>> Kim: NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE PIT BULL TO GET YOUR DAY
STARTED, RIGHT?
STARTED, RIGHT? WE’RE ALL 4 PETS HERE ON "LIVE
IN THE D."
AND WE INVITED OUR FRIENDS FROM
THE MICHIGAN HUMANE SOCIETY TO
COME AND ANSWER QUESTIONS,
DR. KELLY MEYER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Kim: LAST MONTH, ALL OF THE
QUESTIONS PERTAINED ABOUT DOGS,
BUT THIS MONTH, QUITE A FEW
QUESTIONS ABOUT BOTH DOGS AND
CATS.
CATS. ARE YOU READY FOR THEM.
>> YAY THE CATS!
[LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER] >> Kim: REBECCA SAID HER CAT
CASS MOW IS 2 YEARS OLD AND
NEVER HAD PROBLEMS BUT WITH NOT
USING THE LITTER BOX UNTIL NOW.
COULD IT BE BECAUSE HIS HUMANS
CAME HOME SMELLING LIKE ONE OF
THE FRIENDLY STRAY NEIGHBORHOOD
CATS?
CATS? >> IT COULD BE THERE.
IF THERE WAS A STRONG URINE
SMELL, IT MIGHT BE THAT.
BUT IF THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF
HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BOX AND
WE HAVEN’T CHANGED THE LITTER ON
THE PLACE OF THE BOX, PROBABLY
THERE MIGHT BE A MEDICAL THING
GOING ON AND SHOULD BE SEEING
THE VETERINARIAN.
THE VETERINARIAN. SO WHEN THERE’S TYPICAL
CONSISTENT BEHAVIOR AND IT
CHANGES, I WORRY ABOUT A MEDICAL
THING GOING ON.
PROBABLY NOT JEALOUSY.
IT COULD BE A MARKING.
BUT IF WE HAVEN’T HAD THAT
TYPICAL BEHAVIOR BEFORE, IT’S
PROBABLY MORE MEDICAL.
>> Kim: OUR NEXT QUESTION IS
FROM MARGE WHO ASKS, WHY DOES
HER DOG OLIVIA EAT GRASS?
>> THIS IS A COMMON QUESTION WE
GET ALL THE TIME.
DOGS ARE ACTUALLY EAT MEAT AND
PLANTS.
PLANTS. THEY SNACK ON GRASS NATURALLY,
OUT IN THE WILD.
SO THAT’S SOMETHING THEY DO.
SO IT COULD BE BOREDOM OR
THEY’RE MUNCHING.
THEY’RE MUNCHING. IT’S NOT USUALLY A HEALTH ISSUE.
THERE’S A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT
SHOWS THE DOGS ARE FINE BEFORE
THEY START EATING GRASS AND
SOMETIMES WILL VOMIT AFTERWARDS.
YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH
FERTILIZER, BUT MOST GRASSES
DON’T HURT THEM AT ALL.
YOU SHOULD BE FINE.
IT’S PRETTY NATURAL FOR THEM TO
EAT GRASS.
EAT GRASS. YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PUPPIES
BECAUSE THEY COULD GET
OBSTRUCTED IF THEY EAT TOO MUCH.
SO MAKE SURE THEY’RE JUST
GRAZING AND NOT EATING TOO MUCH.
>> Kim: AND OUR THIRD QUESTION
IS FROM CELIA.
SHE SAID HER CAT TANGO FROM SOON
BE 7.
BE 7. SHE ADOPTED HIM AND TOLD HE HAD
DISTEMPER AS A KITTEN AND WILL
IT SHORTEN HIS LIFE SPAN?
>> IT’S CALLED BY A DISEASE,
IT’S A BIG WORD.
PAN MEANS ALL, LUKE MEANS WHITE
BLOOD CELL.
BLOOD CELL. AND PENA MEAN THEY’RE GONE.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, THEY
RECOVER COMPLETELY UNLESS THEY
WERE INFECTED INSIDE THE MOM,
THEY MAY HAVE NEUROLOGICAL OR
EYE PROBLEM.
EYE PROBLEM. BUT THIS ONE SHOULD BE FINE.
>> Kim: WHAT’S THE TYPICAL LIFE
SPAN FOR A CAT?
>> 18-20 YEARS.
>> Kim: THAT’S GREAT NEWS!
>>> AND FINAL QUESTION IS FROM
JOHN.
JOHN. HE SAYS THAT JITTERBUG’S NAILS
GET SO SHARP AND GOING TO THE
VET TO GET THEM TRIMMED CAN BE
EXPENSIVE.
EXPENSIVE. CAN HE TRIM JITTERBUG’S NAILS
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. CATS DON’T LIKE TO GO IN THE CAR
OR TO THE VET ANYWAY, SO BEST IS
TO DO IT AT HOME.
I’M GONNA KERRY IT, BUT EASIER
IF YOU SEE IT.
GET A TOWEL.
I MAKE A KITTY BURRITO AND PUT
IT OVER THEIR BACK, WRAP IT
AROUND THE FRONT PAWS, SO ALL
THAT’S STICKING OUT IS THE HEAD.
AND YOU WOULD USE A NAIL CLIPPER
SPECIFICALLY FOR CATS.
IT’S SMALLER THAN A DOG NAIL
CLIPPER, AND MAKE SURE THEY’RE
SHARP AND GOOD QUALITY.
SO ASK THAT YOU WANT A GOOD
QUALITY ONE.
QUALITY ONE. CATS NAILS ARE EASIER TO TRIM
THAN DOGS’ NAILS.
THEY TAPER.
THEY TAPER. SO AS ETHEY START TO TAPER AND
HOOK, THAT’S WHERE YOU CUT THE
MAIL.
MAIL. YOU CAN USUALLY SEE THROUGH IT
AND YOU’LL SEE THE RED PART OR
THE PINK PART, THAT’S THE BLOOD
SUPPLY, SO GO PAST THAT.
AND TRIM OFF THE TIPS.
AND DO THAT EVERY 4-6 WEEKS.
>>> AND THE MICHIGAN HUMANE
SOCIETY HAS VETERINARY CARE
SERVICES IN WESTLAND, ROCHESTER
HILLS, AND DETROIT.
AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
SERVICES THEY OFFER, MAKE AN
APPOINTMENT AND VISIT THEIR
WEBSITE AT MICHIGANHUMANE.ORG.