That had to hurt.
***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
Know what's really scary?
When the only available photo for today's post is of someone's else's cat.
Seriouslies, Mommy. This is wrong on so many levels.
The Mom: Boo.
Seriouslies, Mommy. This is wrong on so many levels.
The Mom: Boo.
***
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Picture Me This Photohunt
Created for friends, fellow bloggers and anyone who enjoys a creative challenge, Picture Me This is a weekly idea-starter for social media posts. Any platform, anywhere.
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
Enjoy!
***
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
This Week's Theme:
Be sure to tag your entry with #PMTphotohunt so others can find you.
If you tag us as well (@tonkstail on Instagram & Twitter, @atonkstail on Facebook) we'll be sure to like and share your entry.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 27, 2017
#MeToo, domestic violence & our pets. #sponsored
It's been just a handful of days since the hashtag went viral across social media, and Facebook reports almost half their users know someone who shared a #MeToo story about sexual harassment.
_____________
FCC Disclaimer: While we were compensated for the time it took to tell you about Purina's partnership with the Urban Resource Institute, the fee did not influence our opinion in any way. We fully endorse the URIPALS initiative and believe this content to be relevant to our readers. All sponsored posts will always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions. The opinions stated here are our own.
_____________
Think about it.
There are more than 1 billion people active on Facebook.
That's almost 500 million people who know someone who has been harassed, possibly abused.
That's a staggering number.
Let me introduce you to another number.
Did you know that 48% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive relationships out of fear of what would happen if they left their pets behind?
I've been there. I know the feeling.
I recall sitting at the top of the stairs, hearing gunshots being fired into a basement wall, knowing that I could not escape my situation ... and leave my cat behind. I have no doubt my cat would not have survived.
That was a lifetime (and a previous marriage) ago. I'm one of the lucky ones: I had a support structure, friends who took me - and my cat - in. My cat and I went on to forge a life on our own, and then we met the wonderful man I'm now married to, the cat dad to Maxwell, Faraday & Allie.
There are many, many people who aren't so fortunate.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it's the perfect time for us to deepen our understanding of these issues, and share resources with those who might benefit from them.
One such resource is the Urban Resource Institute.
The Urban Resource Institute in New York is one of the very few domestic violence shelters in the United States that is able to accommodate victims and their pets.
Several years ago, Purina partnered with URI and its People and Animals Living Safely (URIPALS) program. By supporting the PALS initiative, Purina is helping to make it possible for URI to expand.
One of URI's stated expansion goals includes publishing a manual to educate domestic violence agencies. It's the Urban Resource Institute's hope that shelters everywhere will follow URI's example and create their own programs like URIPALS, so that fewer families will be forced to choose between their pet’s safety and their own.
We're lucky in Kansas City - one of our shelters, the Rose Brooks Center, has done exactly that: they built an in-house pet shelter so abused families seeking shelter aren't separated from their pets.
Purina has created this infographic you can print, email, and share with others to help spread awareness of this need.
If you know of an agency in your area that has not yet implemented a plan that includes victims' pets, please share it with them. Let them know that survivors of domestic violence should be able to shelter together with their pets in a safe place as they recover and heal.
Let Purina know you appreciate this initiative. You can like, share and follow them on:
_____________
FCC Disclaimer: While we were compensated for the time it took to tell you about Purina's partnership with the Urban Resource Institute, the fee did not influence our opinion in any way. We fully endorse the URIPALS initiative and believe this content to be relevant to our readers. All sponsored posts will always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions. The opinions stated here are our own.
_____________
Think about it.
There are more than 1 billion people active on Facebook.
That's almost 500 million people who know someone who has been harassed, possibly abused.
That's a staggering number.
Let me introduce you to another number.
Did you know that 48% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive relationships out of fear of what would happen if they left their pets behind?
I've been there. I know the feeling.
I recall sitting at the top of the stairs, hearing gunshots being fired into a basement wall, knowing that I could not escape my situation ... and leave my cat behind. I have no doubt my cat would not have survived.
That was a lifetime (and a previous marriage) ago. I'm one of the lucky ones: I had a support structure, friends who took me - and my cat - in. My cat and I went on to forge a life on our own, and then we met the wonderful man I'm now married to, the cat dad to Maxwell, Faraday & Allie.
There are many, many people who aren't so fortunate.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it's the perfect time for us to deepen our understanding of these issues, and share resources with those who might benefit from them.
One such resource is the Urban Resource Institute.
The Urban Resource Institute in New York is one of the very few domestic violence shelters in the United States that is able to accommodate victims and their pets.
Several years ago, Purina partnered with URI and its People and Animals Living Safely (URIPALS) program. By supporting the PALS initiative, Purina is helping to make it possible for URI to expand.
One of URI's stated expansion goals includes publishing a manual to educate domestic violence agencies. It's the Urban Resource Institute's hope that shelters everywhere will follow URI's example and create their own programs like URIPALS, so that fewer families will be forced to choose between their pet’s safety and their own.
We're lucky in Kansas City - one of our shelters, the Rose Brooks Center, has done exactly that: they built an in-house pet shelter so abused families seeking shelter aren't separated from their pets.
Purina has created this infographic you can print, email, and share with others to help spread awareness of this need.
If you know of an agency in your area that has not yet implemented a plan that includes victims' pets, please share it with them. Let them know that survivors of domestic violence should be able to shelter together with their pets in a safe place as they recover and heal.
Let Purina know you appreciate this initiative. You can like, share and follow them on:
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence,
please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline
for support at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
They’re available 24/7/365.
please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline
for support at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
They’re available 24/7/365.
***
***
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Thursday's Purrs: Merryweather
"Hi there! People say I'm very aptly named because I'm a very merry kitty, indeed.
Wait -- here, let me try a serious face for you ...."
"How'd I do? Whew, glad that was over, I'm not known for being a solemn guy. I tend to be the outgoing one in the crowd who comes right up to you for head bonks and kitty kisses.
It might also have something to do with the fact that I had to survive paw-to-mouth on the streets before being found and brought here. Let me tell you, three solids and a nice soft bed are pretty pawesome!"
"Not to mention they have some pretty rad kitty toys here. I do love me a mean game of tug-o-war with a catnip sock, I do. (Just check out my video and you'll see for yourself!)"
"I do have a touch of arthritis in my shoulder - an old war wound, but let's not speak of it. I'm sure you understand. But the good folks here have me on some medications that make me feel much better!
I've been through a lot in a mere 4 1/2 years, and I'm ready to settle down with my very own forever family. Might you be the purrfect match for me?
Purrs, Merryweather"
Merryweather is waiting for you. Come meet him today, at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
Wait -- here, let me try a serious face for you ...."
 |
| Serious Face. |
It might also have something to do with the fact that I had to survive paw-to-mouth on the streets before being found and brought here. Let me tell you, three solids and a nice soft bed are pretty pawesome!"
"Not to mention they have some pretty rad kitty toys here. I do love me a mean game of tug-o-war with a catnip sock, I do. (Just check out my video and you'll see for yourself!)"
"I do have a touch of arthritis in my shoulder - an old war wound, but let's not speak of it. I'm sure you understand. But the good folks here have me on some medications that make me feel much better!
I've been through a lot in a mere 4 1/2 years, and I'm ready to settle down with my very own forever family. Might you be the purrfect match for me?
Purrs, Merryweather"
Merryweather is waiting for you. Come meet him today, at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
***
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
From 0-60 at the Pop of a Can
When pots and pans are clattering away in the kitchen:
The moment the seal on a small, 3-inch can is cracked open:
***
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
'Toon Tuesdays: Overheard at Hallmark
***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!
Monday, October 23, 2017
New Book! Total Cat Mojo #sponsored
Did you know you can overfill a litter box?
Or staring intently at a moth can actually exhaust your cat?
These are just a few of the things you'll learn in Jackson Galaxy's new book, Total Cat Mojo.
FTC Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book as compensation for posting this review, however all opinions are my own. We at A Tonk's Tail only feature products we feel are relevant to our readers.
In it, you'll read phrases that resonate deeply with any pet lover, such as "releasing ownership and embracing relationship." You read that right. One of Jackson's stated goals is to bring people to a place where they have a new outlook on their relationship with their cats, by seeing it as a relationship.
And the book is filled with tools to promote a healthy family dynamic. Things like why routines and rituals are important to establish a daily rhythm for stability, how to create a 'mojo map' to identify socially significant areas and patterns, and how to minimize bullying behavior (yes, I'm looking at you, Faraday).
I especially liked his "Wallflower Scissorhands" paragraph, something I'd never considered. Although there are other measures you can take first, this is simply the practice of keeping the nails of the bullying victim long. Jackson writes: "We work very hard to get Wallflowers to stand up for themselves. Why not slip a pair of brass knuckles on their paws?" Trimming the bully's nails and not the victim's might get him to think twice next time he feels like flexing his muscles.
And if you haven't heard of the feline version of Eat, Play, Love you'll get plenty of it inside these pages: Hunt, Catch, Kill, Eat (HKCE). Understanding this has been an "aha!" moment for many cat owners.
And lest you feel like you know it all, how about this little tidbit? "Hunting happens even when the cat isn't continually moving."
Most people immediately get the concept of "if you wear your cat out with play, he will be too tired to ________". You fill in the blank: act out, pester a sibling, etc. But what most people don't understand, Jackson explains, is that exhaustion isn't always a high-calorie burn. "Expecting success to look like a track-and-field event will result in both you and your cat being frustrated."
Did you know you can exhaust your cat even is he or she isn't actually moving? That intent focus on a moth circling a light, or chittering at a squirrel? The mental exhaustion that comes from stalking counts as part of the hunt.
You'll need go go grab a copy for yourself to find out more about the hows and the whys of exhausting your cat through the process of HKCE.
This book was co-authored by Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, a feline behavior consultant and research fellow at UC-Davis. If that pedigree doesn't impress you, she's also the resident Cat Whisperer for our friend Ingrid King, of The Conscious Cat.
Total Cat Mojo goes on sale next Tuesday, October 31. You can buy it on Amazon or at your local bookseller - many of which have scheduled appearances and book signings with Jackson in the coming weeks. If you absolutely can't wait, you can preorder at the affiliate link below.
(Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. So clicking on the link below will earn us a small stipend.)
***
Or staring intently at a moth can actually exhaust your cat?
These are just a few of the things you'll learn in Jackson Galaxy's new book, Total Cat Mojo.
FTC Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book as compensation for posting this review, however all opinions are my own. We at A Tonk's Tail only feature products we feel are relevant to our readers.
In it, you'll read phrases that resonate deeply with any pet lover, such as "releasing ownership and embracing relationship." You read that right. One of Jackson's stated goals is to bring people to a place where they have a new outlook on their relationship with their cats, by seeing it as a relationship.
And the book is filled with tools to promote a healthy family dynamic. Things like why routines and rituals are important to establish a daily rhythm for stability, how to create a 'mojo map' to identify socially significant areas and patterns, and how to minimize bullying behavior (yes, I'm looking at you, Faraday).
 |
| "Who, me? What about Allie?" |
 |
| "In case you were wondering, Maxie - my nails are NOT trimmed." |
And if you haven't heard of the feline version of Eat, Play, Love you'll get plenty of it inside these pages: Hunt, Catch, Kill, Eat (HKCE). Understanding this has been an "aha!" moment for many cat owners.
And lest you feel like you know it all, how about this little tidbit? "Hunting happens even when the cat isn't continually moving."
 |
| "I'm hunting your computer cable." |
 |
| "What do you mean, 'computer cables don't count'?" |
You'll need go go grab a copy for yourself to find out more about the hows and the whys of exhausting your cat through the process of HKCE.
Total Cat Mojo goes on sale next Tuesday, October 31. You can buy it on Amazon or at your local bookseller - many of which have scheduled appearances and book signings with Jackson in the coming weeks. If you absolutely can't wait, you can preorder at the affiliate link below.
(Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. So clicking on the link below will earn us a small stipend.)
***
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Picture Me This Photohunt
Created for friends, fellow bloggers and anyone who enjoys a creative challenge, Picture Me This is a weekly idea-starter for social media posts. Any platform, anywhere.
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
Enjoy!
***
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
This Week's Theme:
Be sure to tag your entry with #PMTphotohunt so others can find you.
If you tag us as well (@tonkstail on Instagram & Twitter, @atonkstail on Facebook) we'll be sure to like and share your entry.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 20, 2017
Go Put on a Sweater. Seriouslies.
The Mom: Okay, kiddo, time to go in.
Faraday: In? Nows? I was just getting started.
The Mom: Yes, kiddo, but it's getting a bit chilly out.
Faraday: I fails to see the problem, Mommy.
I'm not cold. I have a fur coat.
Hard to argue with that logic ....
Faraday: In? Nows? I was just getting started.
The Mom: Yes, kiddo, but it's getting a bit chilly out.
Faraday: I fails to see the problem, Mommy.
I'm not cold. I have a fur coat.
***
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Thursday's Purrs: Garfield
"Excuse me. Do look like a cartoon to you? No? I didn't think so."
"Guess I can't help it that the cartoonist guy decided he needed a handsome mancat to model his 'toon after. Just one thing: how did he know how handsome I'd be, years before I was born?
I mean, I'm only a 2 year old guy and all. It's a puzzle, I tell ya.
Maybe I'll be able to figure it out after a snack. I hear it's more difficult to think on an empty stomach."
"Got any treats on you? I'd gladly take one or two off your hands. Hey, I'll bet you have even more at home! What if I head on over there with you and we make it a date?
I promise I'll be very diligent managing the rodent population. As you can see from my resume photo, below, I'm quite adept at it."
"What do you say? Think we should seal the deal over a bowl of cream?
Dutifully yours,
Garfield"
Garfield is waiting for you. Come meet him today, at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
"Guess I can't help it that the cartoonist guy decided he needed a handsome mancat to model his 'toon after. Just one thing: how did he know how handsome I'd be, years before I was born?
I mean, I'm only a 2 year old guy and all. It's a puzzle, I tell ya.
Maybe I'll be able to figure it out after a snack. I hear it's more difficult to think on an empty stomach."
"Got any treats on you? I'd gladly take one or two off your hands. Hey, I'll bet you have even more at home! What if I head on over there with you and we make it a date?
I promise I'll be very diligent managing the rodent population. As you can see from my resume photo, below, I'm quite adept at it."
"What do you say? Think we should seal the deal over a bowl of cream?
Dutifully yours,
Garfield"
Garfield is waiting for you. Come meet him today, at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Not a Fan of Fall. Not. At. All.
Did we call it, or did we call it?
Note the accusing glare .... and the offending brown leaves.
Note the accusing glare .... and the offending brown leaves.
***
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
'Toon Tuesdays: In Honor of Sloth Day
It's October 20. How do you plan to observe it?
(we pretty much observe it every day ....)
***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!
Monday, October 16, 2017
So not fair. Or is it?
Maxwell: *sigh* He's at it again.
Taunting me, throwing his good fortune right in my face.
Is it really fair that he gets to go out in the harness and I'm stuck inside on my lounger?
Faraday: Seriouslies, Maxie, you channel Houdini every time Mommy puts you in a harness.
It's not my fault I'm a perfect angel when it comes to walkies.
Poor Maxie.
Taunting me, throwing his good fortune right in my face.
Is it really fair that he gets to go out in the harness and I'm stuck inside on my lounger?
Faraday: Well, if you'd let other kitties have some time on that lounger Maxie, maybe I'd feel your pain. (thoughtful pause) Or not.
Maxwell: ... don't look. Just don't look .... don't look .... Is he gone yet? Don't look ....
Faraday: Seriouslies, Maxie, you channel Houdini every time Mommy puts you in a harness.
It's not my fault I'm a perfect angel when it comes to walkies.
Maxwell: Angel? Did I hear that right?
He said angel?
Uhh, I think I might be feeling a bit little sick ....
Poor Maxie.
***
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Picture Me This Photohunt
Created for friends, fellow bloggers and anyone who enjoys a creative challenge, Picture Me This is a weekly idea-starter for social media posts. Any platform, anywhere.
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
Enjoy!
***
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
This Week's Theme:
Be sure to tag your entry with #PMTphotohunt so others can find you.
If you tag us as well (@tonkstail on Instagram & Twitter, @atonkstail on Facebook) we'll be sure to like and share your entry.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 13, 2017
Goodbye, Green. I'll miss you!
This August and September were some of the wettest ones on record for us, and they resulted in lush greenery.
Something tells me Allie's going to miss them ...
I could be wrong.
Nah.
I predict a period of mourning at the first freeze.
Poor girlie.
Something tells me Allie's going to miss them ...
I could be wrong.
Nah.
I predict a period of mourning at the first freeze.
***
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
'Toon Tuesdays: Pretentious Much?
***
_____
Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (Hallmark approved. Sorta.) - where our mom works, too!
Monday, October 9, 2017
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Picture Me This Photohunt
Created for friends, fellow bloggers and anyone who enjoys a creative challenge, Picture Me This is a weekly idea-starter for social media posts. Any platform, anywhere.
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
Enjoy!
***
No following, no submitting required. And certainly no pressure!
We're just filling a void made when last year's Photohunt host went on hiatus.
This Week's Theme:
Be sure to tag your entry with #PMTphotohunt so others can find you.
If you tag us as well (@tonkstail on Instagram & Twitter, @atonkstail on Facebook) we'll be sure to like and share your entry.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 6, 2017
Allie's Fashion Faux Paws
Allie: The Fashionable Feline knows exactly how to get the most from a photo shoot.
Note the slight head tilt with wide eyes: The Ingenue Look.
And of course, everyone knows posing next to a catnip plant is very slimming.
Of course, the catnip plant could be larger, Mother. Not that I question your gardening skills .... *delicate cough*
***
Note the slight head tilt with wide eyes: The Ingenue Look.
And of course, everyone knows posing next to a catnip plant is very slimming.
Of course, the catnip plant could be larger, Mother. Not that I question your gardening skills .... *delicate cough*
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Thursday's Purrs: Banksy
"Psst! Hey -- you there. Yeah, you!
Got a crowbar or a hacksaw I can borrow? It's not that the slammer's such a bad place, really it isn't. But I didn't do it! I swear!"
Meet Banksy. We're not sure if he was caught when a dye pack exploded after a bank heist ... or if he was spray painted for other, less friendly reasons.
Regardless, Banksy's a bit blue. And as you can see, he's not talking. (Athough he might be singing ....)
Banksy's a 2 year old brown and white (okay, and blue) cat who's pretty chill, actually, for whatever he's gone through.
(BTW, never ever EVER paint your cat. Paint and dye contain chemicals that can harm any pet.)
Banksy's blue fur will eventually shed, and the staff at KC Pet Project are also trying various pet-safe ways to help him shed his colorful statement. Regardless, he'll be back to his brown-and-white self soon enough.
We're hoping Banksy will get a reduced sentence for good behavior, but if you want to head on over we're sure the shelter will remand him into your custody today.
So what are you waiting for? Bansky's is waiting for you to spring him! He's at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
Got a crowbar or a hacksaw I can borrow? It's not that the slammer's such a bad place, really it isn't. But I didn't do it! I swear!"
Meet Banksy. We're not sure if he was caught when a dye pack exploded after a bank heist ... or if he was spray painted for other, less friendly reasons.
Regardless, Banksy's a bit blue. And as you can see, he's not talking. (Athough he might be singing ....)
Banksy's a 2 year old brown and white (okay, and blue) cat who's pretty chill, actually, for whatever he's gone through.
(BTW, never ever EVER paint your cat. Paint and dye contain chemicals that can harm any pet.)
Banksy's blue fur will eventually shed, and the staff at KC Pet Project are also trying various pet-safe ways to help him shed his colorful statement. Regardless, he'll be back to his brown-and-white self soon enough.
We're hoping Banksy will get a reduced sentence for good behavior, but if you want to head on over we're sure the shelter will remand him into your custody today.
So what are you waiting for? Bansky's is waiting for you to spring him! He's at the Main Campus of Kansas City Pet Project.
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