

Lmao Ardyn with two ponytails.

He’s proud of the result.

For each drawing that little twins make for him, he makes one for each.

They have an entire room just to work as gallery for their drawings.

Ardyn loves to cuddle the heck out of these two.

Twin girls have each chosen one of Papa’s arms for themselves; Twin #1 ‘own’s the left arm and Twin #2 ‘owns’ the right one, so if both go hug papa, they’ll reach for their respective arm to be hugged with.

Twin #1 calls Ardyn “Papa Addy”

Twin #2 calls Ardyn “Papa Dyn”

He calls them Treasure and Jewel

Ardyn’s coming up with random nicknames for them all the time

Pumpkin & Carrot

Choco & Bo

Sea & Lake

Pebble 1 & Pebble 2

Boot & Show

Ardyn suffered when the girls were in age of going to school.

Ardyn cried dropping them at the entrance.

Ardyn waited at a bench literally across the street until school was over.

When twin girls came out, Ardyn immediately brought them in arms and hugged them like he hadn’t seen them in ages and cried on them while cuddling them.

“Papa, it was only 5 hours”·

“I WAS MISERABLE FOR FIVE HOURS”

Ardyn’s hating to take them to school.

Ardyn lasted 2 months

One day, Ardyn was like FUCK THIS SHIT ヽ(‵﹏´)ノ and broke into the school with his daemonic face on.

He took his little girls in arms and exaggeratedly growled at anyone he saw.

You should have seen the other kids, ahahaha, they’re like

“*GASP* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ヽ(°A°)ﾉ ”

Twin girls are like “ (・・ ) ? Papa?”

All kids are running around flipping desks and chairs and Ardyn’s still growling like when he plays monster except he’s trying to look scary

He walked away of school with twin girls in arms

“I have decided you two aren’t going to school. Who needs school?”

…Ardyn please that’s not how you parent

“We don’t need school, papa?”

“I haven’t been to school in like 1980 years and LOOK AT ME, I’M FINE, you don’t need that”

Ardyn pls stop

Ardyn still hates everyone but his family, so he hates that somebody else is teaching his kids, so nope, they stay home

The Daemon Family like to mess with the Lucian crown prince and his squad·

Twin girls often pretend they’re lost just to kick Noctis’ leg when he gets close

Noctis you dumbass are you not seeing the lost girls you find are always THE SAME?

The Daemon Family are often stealing Ignis’ baked cookies and desserts.

The Daemon Twins like to mess with poor Prompto who watched too many horror movies that involve little girls, so now these two appear to him when he least expects it just to scare the hell outta him

Prompto hasn’t slept good in two years

The Daemon twins like to jump the rope

They’re two so they often are in charge of swinging the rope while Papa jumps

Papa doesn’t fit in the tiny space

He’s too big

These three have a messed up way of talking because Twin 1 starts a sentence, Ardyn continues it, and Twin 2 finishes it, then they switch the order

They want to confuse you.

Sometimes little girls will burn things just for fun.

Ardyn is proud of them.

Little girls like to rip parts of plush toys off and exchange them so this head goes here instead and this arm here, so they have a lot of Frankenstein toys.

Ardyn thinks they’re far, far better creature-makers than Verstael fool.

Ardyn always gets two birthday cakes, one for each twin.

He’s learning what each twin likes individually, so his gifts are always different for each twin.

He packs the gifts himself with colors each twin likes most.

Sometimes, like they play monster, they play Dragon.

Ardyn can make fire, so he pretends to be a fierce dragon that the twins must defeat (don’t worry, he makes sure the fire makes no harm)

Ardyn always lets them win

That is, after a good ‘fight’, growling, and raspberries.

The pillow fights in this family are majestic.

Ardyn’s bought a ridiculous quantity of pillows just for whenever they enter a pillow fight.

There’s feathers and stuffing everywhere.

Ardyn measures his strenght not to harm any twin by accident

The twins use FULL FORCE on him

Look, it’s three DAEMONS having a pillow fight, that’s pretty normal

Twins are still teaming up for everything, so pillow fights are basically twins vs. Ardyn

Sometimes, the twins hide from Ardyn by hiding under his coat (when he’s not wearing it)

The twins will steal it and drop it on the floor, then hide under it

It’s so BIG and they’re so small that they can go unseen once hidden under all that fabric.

Ardyn knows where they are because of his daemon senses tingling in presence of theirs, but he pretends he has no idea.

It’s ridiculously adorable and it takes all his might not to burst out into “Aaaws” or laughs.

When the twins grow old enough, he stops reading them to sleep, but switches to telling them stories by heart, whether it’s personal experience or a fantasy tale.

No matter how old the girls get, Ardyn will never let one night go without kissing their cheeks.

He often tells them he loves them, and he loves each individually.

He goes to the bed of one twin, kisses her cheeks, laughs a bit with her.

“Goodnight, sweetie. I love you. And I love you.”

The first one is like generally, and second one is personal, emphasized with a poke to the nose.

He goes to the bed of the other twin, kisses her cheeks, laughs as well, and says the same words except with different nickname.

This is so they know he loves them as twins, and personally too.

Sometimes, the little twins will sneak into Ardyn’s bedroom to cuddle with him.

Maybe it’s their daemonic side, but they love how cold Ardyn is despite his endless layers of clothes, so they curl up at his side to fall asleep.

Ardyn has noticed their midnight sneaking, but doesn’t nag them for it.

He loves to sleep with his daughters curled at his sides, so why would he complain about it?

All the love that Ardyn doesn’t feel for the world, he feels it for his daughters.

They are his heart and veins; without them, he has no reasons of existance.

Speaking of existance, his made sense when he had his twins.

Having lived 2000 years until them, oh, it was worth it and beyond that.

This is Papa Ardyn with his twin daughters.( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡

I hope it’s fine, dear anons.  ヽ(・ω・)ﾉ

[cutshawsnidowoa]

Cat Cuddles — What to Know About Your Kitty’s Snuggling Habits

The post Cat Cuddles — What to Know About Your Kitty’s Snuggling Habits by Phillip Mlynar appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

We’ve all seen cute social media pictures of cats enjoying cuddles with their humans. But why are those cat cuddles so easy to come by with some felines — and why do some kitties seem to strongly avoid any form of cuddling? And how can you go about encouraging your own cat to get cuddly with you?

Let’s dig into the science behind cat cuddles.

How and Why Do Cats Cuddle?

What’s up with those cat cuddles — or lack thereof? Photography by vladans/Thinkstock.

When cats cuddle, they are carrying out behaviors they learned as kittens. Back then, snuggling with mom would provide a kitten with warmth and a sense of security. So, when your cat hops up on your lap and curls into a ball while you’re lounging on the couch, or when she decides to cozy next to you while you’re snoozing in bed, she’s cuddling with you to feel safe and warm.

Why Do Some Cats Cuddle More Than Others?

A lot of your cat’s personality and temperament is determined during her early weeks of life — and a cat’s likelihood to cuddle is no different. According to Sally E. Bahner, a feline consultant and pet writer, it’s vital that kittens are socialized at the very young age of two-to-seven-weeks-old. “That means being handled and petted regularly, which will get them used to being cuddled early on,” she says.

Do Some Breeds Enjoy Cat Cuddles More Than Others?

Even accounting for different levels of socialization and a feline’s inherent tendency toward finickiness, certain cat breeds are more likely predisposed to enjoying cat cuddles over others. “I would think that the more sedate breeds such as Ragdolls and Persians would enjoy cuddling more than the active, high-energy breeds like Bengals and Abyssinians,” says Sally.

Older cats who might be suffering from medical ailments like arthritis might also show an aversion to being cuddled, Sally points out. So, if you’re looking to adopt a feline with a preference for cat cuddles, consider the age and breed.

How Should You Give Cat Cuddles?

If your kitty is open to cat cuddles, it’s imperative that she’s always well supported, whether you’ve scooped her up or she’s cradling in your lap. Support kittens and cats like newborn babies, and always avoid squeezing or applying unnecessary pressure while cuddling. Adding some chin scratching to the mix can also help put your cat at ease; in general, petting while cuddling can encourage your kitty to enjoy cat cuddles.

Sally says that one of her own cats, Mollie, doesn’t particularly like being held. When she picks Mollie up, she makes sure she’s well supported and is always released at the first signs of any struggle. “Then I’ll thank her abundantly,” she says, “because it has to be on the cat’s terms; if you force [cuddling], you will make it a negative association.” Similarly, if your feline becomes overstimulated during a bout of cat cuddles and decides to bless you with a cat love bite, that should be taken as a clear signal it’s time to end the snuggle session.

What If Your Kitty Hates Cat Cuddles?

Unfortunately, some felines just do not enjoy cat cuddles. Sally says this is likely the result of a lack of proper socialization, especially not being handled regularly during kittenhood. She also points out that a bad experience — “such as hearing a loud noise while being held” — can spook a kitty out of enjoying cat cuddles.

If Your Cat Hates Cuddles … Does He Hate You?

Sally maintains that just because a cat does not seem to derive pleasure from cuddling, that does not mean that the kitty isn’t affectionate at heart: Even if those full-on cat cuddles are out of the question, your cat still likely experiences a whole lot of comfort and a feeling of safety simply by being close to you.

Thumbnail: Photography © PeopleImages | E+ / Getty Images.

About the author

Phillip Mlynar spends his days writing about cats, hip-hop and craft beer, often while being pestered by his rescue, a mackerel tabby named Mimosa. When he’s not musing on the feline form for Catster, you can find his music articles at Pitchfork, Vice, Bandcamp and Red Bull Music Academy, and his beer insights over at CraftBeer, VinePair and October. He’s won various awards at the Cat Writer’s Association Communication Contests, some of which are proudly on display at his local dive bar in New York City. Twitter: twitter.com/phillip_mlynar

Read more about cat behavior on Catster.com:

6 Common Litter Box Issues — and How to Fix Them

The Cat Slow Blink — What It Means

6 Cat Meow Sounds and What They Mean

The post Cat Cuddles — What to Know About Your Kitty’s Snuggling Habits by Phillip Mlynar appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

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