Cattitude

About ARM & HAMMER™

For more than 170 years, ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda's familiar orange box has been a trusted fixture in both the refrigerator and home. The brand was founded in 1846 when Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight began to produce and sell sodium bicarbonate under the ARM & HAMMER™ brand name. Today, Church & Dwight, Co., Inc. manufactures a variety of cleaning, freshening, and deodorizing products for the home, family, pets, and body under the iconic ARM & HAMMER™ brand name. To learn more follow us on Facebook.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation’s leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster adn cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Transcript:

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Announcer: This is Pet Life radio.

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Announcer: Let's talk pets.

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Michelle Fern: Hello, feline friends, and welcome to Cattitude.

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Michelle Fern: I'm your show host, Michelle Fern.

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Michelle Fern: You know, what's everybody talking about these days?

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Michelle Fern: AI, right?

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Michelle Fern: And my guests today are gonna talk about how AI is helping with the adoption of kitties.

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Michelle Fern: That's incredible.

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Michelle Fern: So stay tuned, this is gonna be a really great show.

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Michelle Fern: We'll be right back.

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Announcer: Pet Greens is proud to support Cattitude on Pet Life radio.

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Announcer: Our small family farm produces live organic cat grass, catnip and soft chew treats packed with green nutrition to help your pets truly thrive inside.

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Announcer: We're partnering with pioneer cat behavior expert and bestselling author, Pam Johnson Bennett, to help indoor cats live their best lives with indoor enrichment tips for their parents.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >Anyone who knows me knows I am a very strong proponent for cats being indoors.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >But when we bring cats indoors, where I feel it's safest, we have an obligation to make sure they have a fulfilling life, that they get enrichment.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >And part of that enrichment is encouraging health.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >And a big part of that health is cat grass.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >Cat grass helps with the prevention of hair balls.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >It can help keep your cat away from house plants.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >It's also fun for your cat.

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Pam Johnson Bennett: >It's a natural behavior that your cat wants to chew, and you know that you're providing it in a safe way.

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Announcer: For more information on the benefits of cat grass and catnip for your cat's indoor enrichment, visit petgreens.com.

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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.

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Michelle Fern: Welcome back, everyone.

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Michelle Fern: I'd like to welcome Ruth Allen.

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Michelle Fern: She is the Director of admissions and Placement for the ASPCA adoption Center.

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Michelle Fern: And I'd also like to welcome Julianna Diamond.

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Michelle Fern: She is from Arm & Hammer Pet Care.

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Michelle Fern: Welcome, ladies.

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Ruth & Julianna: Thank you, Michelle.

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Michelle Fern: Thank you.

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Michelle Fern: I'm so excited to have you on.

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Michelle Fern: AI is a new thing, but who knew it could help with the adoption of kitties?

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Michelle Fern: But we're gonna talk about that a little bit later.

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Michelle Fern: So, Ruth, there's been so much going on with cat trends and adoption and everything.

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Michelle Fern: What's been happening since the pandemic?

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Michelle Fern: Because there was this, whew, you know, everybody is adopting kitties.

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Michelle Fern: And since then, it's changed a bit, right?

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Michelle Fern: Yes.

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Michelle Fern: Yes, it has, Michelle.

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Michelle Fern: Well, as some people may know, shelters across the country are at capacity.

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Michelle Fern: With 1.5 million dogs and cats entering animal shelters last year and only 4.8 million animals getting adopted.

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Michelle Fern: With limited resources and too many animals in need, many shelters are working overtime to find loving homes for the pets in their care.

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Michelle Fern: Have you seen trends out there?

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Michelle Fern: I mean, I know during the pandemic, people were lonely, so they thought, let me adopt, I'm home all the time.

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Michelle Fern: And I did hear about trends where, and this drives me crazy and gets me on a soapbox, which I'm not going to go to, but then people return their cats.

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Michelle Fern: And what's happening now?

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Michelle Fern: Well, you know, right now, shelters are experiencing kitten season.

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Michelle Fern: It's the time of the year of the warmer months where there's a surge of newborn kittens requiring specialized and intensive care, adding to the strain on many shelters across the country.

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Michelle Fern: Do you think there's a noticeable difference between what's going on now versus during COVID?

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Michelle Fern: Being that there are some similarities, you know, keep in mind that every community and shelter is unique, but we do consistently see senior pets are typically the last to be adopted, in contrast to kittens.

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Michelle Fern: So that's not something that has changed much.

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Michelle Fern: Older pets may have a few years on kittens, but they are just as lovable and cute as the younger ones.

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Michelle Fern: In fact, senior pets may be a little easier to adjust to your lifestyle, so they acclimate into the home easier.

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Michelle Fern: What are some of the biggest challenges that shelters face with adoption these days?

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Michelle Fern: Well, I mean, all kinds of cats have so much love to give, though sometimes they're overlooked due to age, appearance or even misunderstood personalities.

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Michelle Fern: It's important to remember that each cat is an individual with their own personality and disposition.

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Michelle Fern: The ASPCA encourages keeping an open mind when adopting or fostering, as each animal is seeking the right match for their unique personality.

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Michelle Fern: And it's true for our adopters as well.

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Michelle Fern: And you may go home with a loving pet that you hadn't previously imagined would be who you would be taking home.

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Michelle Fern: Ruth, we hear stereotypes about cats.

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Michelle Fern: You mentioned senior cats.

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Michelle Fern: You mentioned cats that are with disabilities, of course, that are less likely to be adopted.

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Michelle Fern: Are there any other trends?

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Michelle Fern: I've heard that black cats are not adopted except during Halloween, which to me is crazy.

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Michelle Fern: But is that just a myth or is that true?

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Michelle Fern: I would say that's a myth.

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Michelle Fern: There are people feel or anecdotally may say those things, but from working in a shelter, I think that there are other factors that impact animals from being adopted outside of like a black cat, like the stereotypical buckets that they get put into.

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Michelle Fern: So I would say that it's more likely that there is a different reason for the slower adoptions of those animals.

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Michelle Fern: Let me just mention the reason I've heard especially these days, I would say at least the last five, six, seven years, is because they don't photograph as well.

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Michelle Fern: And we've become social media nuts that you have to have the best lighting and you can't see everything because the fur is so dark for black cats.

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Michelle Fern: Yes.

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Michelle Fern: Those are real challenges that I think shelters mitigate in different ways.

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Michelle Fern: For example, if you have a shelter, a brick and mortar, where people are walking in and seeing animals face to face, they show better when you can make an affiliation with the animal inside of their condo.

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Michelle Fern: So I would say those things are true.

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Michelle Fern: And yet I don't think that it impacts them negatively to the point where they may not be adopted.

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Michelle Fern: That's so good to hear.

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Michelle Fern: Now, there is a new campaign that the ASPCA is doing called the Rescue Effect.

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Michelle Fern: Can you tell us about the Rescue Effect and its main goals?

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Michelle Fern: Sure.

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Michelle Fern: So when you adopt or foster an animal from a shelter, you make an impact that ripples throughout shelters nationwide and makes space for even more animals in need.

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Michelle Fern: That's the Shelter Effect.

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Michelle Fern: The Shelter Effect campaign kicked off in June during Adopt a Shelter Cat Month alongside our partnership with Arm & Hammer Cat Litter to encourage the public to help shelter animals through adoption and fostering and will continue in October during Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.

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Michelle Fern: OK, thanks.

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Michelle Fern: What inspired the Rescue Effect?

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Michelle Fern: Well, I mean shelters across the country are full.

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Michelle Fern: You know, as I mentioned, 6.5 million dogs and cats entered the shelter last year and only 4.8 animals were adopted.

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Michelle Fern: So with limited resources and too many animals in need, shelters are working overtime to find loving homes for animals in their care.

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Michelle Fern: As a national organization, the ASPCA collaborates with hundreds of local shelters and rescues working together to save and improve lives of animals in communities across the country to help give even more animals a second chance.

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Michelle Fern: And how does the Rescue Effect campaign aim to impact the lives of cats in shelters and rescues?

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Michelle Fern: And I know it's hard now because it's kitten season and generally April through October.

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Michelle Fern: So now you're probably, I'm sure shelters are so full with cats.

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Michelle Fern: Yes, this is true, Michelle, this is very true.

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Michelle Fern: You know, the Shelter Effects campaign is designed to provide more animals with a second chance at finding loving new homes.

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Michelle Fern: By adopting or fostering a pet, you can make a profound difference in the lives of these animals and the shelters that tirelessly work to support them.

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Michelle Fern: Adopting a pet is not only helping the animal in the shelter, but it also brings immense joy and companionship into your life.

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Michelle Fern: The bond you form with an adopted pet can be deeply rewarding, bringing love, laughter, and thrill into your home.

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Michelle Fern: By adopting, you're not just saving a life, you're enriching your own with loyal and loving companionship.

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Michelle Fern: That's so true.

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Michelle Fern: I mean, brings to mind the bumper stickers, who saved whom.

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Michelle Fern: Yes.

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Michelle Fern: I mean, there is some truth to, oh, I forget what it stands for now, people for the how and hobby.

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Michelle Fern: There was talk at Global, this is a few years ago, but there's still talk about it.

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Michelle Fern: Where doctors, instead of writing a prescription for happy pills, they can write a prescription, go get a pet, go get a, go adopt a cat.

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Michelle Fern: Yes.

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Michelle Fern: Or if you're allergic, adopt a dog, but adopt, you know, so I can't wait for that day to come.

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Michelle Fern: How can the public get more involved with the Rescue Effect Campaign?

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Michelle Fern: Well, with more animals entering the shelter than leaving, we need to continue to work together to keep pets in loving homes and out of shelters.

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Michelle Fern: The ASPCA partners with shelters and rescues nationwide to help animals through relocation, training, sharing resources, and we ask the public to join us by adopting, fostering and volunteering.

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Michelle Fern: When you adopt or foster from a local shelter in your community, you're not only giving that animal the love and care they deserve, you're also making space for another, an impact that ripples through shelters nationwide.

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Michelle Fern: And how can people find out more?

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Michelle Fern: Is there a website that they can go to?

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Michelle Fern: Well, yes, the public can visit aspca.org/therescueeffect to learn more about the benefits and impact of adopting and fostering.

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Michelle Fern: Okay, thank you so much for this great information.

00:11:18.938 --> 00:11:22.998
Michelle Fern: Now, for those that are listening, you're probably thinking, where's the AI part?

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Michelle Fern: So we're going to talk about AI in our second half.

00:11:26.078 --> 00:11:35.058
Michelle Fern: And what Arm & Hammer is doing with AI is helping the ASPCA in getting more cats adopted, which we're all happy about.

00:11:35.058 --> 00:11:37.338
Michelle Fern: So stay tuned, we'll be right back.

00:11:40.598 --> 00:11:45.018
Michelle Fern: Hey, Michelle Fern here, and you know saving cats is near and dear to my heart.

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Michelle Fern: Did you know that there is an estimated 70 to 100 million free roaming cats in the United States?

00:11:50.818 --> 00:11:54.258
Michelle Fern: And without spay neuter, that number will keep growing.

00:11:54.258 --> 00:12:01.078
Michelle Fern: Not only does spay neuter mainly reduce the community cat population, but it also keeps cats healthier.

00:12:01.078 --> 00:12:07.178
Michelle Fern: Scooter, the neutered cat, is on a mission to give cats an extra life by making it hip to be sniffed.

00:12:07.178 --> 00:12:12.438
Michelle Fern: Visit his website, givethem10.org, to help pioneer a better world for cats.

00:12:12.438 --> 00:12:17.298
Michelle Fern: That's GiveThem10, spelled out, T-E-N, dot org.

00:12:17.298 --> 00:12:20.278
Michelle Fern: Ready for the biggest cat celebration in the world?

00:12:20.278 --> 00:12:27.098
Michelle Fern: Come to the CFA international Cat Show and Expo in Cleveland, ohio, on October 12th and 13th.

00:12:27.138 --> 00:12:35.598
Michelle Fern: The Expo is the world's grandest cat celebration, seamlessly blending pedigree cat exhibitions with feline welfare and rescue initiatives.

00:12:35.598 --> 00:12:46.238
Michelle Fern: It captivates over 10,000 feline enthusiasts each year, celebrating all cats, whether rescue or pedigree, in a shared spirit of love and unity.

00:12:46.238 --> 00:12:50.978
Michelle Fern: Dive into cat-themed activations and enlightening educational sessions.

00:12:50.978 --> 00:12:59.558
Michelle Fern: Marvel at 1,000 non-pedigree and pedigree cats, adoptable felines and explore over 100 cat-themed vendors.

00:12:59.558 --> 00:13:04.498
Michelle Fern: It's an event dedicated to honoring our beloved felines and their admirers.

00:13:04.498 --> 00:13:07.838
Michelle Fern: And guess what feline influencers are coming to meet and greet?

00:13:07.838 --> 00:13:16.898
Michelle Fern: YouTube cat video sensation, Aaron's Animals, as well as Nathan the Cat Lady, Lambo, Leesha, Choopee and many, many more.

00:13:16.898 --> 00:13:21.678
Michelle Fern: Gather your cat crew and do whatever it takes to head to the CFA Cat Expo.

00:13:21.678 --> 00:13:26.338
Michelle Fern: It's a whisker-wiggling, tail-twirling extravaganza you won't want to miss.

00:13:26.338 --> 00:13:28.538
Michelle Fern: Get your tickets at cfacatexpo.com.

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Michelle Fern: That's cfacatexpo.com.

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Announcer: Let's talk pets.

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Announcer: On Pet Life radio.

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Announcer: Pet Life radio.

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Michelle Fern: Welcome back, everyone.

00:13:53.654 --> 00:14:00.154
Michelle Fern: We've been talking to Ruth Allen, the Director of admissions and Placement of the ASPCA adoption Center.

00:14:00.154 --> 00:14:05.614
Michelle Fern: And we're going to be talking right now to Julianna Diamond from Arm & Hammer Pet Care.

00:14:05.614 --> 00:14:07.594
Michelle Fern: So welcome back, ladies.

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Michelle Fern: And before we talk about AI, Julianna, can you tell us, for those that don't know, it's artificial intelligence, but what is it AI in terms of what we're gonna be talking about?

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Ruth & Julianna: Sure, Michelle.

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Ruth & Julianna: Thanks so much for having me today.

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Ruth & Julianna: I'm really looking forward to talking about this.

00:14:22.254 --> 00:14:27.974
Ruth & Julianna: We integrated AI with the ASPCA in our latest campaign.

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Ruth & Julianna: So our partnership with the ASPCA has been running since 2018 through our Feline Generous Program, but this year we wanted to do something even further and kick up their adoption events with the use of AI.

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Michelle Fern: Okay, and how has this benefited shelter cats and the adoption process?

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Ruth & Julianna: So I think a lot of us in animal rescue work know and are familiar with when an animal first comes into a shelter, they might appear scared, leading to adoption photos that don't really reflect their true nature.

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Ruth & Julianna: I speak personally from having volunteered in a rescue from 10 years.

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Ruth & Julianna: It's that photo you get the first day they come in might be so different than the photo you get when they've been in a foster home for a while or even when you're playing with them volunteering.

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Ruth & Julianna: So the goal of this tool is to really take that first photo and turn it into something that truly reflects their personality and can speak to the cat that they are and all that they have to offer and really pull out those charming and unique qualities about them.

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Michelle Fern: So basically what AI does is you have a picture, the regular picture of the cat, and AI works its magic and makes the cat look a little better.

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Michelle Fern: I did it for me personally and I actually look like a rock star after, well, not a rock star, but my husband was fooling with it.

00:15:51.454 --> 00:15:54.594
Michelle Fern: He had the choden to me and I said, that doesn't really look like me.

00:15:54.594 --> 00:15:55.814
Michelle Fern: He goes, yeah, it does.

00:15:55.814 --> 00:16:00.354
Michelle Fern: I said, okay, I'm glad you think so, but it looks like you, but it doesn't.

00:16:00.354 --> 00:16:02.454
Michelle Fern: But it looks close enough.

00:16:02.454 --> 00:16:04.694
Michelle Fern: I don't think it's a bad thing at all.

00:16:04.694 --> 00:16:06.874
Ruth & Julianna: No, it's not a bad thing.

00:16:06.874 --> 00:16:14.094
Ruth & Julianna: And to your point, right, AI does lots of different things and can look visually very different depending on the style.

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Ruth & Julianna: So to address this, Arm & Hammer Cat Litter worked with our creative agency, Razorfish, to build this AI tool, which generates these like thumb-stopping portraits that capture people's attention.

00:16:26.634 --> 00:16:33.074
Ruth & Julianna: And there's really kind of a three-step method I can take you through with how our AI tool works.

00:16:33.074 --> 00:16:38.114
Ruth & Julianna: First, shelters put in basic information about the cat, age, breed, color.

00:16:38.114 --> 00:16:44.594
Ruth & Julianna: And there's a drop-down menu that kind of pulls from a database if you're unsure about how to answer some of these questions.

00:16:45.014 --> 00:16:50.174
Ruth & Julianna: And then step two, the shelters enter some specific details about the personality.

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Ruth & Julianna: Or if they have any things that are special, we need to consider like asthma or media disability.

00:16:56.254 --> 00:17:01.454
Ruth & Julianna: The AI tool is also able to come up with some creative solves for those things as well.

00:17:01.454 --> 00:17:06.174
Ruth & Julianna: And then step three, you upload this image of the cat like I was talking about before.

00:17:06.174 --> 00:17:14.074
Ruth & Julianna: And in seconds, the personality pick tool will generate a new picture that the shelter can share or upload very easily on social media.

00:17:14.514 --> 00:17:17.254
Michelle Fern: I understand AI and I get it.

00:17:17.254 --> 00:17:20.514
Michelle Fern: Do you think there's some people that might be confused?

00:17:20.514 --> 00:17:26.154
Michelle Fern: And we don't want to stereotype, but well, my 94 year old mother-in-law, she was adopting a cat.

00:17:26.154 --> 00:17:28.154
Michelle Fern: She wouldn't even know what the word AI was.

00:17:28.154 --> 00:17:30.674
Michelle Fern: She would think I was like, yowling at her.

00:17:30.874 --> 00:17:32.654
Michelle Fern: I know something.

00:17:32.654 --> 00:17:42.374
Michelle Fern: I don't know what, but that's an extreme, you know, most people, no matter what your age are very open to technology and very comfortable with it.

00:17:42.474 --> 00:17:44.354
Michelle Fern: And actually, I shouldn't knock my mother-in-law.

00:17:44.354 --> 00:17:46.374
Michelle Fern: She probably has heard it, knows what it is.

00:17:46.374 --> 00:17:48.514
Michelle Fern: She's very on top of things.

00:17:48.514 --> 00:17:56.554
Michelle Fern: I want to be her when I'm 94, but she, you know, she might look at the picture and go, that looks like a cartoon.

00:17:56.554 --> 00:17:57.894
Michelle Fern: That's not the cat.

00:17:57.894 --> 00:18:08.574
Michelle Fern: What do you say for those people that would be really, that might have an objection to that, that doesn't look like the cat, even though they can look at the regular picture as well?

00:18:09.254 --> 00:18:10.294
Ruth & Julianna: It's a great question.

00:18:10.294 --> 00:18:15.554
Ruth & Julianna: I myself, to be honest, have learned a lot about AI from this entire process.

00:18:15.554 --> 00:18:17.154
Ruth & Julianna: AI is always learning.

00:18:17.154 --> 00:18:18.914
Ruth & Julianna: That's really the benefit of it.

00:18:18.914 --> 00:18:23.914
Ruth & Julianna: And we kind of anticipated this concern during that app's design phase.

00:18:23.914 --> 00:18:36.354
Ruth & Julianna: So to ensure there is hopefully no confusion, every image that a shelter generates includes a label in the bottom right-hand corner and that says AI Personality Picks by Arm & Hammer.

00:18:36.354 --> 00:18:43.874
Ruth & Julianna: And this is to just remind viewers that the images are AI generated by Arm & Hammer and that they're not real.

00:18:43.874 --> 00:18:49.354
Ruth & Julianna: I think the idea of the AI image is to really convey that personality.

00:18:49.354 --> 00:18:59.794
Ruth & Julianna: And we've used some things like accessories and backgrounds and kind of these virtual environments to also help lean into the fact that this is not a real image.

00:18:59.794 --> 00:19:01.934
Michelle Fern: I think the pictures are really fun.

00:19:01.934 --> 00:19:10.794
Michelle Fern: And I find them to be engaging because you're not just looking at, you know, the cat, you're looking at the cat and like you said with a different environment.

00:19:10.794 --> 00:19:15.794
Michelle Fern: I think the one I looked at, if I remember correctly, the cat was in like a chef setting.

00:19:15.794 --> 00:19:18.594
Michelle Fern: So I find it kind of engaging.

00:19:18.594 --> 00:19:24.314
Michelle Fern: What do you think are the positive aspects of AI personality pictures?

00:19:24.314 --> 00:19:24.894
Michelle Fern: I love that.

00:19:25.174 --> 00:19:35.894
Ruth & Julianna: Yeah, that the cat that you actually saw was Torta, and Torta was actually adopted through one of our virtual adoption events with the ASPCA, which we're really excited about.

00:19:35.894 --> 00:19:38.474
Ruth & Julianna: Obi and Princess were also adopted too.

00:19:38.474 --> 00:19:54.154
Ruth & Julianna: But by conveying each cat's kind of authentic character, whether it's playful or curious, spicy, maybe, or affectionate, this tool can really help adopters connect more deeply, leading to better adoption matches.

00:19:54.154 --> 00:20:04.754
Ruth & Julianna: If you take a look at some of the profiles that are up on either Instagram or the ASPCA's pages, you'll see kind of how even some of the hobbies of cats are coming through.

00:20:04.754 --> 00:20:09.254
Ruth & Julianna: There's a cat for adoption right now in New York City who loves to watch hockey.

00:20:09.254 --> 00:20:21.834
Ruth & Julianna: He's really taken to kind of watching the puck move back and forth, and so his portrait features a scarf and some ice sculptures in the back to really, to lean into that and what he likes to do.

00:20:21.834 --> 00:20:32.594
Ruth & Julianna: I think it's a great example of AI being used in a creative way for good and gives otherwise overlooked shelter cats a greater chance at finding their new families.

00:20:32.594 --> 00:20:38.674
Michelle Fern: Ruth, do you think the AI personality pictures have influenced any names?

00:20:38.674 --> 00:20:46.374
Michelle Fern: Because sometimes when you adopt a cat, you don't like their name or that nobody knows what the cat's name is or the shelter just gave them a name.

00:20:46.374 --> 00:20:56.454
Michelle Fern: Have you heard of any stories that you can share or your thoughts on AI personality pictures, and even giving someone an idea for the cat's name?

00:20:56.454 --> 00:21:06.494
Michelle Fern: I actually don't know of any association between naming and the AI imagery, so I actually can't speak to that.

00:21:06.494 --> 00:21:16.234
Michelle Fern: But I do know that oftentimes when people come in to adopt, they keep the name that we gave them at the shelter if they find a connection with the animal here.

00:21:16.234 --> 00:21:29.374
Michelle Fern: It may sometimes it's in childhood pets name and they find some commonality in that, but I don't know of a connection of names being influential to that process.

00:21:29.374 --> 00:21:30.394
Michelle Fern: Not yet.

00:21:30.394 --> 00:21:31.214
Michelle Fern: Not yet.

00:21:31.214 --> 00:21:32.034
Michelle Fern: It's been a while too.

00:21:32.034 --> 00:21:34.494
Michelle Fern: I think it could come, but I could think of things.

00:21:34.494 --> 00:21:39.114
Michelle Fern: When I adopted from shelters, I renamed, well, okay, we're cats, but Mr.

00:21:39.114 --> 00:21:41.334
Michelle Fern: Zeus, his name was Binky.

00:21:41.334 --> 00:21:44.434
Michelle Fern: You have to rename and I got him right after the hurricane.

00:21:44.434 --> 00:21:56.174
Michelle Fern: So it was either calling him Fred or because it was Hurricane Wilma, calling him Fred and I thought, no, but he's Lightning bolts and he was the meekest, like most gentle, cool dog.

00:21:56.174 --> 00:21:58.154
Michelle Fern: I miss him so much.

00:21:58.154 --> 00:22:04.854
Michelle Fern: But my cats, my husband gave him, they all have people names, but who knows, you know?

00:22:04.854 --> 00:22:10.894
Michelle Fern: Julianna, can you share with everyone listening some more details on where they can find the purge?

00:22:10.894 --> 00:22:14.594
Michelle Fern: I'm trying to get into this personality thing.

00:22:14.594 --> 00:22:18.794
Michelle Fern: Cats who still need loving homes and where they can find those cats.

00:22:18.794 --> 00:22:20.674
Ruth & Julianna: Absolutely, I'd be happy to.

00:22:20.674 --> 00:22:31.494
Ruth & Julianna: We have some adorable cats that were featured on the ASPCA's virtual adoption pages in June and July, which are still live for the cats that are on those websites.

00:22:31.914 --> 00:22:36.714
Ruth & Julianna: You can also find them on our Arm & Hammer Cat, which is A-R-M-A-N-D-H-A-M-M-E-R-C-A-T.

00:22:41.494 --> 00:22:50.894
Ruth & Julianna: On Instagram, it's in our bio and you can find the link directly there to personality pics, and you'll be able to find it directly on the ASPCA's website.

00:22:50.894 --> 00:22:52.734
Michelle Fern: Okay, thank you so much.

00:22:52.734 --> 00:23:00.814
Michelle Fern: Ruth, can the ASPCA leave us with some good reminders of what potential adopters can think about before adopting a shelter cat?

00:23:01.174 --> 00:23:02.074
Michelle Fern: Sure, Michelle.

00:23:02.074 --> 00:23:11.494
Michelle Fern: So when visiting an animal shelter to adopt or foster, it's important to keep an open mind, ask questions and rely on the shelter staff for guidance.

00:23:11.494 --> 00:23:15.674
Michelle Fern: You may go home with a different pet than you have previously considered.

00:23:15.674 --> 00:23:25.214
Michelle Fern: So because the staff at the shelter will help you match with the animal's needs and temperament to make sure that it's compatible with your lifestyle.

00:23:25.214 --> 00:23:39.874
Michelle Fern: Every community has different needs, so getting in contact with your local shelter to find out the best way for you to provide support that will be most helpful to them, that would be the greatest resource.

00:23:39.874 --> 00:24:00.734
Michelle Fern: If you're not ready to adopt and you still want to support a local shelter, you can by fostering, volunteering, and even donating, helping to spread the word about available animals on social media and to families and friends who also can be creative, a creative way to provide support to shelters.

00:24:00.734 --> 00:24:06.194
Michelle Fern: Several cats featured in our campaign have already been adopted, and there are many, many, many more.

00:24:06.194 --> 00:24:12.014
Michelle Fern: And you can learn about them at aspca.org/therescue of it.

00:24:12.014 --> 00:24:13.414
Michelle Fern: Thank you so much.

00:24:13.414 --> 00:24:18.954
Michelle Fern: Julianna, I don't want to get into this too much because we're not a product show, but we're all about cats.

00:24:18.954 --> 00:24:23.374
Michelle Fern: Arm & Hammer Cat Litter has a lot of variety of cat litter.

00:24:24.114 --> 00:24:31.014
Michelle Fern: So, can you just tell us about how somebody would make a decision on what cat litter to get?

00:24:31.014 --> 00:24:33.734
Michelle Fern: Because they're going to the shelter, they're adopting a cat.

00:24:33.734 --> 00:24:34.874
Michelle Fern: What do you buy?

00:24:34.874 --> 00:24:35.374
Ruth & Julianna: Sure.

00:24:35.374 --> 00:24:45.914
Ruth & Julianna: Actually, if you go to our website at armandhammer.com and you look at our cat litter page, we do have a litter selector on our site that consumers can take a look at.

00:24:45.914 --> 00:24:48.934
Ruth & Julianna: But we have a variety of litter that's available.

00:24:48.934 --> 00:24:55.374
Ruth & Julianna: I would think about things such as, do you prefer maybe something a little more lightweight or heavyweight?

00:24:55.374 --> 00:25:00.814
Ruth & Julianna: Are you concerned about maybe naturals versus a more traditional clay litter?

00:25:00.814 --> 00:25:05.554
Ruth & Julianna: Those are all decisions that when you look at our website, we can help guide you through that journey.

00:25:05.554 --> 00:25:07.174
Michelle Fern: You have multi-cat.

00:25:07.174 --> 00:25:08.594
Ruth & Julianna: We do have multi-cat as well.

00:25:08.594 --> 00:25:12.154
Ruth & Julianna: A lot of households that have a cat have multiple cat.

00:25:12.154 --> 00:25:13.854
Ruth & Julianna: That's a great thing about having a cat.

00:25:13.854 --> 00:25:15.534
Ruth & Julianna: You can always add more.

00:25:15.534 --> 00:25:18.054
Ruth & Julianna: Definitely check out the ASPCA's website.

00:25:18.134 --> 00:25:22.234
Ruth & Julianna: Like Ruth said, Ren and Pelican are up for adoption right now.

00:25:22.234 --> 00:25:27.034
Ruth & Julianna: They're bonded pairs, so definitely could use multi-cat litter in that situation.

00:25:27.034 --> 00:25:34.414
Michelle Fern: That's one of the keys, is if you adopt two cats together, they have a friend and I think it's easier.

00:25:34.414 --> 00:25:34.874
Ruth & Julianna: Yeah.

00:25:34.874 --> 00:25:43.574
Ruth & Julianna: Speaking from my experience, I do wish when I adopted my cat whose name is Grayson, that I had adopted a friend for him as well.

00:25:43.574 --> 00:25:48.554
Ruth & Julianna: I think they do usually do better when they're together, when they're leaving the shelter environment.

00:25:48.674 --> 00:25:49.814
Ruth & Julianna: Exactly.

00:25:49.814 --> 00:25:56.074
Michelle Fern: Then they have another buddy around to get into trouble with rather than just attack something in the house.

00:25:58.734 --> 00:25:59.734
Michelle Fern: I think they like it.

00:25:59.734 --> 00:26:00.914
Michelle Fern: They really like it.

00:26:00.914 --> 00:26:05.254
Michelle Fern: Julianna, can you tell us if there's anything else new coming out?

00:26:05.254 --> 00:26:08.714
Michelle Fern: Arm & Hammer, you have the Feline Generous campaign.

00:26:08.714 --> 00:26:11.814
Michelle Fern: You're working with AI on the personality pictures.

00:26:12.154 --> 00:26:16.654
Michelle Fern: Is there anything else coming up for the rest of 2024 and 25?

00:26:16.654 --> 00:26:17.314
Ruth & Julianna: Yes.

00:26:17.314 --> 00:26:25.814
Ruth & Julianna: In the rest of 24, we are really excited to take this AI tool to other shelters and other rescue environments.

00:26:25.814 --> 00:26:34.194
Ruth & Julianna: Stay tuned, Feline Generous will have a campaign at the end of this year that supports other shelters as well.

00:26:34.194 --> 00:26:40.694
Ruth & Julianna: Follow us on social media, take a look at felinegenerous.com and you'll see more from us coming down the road.

00:26:41.334 --> 00:26:45.314
Michelle Fern: I want to thank you both, Ruth and Julianna for coming on Cattitude.

00:26:45.314 --> 00:26:47.214
Michelle Fern: I appreciate it so much.

00:26:47.214 --> 00:26:53.234
Michelle Fern: Thanks for all you do to help save the kitties, save the cats and get them adopted.

00:26:53.234 --> 00:26:54.414
Michelle Fern: Thank you so much.

00:26:54.414 --> 00:26:57.354
Ruth & Julianna: Thanks Michelle, it was great chatting with you and Ruth today.

00:26:57.354 --> 00:26:59.794
Michelle Fern: Yes, thank you so much for having me.

00:26:59.854 --> 00:27:01.474
Michelle Fern: It was my pleasure.

00:27:01.474 --> 00:27:03.714
Michelle Fern: I hope you-all enjoyed this show.

00:27:03.714 --> 00:27:06.994
Michelle Fern: Wow, the use of AI in adopting cats.

00:27:06.994 --> 00:27:07.914
Michelle Fern: I love it.

00:27:08.354 --> 00:27:13.434
Michelle Fern: So I want to thank Ruth Allen and Julianna Diamond for coming on the show.

00:27:13.434 --> 00:27:16.714
Michelle Fern: A huge thank you for everyone that's listening to Cattitude.

00:27:16.714 --> 00:27:18.454
Michelle Fern: Spread the word.

00:27:18.454 --> 00:27:21.574
Michelle Fern: The more cats we can get adopted, the better.

00:27:21.574 --> 00:27:22.674
Michelle Fern: Thank you for listening.

00:27:22.674 --> 00:27:24.214
Michelle Fern: I so appreciate it.

00:27:24.214 --> 00:27:27.774
Michelle Fern: Thanks to my cat crew, Dennis, Charlotte and Molly.

00:27:28.834 --> 00:27:34.194
Michelle Fern: I think I'm going to do some AI pictures of them just for fun, but what a great way to get your cats adopted.

00:27:34.574 --> 00:27:43.634
Michelle Fern: And of course, thank you to my producer, Mark Winter, for working his magic and making me and my guests sound amazing.

00:27:43.634 --> 00:27:47.454
Michelle Fern: And that all results in much better podcasts for all of you.

00:27:47.454 --> 00:27:49.614
Michelle Fern: So thank you so much, Mark.

00:27:49.614 --> 00:27:53.754
Michelle Fern: And hey, remember, lose the attitude, have cattitude.

00:27:54.714 --> 00:28:00.654
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