Kinship, Wrapped
Our first year in review, from top-read articles and celebrity features to most-popular Instagram and TikTok posts!
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Happy New Year, pet people! 2021 will forever be remembered as the year of social distancing, working from home...and pandemic puppies. It was also the year we launched Kinship. Whether you’re a new pet parent or just need to brush up on the basics, we get that pet parenting can be both a magical time and a total nightmare. We’re here to help you keep your cool. It’s been a wild ride and we’re only getting started, but first, let’s rhapsodize about some of the highlights of the past year.
We got the band together! We tapped the best pet experts around the country to join our Collectiveopens in a new tab, from Black DVM Network founder Dr. Tierra Priceopens in a new tab to celebrity dog groomer Jess Ronaopens in a new tab to NYC’s go-to dog trainer Robert Haussmannopens in a new tab to LA certified cat counselor Cristin Tamburoopens in a new tab. Watch this space because some new Collective members — pet nutritionists, sustainability gurus, rescue advocates, TV star trainers, and more — will be entering the fray in just a few weeks...
In collaboration with the Collective and other pet care pros, writers from diverse backgrounds covered the most common pet healthcare concerns, from out-of-control itchingopens in a new tab and state-of-the-art allergy treatmentsopens in a new tab to Herculean hairballsopens in a new tab and the first signs of the C-wordopens in a new tab. Plus, veterinarians chimed in on the importance of preventative careopens in a new tab, human-grade foodopens in a new tab, and weight management for chonky catsopens in a new tab and dogsopens in a new tab.
Got a question we haven’t answered yet? Ask a Vetopens in a new tab. It’s just one of our personalized toolsopens in a new tab to help make the pet parenting journey a little less bumpy. Picky eateropens in a new tab? Loose poopopens in a new tab? No topic is off limits.
By far, articles about behavior and training topped the most-read list in 2021. From decoding cat mysteriesopens in a new tab to teaching your dog to talk to explaining the weird phenomenon that is the zoomiesopens in a new tab (it’s science), we’ve got you. If you’re a proud new pet parent, you probably wondered how to help your catopens in a new tab or dogopens in a new tab settle in, the right way to kittenopens in a new tab- or puppy-proofopens in a new tab your digs so it isn’t obvious you live with an animal, and whether you should DIY trainingopens in a new tab or leave it to the pros.
Or maybe you’re pretty pet savvy but something sinister is afoot, like, oh, you know, your cat is stalking youopens in a new tab or is on a litter box strikeopens in a new tab, or your dog is acting diabolical on the leashopens in a new tab or freaks outopens in a new tab when friends come over. A LOT of you are worried your pups will suffer separation anxietyopens in a new tab (newsflash: cats do tooopens in a new tab) when you go back to workopens in a new tab. Also, you’re not alone if it’s youopens in a new tab during the pandemic.
So, your pet came with when you went home for the holidays. As if traveling wasn’t stressful enough, am I right? Thankfully, we hooked you up with travel tips for dogsopens in a new tab and catsopens in a new tab (and let you know the second Shay Mitchell’s pet carriersopens in a new tab dropped). Because we get that being a pet parent is a lifestyleopens in a new tab. If you’re moving, that means finding a pet-friendly rentalopens in a new tab. If you’re serious about self care, you might dig dogaopens in a new tab. And if your pet is your ride or die, why not wear your heart on your sleeve with a dog or “cattooopens in a new tab?”
Before you know it, it will be spring, and you (and your pet) can rock all the lewks that fashion icon Tika the Iggyopens in a new tab “reviewed” as Kinship’s NYFW correspondent. But it’s still Capricorn season. For aspiring pet parents reading this, Vogue astrologer Alice Bell divined the perfect breeds for each star signopens in a new tab. (Cats have a more bewitching historyopens in a new tab with the occult.) But hey, relationships are tricky, which is why we kicked off a relationship series and went there; namely, talked to experts and real pet parents about who gets the dog in a breakupopens in a new tab, what to do if your cat’s sabotaging your new crushopens in a new tab, and how to deal if you can’t stand your partner’s “pet voiceopens in a new tab.”
Speaking of series, we couldn’t be more psyched about Wild Onesopens in a new tab, a column featuring creative people and their pets. Actor Taylour Paigeopens in a new tab talked to us about how her rescue dogs taught her about patience and presence; musicians SPELLLINGopens in a new tab and Sam Evianopens in a new tab about touring with their pups; fashion designers Derek Lamopens in a new tab, Ellen Dusenopens in a new tab, and Caitlin Mociunopens in a new tab about bringing their pets to their studios and shops; and artists Gary Basemanopens in a new tab and Livia Fălcaruopens in a new tab about being so inspired by their cats that they feature them in their work. We also caught up with wellness gurus Jasmine Hemsleyopens in a new tab, Alison Wuopens in a new tab, and Kathryn Budigopens in a new tab; rescue advocates Pia Baronciniopens in a new tab, Nathan the Cat Ladyopens in a new tab, and Rebecca Corryopens in a new tab; even an Olympian — check out Gus Kenworthyopens in a new tab!
Lots of these pet-savvy stars — actor Kat Denningsopens in a new tab, TikTok cat dad Abram Engleopens in a new tab, and “Cat Rapper” Moshowopens in a new tab, to name a few — even shared their pets’ favorite products with us. We consulted the experts on everything from new kittenopens in a new tab and puppy essentialsopens in a new tab to the best interactive dog puzzlesopens in a new tab and “smart” cat toysopens in a new tab. We not only went ham on Holiday Gift Guidesopens in a new tab, but also recco’d everything from carriersopens in a new tab to cratesopens in a new tab, cat treesopens in a new tab to dog treatsopens in a new tab, as well as eco-friendly products for dogsopens in a new tab and catsopens in a new tab (sustainability experts Dave Coastopens in a new tab and Green Girl Leahopens in a new tab chimed in too). Lest we forget the fashion: DSquared2opens in a new tab, Collina Stradaopens in a new tab, Sandy Liangopens in a new tab, and Lirika Matoshiopens in a new tab all designed matching outfits for pets this past year. Find us something more Instagrammable — we’ll wait.
We’re also on Instagramopens in a new tab and TikTokopens in a new tab! On IG, we kicked off a couple of fun new series: “ Real Pet Sh*topens in a new tab” with influencers Olivia Suiopens in a new tab and Keith Leak Jr., and IG Lives where Kinship Collective members answer pet parent questions, including cat behaviorist Cristin Tamburo and comedian Sydnee Washingtonopens in a new tab (who also confessedopens in a new tab that dance parties with her cats got her through the pandemic), and dog trainer Robert Haussmann and #PitBullFlowerPower photographer Sophie Gamandopens in a new tab. Our most popular TikTok videos so far have been a breakdown of toxic foods for dogsopens in a new tab (yikes) and signs your cat loves youopens in a new tab (aw).
We couldn’t end the year without going into the wild. We hung out at New York City’s first dog-friendly cafe Boris & Hortonopens in a new tab and sprung for coffee for pet parents. Over on the West coast, we teamed up with dog park/social club Dog PPLopens in a new tab on a how event and made it *snow* in Los Angeles. “ First Snowopens in a new tab” featured real powder trucked in from Big Bear Mountain, a holiday jazz band called The Cool Cats, a workshop where seamstresses stitched back together torn-up dog toys, a stocking stuffer station, and more.
Season One of Kinship was pretty wild indeed, if we say so ourselves. Stay tuned for more expert advice, celebrity features, gift guides, IG Lives, TikTok videos, and (as soon as it’s safe to see you all IRL) events for pets and their people!
Samantha Gurrie
Samantha Gurrie is Kinship’s Editor-in-Chief. She was previously the senior editor at NYLON magazine, co-publisher of Four&Sons, and director at Puerto Rican dog rescue The Sato Project. She lives in L.A. with her husband and rescued Pit Bull Midnight.