Creature feature

This week, a potpourri of pet-related topics.

Sweet prickles: Kayak the hedgehog weighs less than a pound, but has had a big impact on Little Rock’s P.J. Mattus, head of Arkansas Hedgehog Rescue.

“Kayak has taught me never give up and if you fall, fall with enthusiasm, then get back up and try again,” Mattus says in a video posted on youtube.com (watch it at tinyurl.com/llnh7kn). The Huffington Post and other news agencies picked up the video the same week Mattus and hedgehogs were featured in Creature Feature on Oct. 16.

Mattus says Kayak was sick, barely able to walk and weighed little more than 2 ounces when his owner asked her to care for him. After being treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine - and fed every three hours - the little guy grew stronger. “We never did find out what was wrong with him.”

Today, Kayak weighs 10 ounces. “He’s a happy, healthy little hedgehog.” He can be seen in the Oct. 10 video and another at tinyurl.com/lnwmcd9 scampering across a terrain of blankets and towels and even “riding” a tiny skateboard. Kayak, wearing an orange cape emblazoned with the letter “K,” runs in a hamster wheel, eats worms, gets a bath and stands still while Mattus brushes his quills with a toothbrush.

“If I had to describe Kayak, I’d say he’s a little bit sweet, a little bit shy and he’s very determined,” Mattus says.

Jerky treat update: The federal Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine reported Oct. 22 that more than 600 pets have died and 3,200 have become sick from a mystery illness linked to jerky treats made in China. Repeated tests haven’t uncovered an ingredient or contaminant that’s causing the illness.

The agency says dogs (and 10 cats) suffered gastrointestinal and kidney problems after eating the treats. The FDA hasn’t issued any specific recalls, although in January, Nestle Purina Pet Care and Del Monte Corp. voluntarily removed jerky treats from the marketplace. Nestle’s treats were sold under the Canyon Creek and Waggin’ Train brands; Del Monte’s were Milo’s Kitchen’s “home-style” chicken jerky and chicken grillers treats.

FDA officials are asking veterinarians to track and send them information about any pets sickened by treats made in China, plus asking pet owners to report problems at tinyurl.com/kmgues2.

Apps for pups: When you take your dog for a walk, you can count your steps and more with MapMyDOGWALK, an application for iPhones and Androids. The app (free at iTunes.com and Googleplay.com) uses your phone’s GPS technology to track your route and measure the distance, duration, pace, speed and elevation. You can upload your data to mapmyfitness.com to keep a log of your walks.

Purina Pro Plan P5 (free on iTunes and Googleplay) goes a step further by helping dog owners create exercise plans for their dogs. You can customize the app settings with your dog’s age, breed and weight, then use it to track his fitness activities. The app also includes 37 video lessons on topics such as agility, basic obedience and running. Preview the app at proplan.com/ p5 .

Getting kitty with it: Now you can entertain your cat with your iPad and Android devices. Paint for Cats, an iPad app available for $2 at iTunes, combines a cat and-mouse chase game with splatters of virtual paint. As your cat swats at a mouse on the screen, he leaves splashes of color behind. You can save your cat’s masterpiece and share it on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Or you can print and frame it.

Crazy Cat for Android (free at Googleplay) gives your cat hopping mice and scurrying bugs to chase on the screen. As he plays, he gets points. Another Android app, Laser Chase (free), lets your cat chase a dancing red dot around the screen of your tablet or phone. Game for Cats (free for iPads) does basically the same thing as Laser Chase, but you can upgrade from a laser dot to a mouse for $2.

Do you have a question about pets? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail askcreature@att.net