The training of your human being is if utmost importance. Once you've decided to adopt one, remember, it's not just for Christmas; it's for life or until you decide to replace it.

But you've already made the decision or otherwise you wouldn't still be reading. I won't discourage you. It's a decision many of us cats have made and for the most part it's a logical choice.

What sort of human should you adopt?

Humans are generally among the most stubborn of animals and their characters rarely change over the years. Stubbornness is a form of mental deficiency and is a sign of weak intelligence. If you have the opportunity, observe your target for an extended period before taking the plunge.

They seem to have some kind of obsession with seven. Do they do the same things over a seven day period? Cut the grass and then cut it again seven days later? Send the children out for the day five days a week and let them stay home for the other two? You've found a stubborn one. Try to find a more flexible one. We make a lot of investment in our humans, sometimes even giving up a life or two so finding an accommodating one is of paramount importance.

Observe how they act towards their children. Do they spoil them? Spoiling is a good sign. They will think of you as an extra child and will spoil you too.

But how do the children react towards cats? Do they chase them, annoy them, disturb them, wake them up from a well-deserved sleep? Watch the children carefully since some of them cannot differentiate cats from their toys. Humans, especially children, have a rather low level of intelligence.

What sort of accommodation will they provide you? Look for big. Big is good; it provides more places, such as dark cupboards, where you can retreat from bothersome attentions.

Look for a walled garden. Walled gardens are good. They keep dogs out.

Do they have a dog? or even worse, multiple dogs? Dogs are not good. They can be manipulative to your disadvantage. However, an old, lazy, fat one can be a useful asset. They often fail to finish all their food and this can supply a useful source of additional nourishment for snacks between meals. They can also keep other dogs away.

Do they have trees? Trees are good too. They provide an exciting alternative to ground-level viewpoints. You can survey your territory well from a tree and trees often house birds and other small creatures to supplement your diet.

Now comes the tricky part. You must, absolutely must, train your human. We are supplied by nature with the tools to do this; it's almost as if humans were created specifically to suit our assets.

Our main tools are our enormous vocal range, our purr, our claws, our persistence, our soft, seductive fur, our expressive tails, our gentle, staid and dignified locomotion and our rough tongues. Let's examine these assets in detail and learn how to use them to best advantage.

Vocal range

An extremely useful sound is the "chirp". You all know what I mean. When a human does something that pleases you, reward it with a chirp. You've been presented with your favourite food? Chirp. It's what's called positive reinforcement. They adore the sound and will learn over time to modify their behaviour so they can earn a chirp.

On the other hand, if they attempt to wash or bathe you, you need to punish this action severely with the howl. Accompany it with generous use of claws and persistence. This is called negative reinforcement. Make it sound like you're being murdered. They will be shamed when their neighbours start staring at their house, wondering whether to report them to the animal welfare authorities.Humans seem to be under the impression that bathing is good for you. As I said before they lack intelligence in certain areas. They need to wash because they have no fur to keep the dirt away from their skin. All we need is an occasional few minutes pleasurably licking our various body parts.

You've just woken up from a well-deserved sleep and you're hungry? Miaow plaintively. Not just once, do it again and again until they've learned that it means you need food. Not later; NOW. When they eventually get the message (and they will, oh yes, they will!) they will start to understand what their priorities should be.

Purring

Whilst a chirp is an instant reward for a job well done, it is short-lasting. If you need extensive attention, such as a warm lap, head-scratching and rubbing under the chin then you need to purr. Humans haven't yet worked out how we do it, how we make the sound, how we can purr and eat at the same time. We'll let them keep on guessing. But they seem to enjoy the purr and it is one of their major aims in life to get you to purr. Use it wisely; don't waste it on minor occasions.

Claws

Humans don't like to be clawed. This is probably because they have no fur and scratching opens up the skin and lets their blood out. Be particularly careful not to claw their children too much. It leaves evidence that can hardly be denied. However, it's a useful occasional reminder of our power to inflict pain and discomfort. Use it wisely because too much of this can lead to your being evicted from your own home and then you have the bother of locating another.

Persistence

It takes persistence to train humans because they are so obstinate themselves. You have to overcome their obstinacy with your persistence. Reward and punish again and again and again. They will learn in the end.

Fur

There's not much you can do to change the fur you were born with but fur is a wonderful tool in training humans. Use it to rub yourself against them as a reward for a job particularly well done or to make them feel guilty that you are pleasuring them while they're not reciprocating.

Tails

Whereas dogs seem to spend their lives stupidly wagging their tails at every opportunity and wasting energy even when nothing good is happening, our own tails are "THE WARNING". Humans have come to recognise this over the years and, if used intelligently and selectively, the flick of a tail lets them know in advance that you disapprove of their current actions on this occasion and these will eventually lead to clawing and howling. An example is when children want to play with you and you just want to eat or sleep. A few minutes of tail-flicking will warn them that worse is to follow.

Locomotion

Whereas dogs prance around looking like clowns, we cats have dignity. Humans appreciate dignity. Walk in a dignified manner at all times; it exudes power and intelligence. It reminds them that we are closely related to tigers, who can stalk humans easily and even eat a whole one with little effort.

Tongues

For some reason, humans like the feel of our rough tongues on their bare skin. Our research hasn't arrived at a conclusive reason for this but it might be due to the fact that it's the single most effective way of removing an itch. They seem to be unaware that we are actually tasting them. Their naked skin exudes valuable salts and we can take advantage of this to supplement the minerals in our diets.

Well, there you have it in a nutshell. I hope you'll bear all these tips in mind and enjoy your life with your new human.

     "Stop running in the house!"

     "Get your feet off the table!"

     "What?  You suddenly don't like chicken?"

     "Could you please let me do the laundry in peace!"

     "You're still hungry?"

     "Okay...who spilled the milk?"

     "You know...if you just ignored her, she'd stop doing it."

      My husband listens to my ramblings several times each day with just a shake of his head at the patheticness of it all.  "You don't really think that they're listening to you, do you?"

     "Not really...but I think they understand a lot more than what they're trying to make me believe!"

     "Well, if they ever answer you, let me know.  Either we're going to be rich or I have to make arrangements to put you into a loony ward."

     The other day both little hooligans would not take "no" for an answer, and repeatedly tried to go out the back door while I was trying to bring the groceries in.  So,  in exasperation,  I finally grabbed the broom, and...found myself suddenly alone while listening to the sound of little feet retreating into the living room.  "Yeah...they don't know what they're doing...right!" I muttered.

     "You know," I said to my husband that night,  Noodleman and SpiceGirl really do know when they're 'pushing the envelope' with me."

     "Yeah...well, keep it in mind that if you think they're smart enough to know how to push your buttons, then they're also smart enough to get revenge on you for trying to sweep them out of the way with that broom!" 

     The next morning I was in the bathroom getting dressed when suddenly I felt a sting on my foot and looked down to see a little furry white arm disappearing from under the door. 

     "SpiceGirl, you little brat, stop trying to get my foot!", I laughed.  No sooner had the words been said than the little white arm was back, trying to get my foot again.

     "Listen, little girl, I can't play right now because I have to get dressed.  Go find Noodleman!"

     I turned away and started dressing when, suddenly,  I accidentally dropped some underwear onto the floor.  Before I could reach for it, though, that little white arm was back, hooked the clothing with one swipe, and PULLED IT UNDER THE DOOR!

     "SpiceGirl, give that back!!", I exclaimed while reaching for my robe.  Yeah, right.  Like she's going to suddenly listen to me!

     I flung open the bathroom door and knew that only an idiot would be expecting to see a little white cat still sitting outside it.  I crossed through the kitchen and into the living room where my husband was sitting, watching tv.  He looked up at me.  "Did you lose something, Dear?", he smirked.

     "SpiceGirl stole my underwear!  Did you happen to see where she went?"

     "Well, she just streaked by me a second ago, but it didn't look like she had any socks in her mouth!"

     "She didn't steal anything that one wears south of the bellybutton!"

     My husband smiled and said, "I know."

     "Did you see where she went?

     "Yup...she's under the bed."

     I went into the bedroom, knelt by the side of the bed, and peered underneath.  There SpiceGirl sat, looking all pleased with herself...and too far away for me to simply reach out to claim what was rightfully mine.

     After trying to coax her to me in a gentle sweet voice, and watching her play with my clothing while ignoring me, I finally became exasperated with the whole situation, and called out to my husband, "Honey...she won't come out from under the bed, and at this rate,  I'm never getting to the store!"

     No answer.

     Suddenly SpiceGirl stopped rolling around on my clothes, pricked her ears up, and then dashed out from under the bed while leaving my underwear behind!

     Quickly, I stretched out flat on my stomach and, using the end of a backscratcher, snagged the clothing!

     After I stood up victoriously, I walked into the kitchen only to find SpiceGirl and Noodleman eating some canned cat food while Mike just stood there with a knowing smile on his face and a can opener in his hand.

     "It works every time, you know."  Mike said.  "You just have to be smarter than them!"

     Bowing to my husband's momentary supremacy,  I gave him a long hug.  "Thank you, Honey.  You're the best!"

     "Well, she's probably trying to get even for the broom incident yesterday.  Ah...Baby...I think it's going to take longer than you thought to get dressed..."

     Turning quickly, I saw that both cats had finished their treat, and only Noodleman was still in the kitchen.

     SpiceGirl was trotting rapidly towards  the bedroom with a triumphant  look on her face.

     And one of my socks in her mouth!

photo credit: scrubs-nursing-medical

Well, darlings, how can one possibly catch a few waves without the proper gear?  I've told him before that red just doesn't do a thing for his eyes, but he never listens.

Yoda Doggie

photo credit: wikipedia

And they expect me to go trick or treating in this outfit. My street cred will be zero if I walk down the street like this. There are also a few practicalities they never even considered. I mean to say, lifting my leg, should the need arise, would not be easy dressed in this.

Fancy Shooting a Few Hoops?

photo credit: costumedogs.com

He said if I got the gear I could shoot a few hoops but nobody told me it was that far up! being vertically challenged is not going to help my basketball career.

Which Stinker Bought this Outfit?

photo credit: ecximages

Ok, Ok, I'll wear the suit but don't expect me to wear the matching perfume. I draw the line at that.

The King

photo credit: buycostume.com

Elvis is not dead. The King rules. Wait a minute, though, where are the blue suede shoes?  Anybody got two pairs to spare?

Festive Dog

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photo credit: smalldogclothing.com

I don't care what they say, there's no way I am getting up on that roof with sack of parcels. I don't care how sick the reindeer are. I'm not doing it.  Did I hear you say, 'Extra bones and turkey?'  Well, go on then, hurry up, find the ladder.

Sexy Gear

photo gear: photobucket

Well, to be quite honest I was never into this look. It's really not me, except for the shades. I'm more your 'French Maid's Outfit' type of girl

Yeeehaaa!

photo credit: dogzclothes

Ride 'em cowboy. I told them I couldn't sit on that horse but as usual nobody listens. They took the six gun off me too. That little chihuahua in the pink body suit keeps looking at me though, so you never know, it might all be worth it in the end.

Ok, so really this is just an excuse for me to amuse myself by digging up some cute pictures of dogs wearing costumes. I'm bored, so sue me.

The Obvious Joke

Yes, you guessed it - a hot dog. Inspired no? I like how the dog looks slightly apprehensive, as though it's a little bit scared that it might get eaten. Finishes the costume off perfectly methinks. Of course, there is always the "witty" alternative to this one - stick on some sunglasses, hang a fan around its neck, et voila! A hot dog… get it? No, I didn't think it was funny either.

The Fairytale Come True

Has your little darling always dreamed of being a fairytale princess? Well, here's her chance! Halloween is the perfect opportunity for any aspiring beauty queen to don a blonde curly wig and tiara… even if the "beauty queen" in question leaves hairs all over your sofa and tends to drool a lot. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that…

The Ego Boost

Does your pooch have self-esteem issues? Does he need a little bit of an ego boost? Well, stick him in this costume and you'll see his confidence levels fly (no pun intended) through the roof! Look at his little face; doesn't he just look like he's thinking "oh yeah, I"m gonna get all the ladies in this little number. Lookin' good!' Yes, I'm imagining the dog checking himself out in the mirror and giving himself a little smarmy point of the paw. Like I said, I'm bored.

The Intellectual Option

Is your dog a bit of an aspiring bard? Is he forever thrusting his latest manuscript under your nose and begging you to give him your honest opinion? Yes? Well, in that case, you'd better go with this Shakespearean costume hadn't you? He'll love it. And if you're unfortunate enough to have a dog who can't even spell the word "play" let alone write one, then he'll probably just enjoy tearing the feather to shreds anyway, so he'll still be happy enough.

The Historical Option

Perhaps, if your dog isn't really interested in literature, he might have a passion for history instead? (I know, what self-respecting dog doesn't?) Well, if your dog is forever forcing you to watch those dull documentaries where straggly haired men dig up pointless bits of pot for an hour, then this is the costume for him. It's Nero apparently. But he'd know that of course.

The Religious Option

If neither literature nor history inspire your precious pooch, then how about religion? I'm sure there are plenty of our faithful, four-legged friends out there who are engrossed by the workings of the Catholic Church, and who would therefore go crazy for this little get up. Poor thing looks depressed though. Maybe he's just pondering some deep ecumenical issue? *sigh* It's a hard life being dog-pope for the day.

If You're Feeling Uninspired

Just get your pooch to pull a slightly odd, yet completely endearing face. Everyone will be so overcome with the need to squee and coo over him that they'll completely forget to ask what his costume was meant to be. He gets lots of attention and you'll be able to breathe easy knowing you won't have to explain why you forced that random bandana on him. Everybody wins!

If All Else Fails

If none of the above costume suggestions are enough to cause your dog a suitable amount of mortification this Halloween season, then this is your only choice. Yes, that's right; dress yourself up as a toilet. Guaranteed your dog will be the laughing stock of the party for having such a loser as his master. Either that or the dogs will all try drinking out of your bowl…

Image source for dog pictures

Image source for last picture

"What would you get if you crossed a chicken and a centipede?"

Drumsticks for everyone!

Ah yes, the wondrous human intellect. What's ever more wondrous, is the biological equivalents of those riddles...

What would you get if you crossed a horse and a donkey?!

A Hinny

Hinny - Horse(M) + Donkey(F)

Hinnies are the offspring of a male horse (stallion) and a female donkey (jenny). The hinny is sterile. Hinnies are similar to mules in that they are generally more intelligent than horses, and more cooperative than donkeys. Both are also healthier and less expensive to feed and maintain than horses. This is a trait these hybrids get from their donkey heritage. The donkey is a notoriously hardy creature that, in the wild, survives on a harsh diet in a desert environment.

The male hinny can and will mate, but the emission is not fertile. Male hinnies are usually castrated to help control their behavior by eliminating their interest in females.

What would you get if you crossed a camel and a llama?!

A Cama!

Cama - Camel(M) + Llama(F)

A cama is a hybrid between a camel and a llama, produced via artificial insemination by a breeder in Dubai attempting to create a animal with the size and strength of the camel, but the more cooperative nature of the llama. The Dromedary camel is six times the weight of a Llama, hence artificial insemination was required to impregnate the Llama female (matings of llama male to Dromedary female have proven unsuccessful).

Though born even smaller than a Llama calf, the cama had the short ears and long tail of a camel, no hump and llama-like cloven hooves rather than the dromedary-like pads. At four years old, the cama become sexually mature and interested in llama and guanaco females. This first cama has been a disappointment behaviorally, displaying an extremely poor temperament.

What would you get if you crossed a grizzly and a polar?!

A Grolar!

Grolar - Grizzly Bear(M) + Polar Bear(F)

A Grizzly–polar bear hybrid is a rare ursid hybrid that has occurs both in captivity and in the wild. On 16 April 2006, a hybrid bear was shot dead by Jim Martell, a hunter from the United States, in Canada, the occurrence of this hybrid in nature was confirmed by testing the DNA of the strange-looking bear.

A number of polar bear hybrids are described as Ursid hybrids, a term that designates any hybrid of two species within the Ursidae family. Although the two bears are genetically similar, they tend to avoid each other in the wild.

What would you get if you crossed a zebra with a horse/ass/mule/pony?!

A Zebroid!

Zebra (M) + Horse (F) - zorse, zebra mule, zebrule or golden zebra

Zebra (M) + Pony (F) - zony

Zebra (M) + Shetland pony (F) - zetland

Zebra (M) + Any ass species (F) - zebrass

Zebra (M) + Donkey (F) - zedonk, zeedonk, zonkey, zebronkey, zebadonk

Zebra (F) + Donkey (M) - zebret, zebrinny

Zebra (F) + Horse (M) - hebra

A Zonky

A zebroid is a cross between a zebra and any other equid: essentially, a zebra hybrid. They are also known as zebra mules and zebrules.They are rare, but have been bred since the 19th Century. Charles Darwin noted several zebra hybrids in his works.

Zebroids physically resemble their non-zebra parent, but are striped like a zebra. The stripes generally do not cover the whole body, and might be confined to the legs or spread onto parts of the body or neck. In zebra-ass hybrids, there is usually a dorsal (back) stripe and a ventral (belly) stripe.

Zebroids are preferred over zebra for practical uses, such as for riding, because the zebra has a different body shape from a horse or donkey, and consequently it is difficult to find tack to fit a zebra. However, a zebroid is usually more inclined to be temperamental than a purebred horse and can be difficult to handle.

A Zony

A Zorse

What do you get if you cross a lion and a lepord?!

A Leopon!

Leopon - Lepord(M) + Lion(F)

A leopon is the result of breeding a male leopard with a female lion. The head of the animal is similar to that of a lion while the rest of the body carries similarities to leopards. The first documented leopon was bred at Kolhapur, India in 1910. It was a cross between a large leopard and a lioness.

Based on the data from the Japanese cats, leopons are larger than leopards and combine features from the leopard and lion. They have brown, rather than black, spots and tufted tails. They will climb like leopards and seem to enjoy water, also like the leopard (oddly enough, the Japanese leopons were born of a water-loving lioness and a male leopard that did not seem to like water). Male leopons may have sparse manes about 20cm long.

According to American Monsters, the leopon has the size and strength of a lion. But, unlike the lion, they have extraordinary climbing abilities like the leopard. The female leopons may be torn between the solitary nature of the leopard and the social nature of a lioness.

What do you get if you cross a dolphin and a whale?!

A Wolphin!

Wolphin - Killer Whale(M) + Dolphin(F)

A wholphin or wolphin is a rare hybrid, born from a mating of bottlenose dolphin(F), and a false killer whale(M). Although they have been reported to exist in the wild, there are currently only two in captivity, both at Sea Life Park in Hawaii. The first captive wholphin was born on May 15, 1985 where a female bottlenose dolphin named Punahele and a male false killer whale named Tanui Hahai shared a pool.

The wholphin's size, color and shape are intermediate between the parent species. Wholphins, though not often sighted by fisherman, are known in popular seafaring lore as "the great grey beast."

What do you get when you cross a tiger and a lion?!

A Tigon!

Tigon - Tiger(M) + Lion(F)

A tigon or tigron is a hybrid cross between a male tiger and a female lion. Tigons can exhibit characteristics of both parents: they can have both spots from the mother (lions carry genes for spots — lion cubs are spotted) and stripes from the father. Any mane that a male tigon may have will appear shorter and less noticeable than a lion's mane and is closer in type to the ruff of a male tiger.

They do not exceed the size of their parent species because they inherit growth-inhibitory genes from the lioness mother, but they do not exhibit any kind of dwarfism or miniaturisation; they often weigh around 180 kilograms (400 lb). The comparative rarity of tigons is attributed to male tigers' finding the courtship behaviour of a lioness too subtle and thus may miss behavioural cues that signal her willingness to mate.

Male tigons are sterile while the females are generally fertile. Because only female ligers and tigons are fertile, ligers and tigons cannot reproduce with each other.

And finally, what do you get when you cross a lion and a tiger?!

A Liger!

Liger - Lion(M) + Tiger(F)

The liger, is a hybrid cross between a male lion and a female tiger. It resembles a tiger with diffused stripes, and they are the largest cats in the world! Ligers and tigers enjoy swimming, whereas lions do not. Rare reports have been made of tigresses mating with lions in the wild. They attain great size, weighing approximately 320 kilograms (700 lb) and reaching 10 feet (3.05 m) long on an average, imprinted genes may be a factor contributing to liger size.

Ligers have a tiger-like striping pattern on a lion-like tawny background. In addition they may inherit rosettes from the lion parent (lion cubs are rosetted and some adults retain faint markings). These markings may be black, dark brown or sandy. The background color may be correspondingly tawny, sandy or golden. In common with tigers, their underparts are pale. The actual pattern and color depends on which subspecies the parents were and on the way in which the genes interact in the offspring.

The tiger produces a hormone that sets the fetal liger on a pattern of growth that does not end throughout its life. While male ligers are sterile, female ligers can usually reproduce. Because only female ligers and tigons are fertile, a liger cannot reproduce with another liger or with a tigon.

These are just some of the few exotic hybrids that exist on earth, although they've existed forever, surprisingly very few people know about them!

Some hybrids 'd like too see..

Behold! The wonders of nature!

How about a cheetah and a kangaroo? - A Cheegaroo?
Or maybe a rat and a mouse? - A Rouse?
Or a falcon and a duck? - A F..uh..'m gonna skip this one.

Image Sources: Hinny, Cama, Grolar, Grolar, Zonky, Zorse, Zony, Leopon, Leopon, Wolphin, Tigon, Liger

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What could be a more Halloween-ish costume than a pumpkin? This hood costume is super cute. I love how the picture has the cat with "red" eye except it's orange to match the costume. He doesn't look very amused...

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I love this one -- putting a cat costume on a cat! Some people love Hello Kitty. I personally don't get it but I do love this costume. I want to say it's purr-fect but that would be just too much. Strangely the cat doesn't even seem to be upset about it.

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This cat takes looking upset to a whole new level! If that's not the evil eye, I don't know what is. Sort of ironic to dress a cat up as a bird. I wonder how long it took to get this hood costume done up? Ahahahahahaha.

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Here's the old Christmas reindeer classic that I'm sure everyone with a cat has tried at one time or another. Strap on the bells and antlers and it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! How can you do Christmas without a ticked off cat running everywhere?

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I remember when I was a little girl, I used to dress my cat up in doll clothes. My cat was never as serene as this one appears to be though. The bonnet is adorable, although slightly humiliating I'm sure.

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This kitty is wearing a chicken goes to work costume, I guess. At least this hood has cut outs for the ears so they're not squished down to his head. Too bad he doesn't have a tiny brief case to go with the tie!

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I think this one is my favourite of them all. Not only is the costume super, the cat's expression is completely priceless! "Sure dress me up like a lobster. Laugh really hard. We'll see who's laughing later!!!".

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This outfit is from buycostumes.com. It's advertised as the Cat from Hell costume. This cat looks extremely proud, not really hellish at all. Although it is a Siamese so I guess it could turn on you really quick. I wonder if it comes with a tiny pitch fork?

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Ahahahaha! Penguin cat! I love the little flippers on either side and the yellow webbed feet. This owner is really cruising for a bruising when this kitty gets loose. Sort of reminds me of the Penguin from Batman!

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Kitty meets Paris Hilton! Anything involving a wig and a cat has got to be funny! I love how his eyes are squeezed shut. Maybe he's hoping no one recognizes him that way. Absolutely hysterical.

Check out my other articles on funny Halloween costumes for a laugh:

• http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Animal/10-Hysterically-Funny-Dog-Halloween-Costumes.275997
• http://www.socyberty.com/Holidays/Funny-Toddler-Costumes-for-Halloween-2008.257249

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This strap on costume is from BuyCostumes. This costume ingeniously transforms the dog into the Headless Horseman's Horse. This costume would be pretty light weight and maybe not so annoying for the dog while giving everyone a huge laugh at the same time!

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I love the pudgy stuffed arms on these Junk Food dogs. They look like weightlifters or something...too funny! It looks like all the major food groups have been represented...doughnuts, french fries, cookies, and burgers. The addition of the trick or treat bags on each pup makes the costumes even funnier -- like they need more junk food!

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This colourful parrot costume looks especially impressive from the side so that you can see the bird's head. I wonder if this poor pooch can even see where he's going? The front yellow legs on this costume are especially cute.

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This wiener dog looks like he's being eaten by a dragon while at the same time remaining completely relaxed about the whole matter. My favourite part of this costume is the fangs of the dragon above his eyes. Super silly.

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Oh my goodness, it's the caped crusader! The fact that this costume makes the dog look like he's got two sets of ears is hilarious. I hope there's no major emergencies requiring his assistance because he looks like he's more likely to take a nap than attack!

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This puppy is just way too cute to be a monster! I love the Frankenstein bolts sticking out of the back of his head. The expression on his face looks a little bewildered like "What's so funny?". The picture taker is probably killing themselves laughing. Totally priceless.

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This one is especially inventive. It's hard to tell which head is the real one! (The real one is the contented one being adored by it's master.) It's amazing how could of a match the fake heads are to the real fur colour of the dog. Makes you wonder if this three headed masterpiece is homemade...

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This may look like Paris Hilton's dog but it's just an imposter. The matching pink sunglasses and tutu are over the top precious. And if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, pets and wigs equal funny!

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This Yoda dog is offering sage advice on his garbage can pedestal. I love the fake legs strapped to the dog's and the arms sticking out the side. Probably looks like a little yoda running down the street when the dog walks. Laughing at me are you?

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This is the dog that I feel most sorry for. Just look at that face! He's trying to wear his frog head at a jaunty angle but the overall impression he's giving is "Help me!". This one is super duper hysterical. Can you imagine the poor dog trying to run with those giant feet? I think he got tricked instead of treated!

Happy Halloween everyone and take lots of pictures of the funny outfits you make your pets endure!

Check out some more funny Halloween costumes in these articles:

• http://www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/Animal/10-Hysterically-Funny-Cat-Halloween-Costumes.276013
• http://www.socyberty.com/Holidays/Funny-Toddler-Costumes-for-Halloween-2008.257249

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Penguins are the natural comedians of the world, from their Charlie Chaplin like walk to the cute way they seem scared of the water until they dive into it, to the charming way they squabble with each other.

Aardvarks

Besides their name already sounding funny, the appearance of this creature is sure to put a smile on your face. These are also called anteaters, the are nocturnal and from Africa. For an animal this big to eat and survive on something as tiny as ants is pretty amazing too.

Tapirs

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I am really not trying to make fun of our animal friends, but don't these two look like an old couple sitting on their front porch? One talking to the other, the other thinking they have heard it before.

Proboscis Monkeys

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We seem to have a thing going on with noses. It is the males of this species of monkey who get the big noses. I had considered adding Elephant Seals next on the list, but realized that was another nose issue animal, so omitted it. With them it is also a male trait to have a big nose. Well you know what they say about men with big noses don't you?

Skunks

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Skunks are funny because of their means of defense. As well all know an angry or frightened skunk will spray their target with a foul smelling substance. They can do this about five times before having to wait a few days while their body produces more. As such they only use this as a last defense. Lucky for my wife who has encountered them several times on our deck stealing cat food.

Hyenas

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Not funny to look at, and certainly not funny to encounter, the laughing Hyena is only funny if you hear it, and preferably from the safety of a vehicle. There is another rather funny things about these animals. The females have false penis, and well... what else can I say?

Kookaburra

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This is a really neat bird from Australia. They are on the comic list because they have a call that sounds like like loud laughter from a group of people. They have different species, and each sound somewhat different from the others. The one in the picture I have selected is the Blue Winged Kookaburra. Also their names are fun to say.

Dung Beetle

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WOW he looks huge, but this insect is only a couple of centimeters. The comic thing about this critter is that it eats poop! If you did not realize, "dung" is feces, or poop, from other animals, such as rabbits, and deer. They can live by eating only the material wasted by the other animals' digestive process. Yummy.

Flounder

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These are also called "flatfish", but are not flat at birth, they are upright and their eyes are on both sides of their bodies, but as they grown the eye begins to move and they become flat. This is pretty cool, and kind of funny. They are also funny because they can change colors. So you can be right next to one, talking about it, and wouldn't even know it. Unfortunately for them, Flounder are tasty.

Bison

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You may not find them funny looking but I always think they resemble a human body builder, all muscle on one end, and not much on the other. They look like they should tip forward. Makes me wonder how they travel down hills without falling all over themselves. These animals were unfortunately killed off in massive numbers years ago, but are making a recovery.

I hope this link give you a good laugh, it is not my intention to belittle any of our animal friends. I love animals and have several myself. These photos are from Wikimedia, and you should check out the licensing agreements there before using any of them yourself. I should note, the funniest of all animals wasn't even on this list. It is you! Well not you specifically, but humans in general. We are the funniest looking, oddest behaving, animal there is.

Here is the tuxedo cat once again climbing up an apple tree in our backyard. She is trying to find a bird's nest:

The cat is sitting on top of the refrigerator in our kitchen, hoping that someone will see her and open up a can of wet cat food:

It's the bird factor again. Notice how the cat is quietly observing a bird's nest on the front porch through the small living room window:

It's that time of year, the holiday season, where the cat is supervising the decorating of the Christmas tree. She approves of the floral arrangement on the dining room table.

I would like to thank the young lady who was generous enough to give her time in the shooting of the photos. The cat was awarded with a can of wet cat food in her favorite flavor, salmon.

An interesting aspect of the psychology of emotions is that humans have mirror neurons that enable us to recognize what other peoples facial expressions mean in the context of the emotion.

Perspectives on emotions from the evolution theory were initiated in the late 19th century with Charles Darwin's book The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals. "Darwin's original thesis was that emotions evolved via natural selection and therefore have cross-culturally universal counterparts."

Animals undergo emotions that are quite comparable to our own. In recent years, research has become readily available which expands prior theories of animal speech, cognition and use of devices. Emotions arise in the "mammalian brain, or the limbic system, which human beings share in common with other mammals as well as many other species."

Research suggests that canines can experience negative emotions in a parallel manner to people, including the equivalent of certain chronic and acute psychological conditions. They can often feel like they really are human; taking on certain household tasks and enjoying the same types of amenities that we take pleasure in, like television and TiVo.

Cats display a range of emotions stemming from happiness, aggravation and affection. Other feline behavior is attributed to suspicion, frustration and even vengefulness. These little guys are highly intelligent. They have a certain degree of cuteness which can overpower a human by many lengths. Screaming and crying usually always gets them what they want.

Polar bears can experience emotions of embarrassment and shame. However, they are also extremely lovable with each other. Often times, they will sleep in a loving embrace with their spouse or child.

Elephants, like human, often share a strong sense of family and death. Each elephant has its own unique set of personalities which may include feelings of happiness, sadness, and disappointment.

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Squirrels are usually very clever and persistent animals. They are often referred to as pests in local neighborhoods since they are often found digging in flower pots or stealing seeds from the bird feeder. In my opinion, I think their devious attitudes toward humans are often learned from mirroring other naughty squirrels. They find it extremely funny to annoy us.

Rodent emotions provided the first early evidence of theories about human behavior or nature. They are highly intelligent and experience both pleasure and pain, much like humans do.

Images from Flickr.com, Funnyartpictures.com, Funnypostcards.com, The Fuzzy Squid