Friday, July 31, 2015

Friday Fashion Faux Paws

Allie: The Fashionable Feline always knows when to deliver The Cut Direct. Needless to say, it's delivered with sophistication and style.

Allie looking scornful! #snobbycat #tudedocat #cathumor #catsonchairs #cats

And what exactly do you think you're looking at? Hmmmm?

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Thursday, July 30, 2015

Through the Looking Glass #sponsored

This post is sponsored by petMD and ARM & HAMMER™, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about The petMDCat Care Center, but A Tonk's Tail only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Arm & Hammer and petMD are not responsible for the content of this article. 
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Maybe it’s because it’s been miserably hot lately. And humid, did I mention humid?

Our lovely yet depressingly humid garden (hey, this was taken a month ago - everything's, like, 3 times this size now!)

It was so icky the other day that my glasses steamed up the minute I walked out to the garden to pick basil for fresh pesto. Allie went with me.

"Whew!  It's a hot one, Mother!"
 Normally, having her along to supervise the garden chores is something Marty & I enjoy. Oh, and Allie too. She loves hanging out in the garden with us (supervised at all times, of course). But on this day, having Allie outside with me was not a good idea. Just in the brief time we were out, Allie ended up panting like a dog.

So maybe it’s because it was so hot and humid it reminded me of my Texas childhood. And maybe it was that reminder that caused me to do the Alice in Wonderland thing last night in my dreams. Sadly, there was no Cheshire Cat waiting for me.

Instead, I dreamt that there were two cats trapped under our deck. By a rattlesnake.

But wait, there’s more.

In my dream, Faraday was there too, and he was about to go all Mighty Mouse on that rattler’s butt (wait, do rattlers have butts?) complete with the signature “heeeere I come to save the daaaayyyyy” yowl. In the dream, Faraday lunged for the snake, who obligingly lunged back. Snakebite!!

My dream kindly allowed me moments of lucidity (I swear, guys, no spicy food the night before – I have no idea where this whole Rabbit Hole came from!). I remember panicking and thinking, “wait, I’m in Kansas. Rattlesnakes aren’t as common up here, so your average vet won’t have antivenin – rattler antivenom drugs – in stock! What am I going to do?!?” And then I woke up.

"Seriouslies, Mommy. I can take him. I know I can!"
So why am I taking you along with me on this weird and trippy Looking Glass dream? Because it is summer, and in many parts of the world, venomous snakebites are a real concern. And because I know, from personal childhood experience, that a cat can survive a rattler’s bite and live to tell about it.

But where do you turn for advice on how to handle such a situation – a real one, not one out of my fanciful dreams? I checked in with petMD, and sure enough, there was an article about it. There was also an article about some of the most common heat-related dangers cats can face during summertime by well-known veterinarian Patrick Mahaney who recently spoke at the BlogPaws convention in May. I really like having this kind of knowledge at my fingertips, in case you were wondering. And I think I’ll have a nice, sedate salad for dinner tonight….

We’re all about the indoor fun right now in the 97 degree heat/80 percent humidity days we’re experiencing in Kansas. I’ve started adding ice cubes to the cats’ water fountain, just for that extra touch of cool. And I’ve noticed the wand toy play is still enthusiastic, but a bit more short-lived.

Maybe that's why Maxie's been asking for the wand toy to be delivered to him instead of chasing it around?
Nah, he's just lazy that way.

Oddly enough, the cats have decided that hanging out on the closet shelf upstairs the The Thing To Do right now. Wow, dudes, did you know heat rises? That’s easily the hottest spot in the house right now!

Do your cats seek out the heat – and I’m talking about more than just those delish sunpuddles – at your home, too? My mom has a pinched nerve right now and swears she has to do battle with her cat over possession of the heating pad. She’s winning – but not by much!








Our thanks to the folks at ARM & HAMMER™ CLUMP & SEAL™  LightWeight litter for sponsoring such a wealth of information for our four-legged family members.









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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: #HarnessFAIL

That look says it all....




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Momma's out in LA this week, filming -- so we Peemailed DADDY about this!












Tuesday, July 28, 2015

'Toon Tuesdays



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Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, July 27, 2015

Monday's Mime (sorta): David Copperfield

Maxwell: Watch carefully, as I perform this amazing sleight-of-paw.

Maxwell channels David Copperfield as he attempts to make his green ball disappear. #siamesecats #bluepoint #cathumor

As you can see, I hold a green and yellow fuzzy ball under my left paw.

Maxwell's magic trick, part 1: examine the merchandise very carefully #cathumor #siamesecats

I sniff it first, to examine it...

Maxwell muttering magic words to make the toy disappear.... #cathumor

Say a few David Copperfield-like words - you know, abracadabra-y stuffs...

Maxwell's magic trick fail #cathumor #bluepoint

 And look! Presto-change-o. NO green toy!

Faraday: Maxie, I can still see it, right there, under your paw. That's totally lame, Maxie. Seriouslies!

Maxwell: Made ya look.


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Sunday, July 26, 2015

A "Concentrated" #SundaySelfie

Faraday:  Allie said if I sat still, closed my eyes and counted to ten she'd play Hide and Seek with me.

One...two...wonder if Daddy found the hairball I left him yet...four...think I could bribe Maxie into telling me the password to Allie's diary?...six...how can I frame Mommy for the new scratch I put into Daddy's briefcase....


Maxwell: Faraday? Count to ten?

...hey, isn't that the look he usually gets on his face when he's in the litterbox?

Allie: Makes sense. I'd imagine both are a bit of a strain for him....

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We're entering this in the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the kitties over at The Cat on my Head.

Head on over and see all the other great entries!






Saturday, July 25, 2015

In Honor of National Dance Day

We present...

Maxwell dances with Fred Astaire #doppelgangercats #DanceMaxie #dancingcats

Now that's some duo!


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Friday, July 24, 2015

Amelia Earhart Day

In honor of Amelia Earhart Day, the girls are taking over the blog.
Seatbacks forward and tray tables in their upright and locked positions...

Sunset at 3,000 feet. Yeah, a girl is flying the plane! #womenfly #femaleavators
Sunset at 3,000 feet.

Flying right seat as Pilot-in-Command. Land in the right seat too! #womenfly #femaleaviators #wwekendwarriors
It's not like driving. You can pilot an aircraft left or right seat - if you learn how.
We did, that way you don't have to land to trade places!

The lake at sunset below our wing. #beautiful #flying #flight #womenfly
The lake at sunset below our wing.
Allie pilots her own aircraft #allieinthecockpit #girlcatsflytoo  "Girlcats fly too, Mother!" FAST = Female aviators stick together!
"Girlcats fly too, Mother!" FAST = Female aviators stick together!

UPDATE:

We thought you might like to see the most recent photo our mom captured while flying on the 4th of July.

Turns out, in a 1-in-a-million shot, she captured the "largest firework ever in the U.S."...
just as it began to detonate!



She's never before - ever - seen a firework illuminate the landscape like this one did!


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Thursday, July 23, 2015

More Rat Catchin' Action

Faraday: Seriouslies.
Somekitty better show Maxie how a real mancat takes down his prey!

Faraday, about to do a Spider Toy Takedown #tonkinesecats #catphotography

First you tell it who's Boss.

Faraday stares down the Spider toy #cathumor

Then you totally Dominate it.

Kitty Attack! #catdomination

Then you take a Victory Roll.

Can I be cuter? I think not #cutecats #tonkinesecats


Lesson over.


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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Rat Catcher's Day

Sounds like a national Cat Appreciation Day to me!

Maxwell the fierce kitty hunter. Handsome Ble Point Siamese boy! #deafcatsrock #blueeyes #BluePointSiamese

Better bone up on my rat-catching skills, though. You know, to impress the Ladies.

Maxwell attacks green toy. Handsome blue eyed siamese boy! #siamesecat #catplaying

Rawwwwwwr!


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Tuesday, July 21, 2015

'Toon Tuesdays



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_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!




Monday, July 20, 2015

Cattino at the Cat Style Lounge

We're a bit remiss with this - mainly because our grandpa fell ill right after BlogPaws and then passed away recently. And our grandma's been in the hospital for the past several days, too.

(Okay, then there was the whole 'us being difficult about posing for a photo' thing, but we digress.)

For that, we apologize profusely, both to Kate Benjamin and the gracious people at Cattino who donated this lovely piece of cat furniture that we won at the Cat Style Lounge at Blogpaws.

Thank you both so very much!

Siamese cat on lounger, cat hammock


All three of us give it four paws way up. We love the light wood, sturdy construction, and the fact that you can purchase refills for the cardboard scratcher.

You can even trade out the hammock fabric for another color, if you decide you want to change things up a bit.

silhouette of cats, cats on cat tree

As you can see, all three of us give it four paws way up!

Ours is a very stylish add to the Green Room.
Something tells us you'll be seeing more of this piece of furniture in future posts adventures....

FTC Disclosure: We won the Cattino in a drawing by the BlogPaws Cat Style Lounge in Nashville. We were not compensated for our review and all opinions are our own.

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Sunday, July 19, 2015

You Forgot, Didn't You.


Faraday celebrates his birthday #birthdayFAIL #catbirthday #tonkinesecats

 Seriouslies, Mommy. A Pop Tart is not a Birfday Cake.

And you didn't even toast it.

(Uhm, I'm sorry.... Good thing the nice vet emailed to wish you a happy birthday....)

*GASP!* The EBIL V-E-T remembered and you didn't?!?!?

Maxwell: Dood, that's harsh.
Faraday: But wait. There's more.

Birthday gift fail? Uh, yes. Regifting not allowed!

She stuck a bow on an old toy and tried to pass it off as my gift.

Old toy, missing a leg. NOT a good birthday gift #birthdayFail #cathumor @tonkstail

Maxwell: Uh, it's missing a leg....
Faraday: You see? You see what's happening here? I hit 5 and I get marginalized.

I think this is Age Discrimination.

Finally. Proper birthday gifts

At least Aunt Connie remembered me.

Allie examines birthday gift

Allie: And it looks like she's got your number, too, Brat.

Just calling it how I see it. Faraday's a brat #spoiledbrat pet gift tag


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Thunday Thilly Thelfie


Maxwell sticking his tongue out #kittyraspberry #doingitright #siamese

Is that Faraday's hind end? Maybe Maxie's expressing his opinion of the air quality?

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We're entering this in the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the kitties over at The Cat on my Head.

Head on over and see all the other great entries!



















Saturday, July 18, 2015

Scout's Big Adventure

Faraday's Nip Turtle: So, uh, Scout, dood. I hear your humans accidentally left you behind while visiting...

Scout: Yeah, your humans said they'd ship me back this weekend, but until then - well, I'm named Scout for a reason, you know. I think I'll just scout things out around here.

Faraday's Nip Turtle: Actually, I really can't relate.
Faraday never bothered to name me. He just chews.


Faraday's Nip Turtle: And uh, about that. You ever been around cats before?
Scout: No, not really.
Faraday's Nip Turtle: Ohhhh you poor thing....


Scout: They can't be all that bad....
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 Scout: Hey, bird watching from the mantle's cool, Faraday!


Faraday
: Seriouslies, I was just wondering if there's any nip ready to harvest in the garden, so I could stuff you with it.
Scout: B-b-but I don't have a nip pouch....


Faraday: (distracted tone) Oh not to worry, I have claws... Hmmm, is that branch ready to harvest...?
Scout: Oh gee, lookatthetimegottago.....
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 Allie: I have my eye on you, little turtle. I'd sleep with one eye open, if I were you.
Scout: *gulp* What a...good idea...(wobbly smile) Th-thanks....I think...


Allie: Mitts off my scratcher, Shell-Boy. Or I'll be having Turtle Soup for dinner!
Scout: (weak laugh) Uhhhh....we're not kosher, you know...


Faraday: Don't come crying to me for protection. Try the Bleeding Heart Pushover Kitty. And get off my lounger, there's only room for one up here!


 Scout: *clears throat*   Uhm, Mister Bleeding Heart Pushover Cat, I presume?


Maxwell: *sigh* Faraday sent you, didn't he.
Scout: Uh...maybe?


Safety, at last!


Scout: So, uh, hey Maxwell - what do you do all day on this thing anyway? Just lounge around?


 ...... pregnant pause.....    long-suffering look......


Maxwell: Are you sure you're not kosher?


Faraday's Nip Turtle: I warned you...
Scout: I think I'm ready to go back to Brian and Amy now.
 

Really. Now would be good....

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