Mancat Monday Motivation

Today, mancat Evan is here to give you a bit of inspiration. We'll start with some photographic evidence of just how pawsome Evan is (not that we're biased or anything like that).

These photos are a bit dark, and unfortunately I'm a bit too lazy and unskilled to alter them. Hopefully, though, you can see Evan there on our newest cat tree. For those who don't know or don't remember, Evan is hind limb paralyzed. That is why his back legs look a tad bit unorthodox in these photos. That there happens to be how his legs always look when he sits, and it's never bothered him at all.

What's more, Evan got up there on that level of the cat tree all by himself. He has even gotten up on the highest level all by himself, but I have yet to get the camera out quickly enough to gather photographic evidence of this feat. It's times like this when I truly realize how much of inspiration Evan is to me. Being hind limb paralyzed, Evan could easily be grounded, but he does not allow for that. With a little help from strategically placed stools, he can get just about anywhere he wants.

I don't think you can see it all that well in the above photos, but that cat tree is at the foot of my bed. I place a big, sturdy pet bed at the end of my bed, so that it stretches across the footboard and onto one of the lower levels of the cat tree. Using this pet bed as a bridge, Evan gets onto the cat tree, and then pulls himself up onto the upper levels to his little heart's content.

I won't lie, Evan does not always succeed at such feats right at first. Sometimes he has to make a couple of attempts to find the best method for climbing, but he always manages it. When needed, which is not often, I help him or rearrange some things to make it easier for him. No matter what, though, he never gets discourage. Rather, he seems to thrive on his failed attempts and simply tries even harder the next time. I'm thinking that's why he always does ultimately succeed. Because he refuses to meet any other outcome. He is my hero, in case you didn't already know that.

Evan was, for more reasons than one, the inspiration for my Sparks for this week.

The Sparks blog hop, hosted by Annie of McGuffy's Reader, is a means for us to share positive thoughts in this often negative world. My positive thought for this week, inspired by my mancat Evan, is about never giving up.

"Failure is success in progress." -Albert Einstein

Never be afraid to fail, because success is just around the corner!

Wishing you all a magnificent, motivational Monday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

Still continuing on with our National Pet Poison Awareness Month, we are today reminding you to keep any questionable kitchen products well out of reach of your furbabies. Just as laundry detergents can be dangerous, so can those used in the kitchen. Dishwasher detergent or tablets, for example, can often have corrosive or other dangerous side effects. Other potentially toxic kitchen products include degreasers, oven cleaners, and drain cleaners. These products can also potentially have corrosive effects, among other adverse reactions. If your furbaby ingests any such products, they might display gastrointestinal distress, oral ulcers, lethargy, or other symptoms. As always, if you think your kitty or pup might have ingested a toxic kitchen product, seek veterinary assistance.