Question:

I am the owner of an 8-month-old male kitten who loves to bite. He will be very loving then, all of a sudden, he will attack. I don''t do anything to provoke these attacks. I often think he does this for attention, even though it is negative attention that he gets. He is a very smart cat -- he knows what "no" and "no bite" mean, so I don''t understand why this behavior continues.I''ve tried to ignore him when he does this. I''ve also tried squirting him with a water bottle and making loud, startling noises. None of these methods have done any good. I am at my wits'' end, and need to know if this behavior can be changed.Please help. I love my cat (he is sweet most of the time) and I don''t want to have to get rid of him, but I''m afraid I may have to if this doesn''t stop.

L.H., Las Vegas, NV Oct 30, 2005

Answer:

You didn''t mention ever playing with your cat, or how and when he plays. You may be mistaking his "attack" behavior as aggression when all he wants is to engage in rough-and-tumble play with you. Cats learn to be gentle through this kind of play-fighting. When they bite or scratch another cat too hard, they get reprimanded and rebuffed. They also have fun playing together -- chasing, ambushing, wrestling, and giving each other inhibited bites and scratches, and sometimes emitting loud yowls and giving back-arched "Halloween cat" displays of mock terror and rage. In my bachelor days I used to play-stalk my young cat at night, and his sport was to hide, then leap out from behind furniture in full back-arched display, crab-walk toward me, hiss, and leap onto my back and gently bite my ear lobe. Then he would purr in my ear, jump down and start the game all over again.Let your cat wrestle with a stuffed toy that you animate by pulling a string tied to it. Also consider getting another cat a few months younger as

Question:

I have become enamored of African dwarf frogs (or clawed frogs), which are aquatic frogs sold in pet stores for the aquarium. I have had several and they are just adorable. But I have lost some to sudden death. They seem to get to a certain size, then become unable to anchor to the bottom of the aquarium and are blown around at the top of the water, where they are subject to the currents from the filtration system. They do not seem to have the diseases mentioned in the sources I have found.I have researched the animal at the library and online, and have questioned pet-store employees. There is very little information on the care of aquatic frogs, and the information you find may contradict other information that I have found. No one I have spoken with knows of any local exotic animal veterinarian that I could ask.I would be grateful for any reliable reference or information on the husbandry of these frogs. I do not wish to lose any more due to my inability to care for them correctly.

N.B., Manassas, Va Oct 30, 2005

Answer:

Keeping any "exotic," wild-caught or captive-bred species can be a challenge. There is also the risk of uncommon diseases being spread to indigenous species and human caretakers, and of exotics escaping or being deliberately released into the wild, which could possibly cause ecological havoc.No matter how enamored you are of these frogs, I wish that you and everyone would totally boycott the sale and continuing exploitation of them and other exotic species. Expert veterinary care is rarely available when needed.A recent epidemic of exploding frogs in Europe is under investigation, with a gas-producing bacteria being suspected. This may be the case with your poor frogs, but without clinical research the cause and cure will never be determined.So, again, I ask you: Why keep any species that is likely to never receive adequate veterinary treatment when needed because so little is known about them? As defeatist as this may seem, we must surely think first about what is best for the animals -- those who are wild

Question:

I read your article in the paper weekly, and recently you asked for readers'' beliefs about whether or not companion animals have souls.About seven years ago, I was adopted by a golden retriever named Cooper. Until that time, I was not the easiest person to be around (not that bad, but certainly not the best). Since the adoption, Cooper has changed my personality completely.We walk in the park 365 days a year, 2 miles a day. Everyone knows Cooper and Coop knows everyone. He is the friendliest, most lovable dog you could ever meet. He has shown me compassion, tolerance and a love of others.Do I believe he has a soul? Do I believe he was sent to teach me to be a better person? Yes, I do -- he is my guardian angel, and I can never thank him (or whomever sent him to me) enough.

R.T., Schenectady, NY Oct 30, 2005

Answer:

I am touched by your clear and concise account of how your canine companion has both enriched your life and made you a better person. I would like to hear from other readers whose lives, personalities, and even values and beliefs have been changed by an animal.Yes, indeed, animals can be the most significant "others" in our lives, opening our hearts and minds and changing the course of our lives. Children can be especially influenced by animals. This was certainly true for me, because my deep affection and concern for them put me on the career path to becoming a veterinarian long before I entered high school.I also firmly believe that growing up with animals makes children more caring and understanding as adults -- and better parents, too.

Question:

We have a full-grown cat who does one terrible thing, and it doesn''t seem like he''s going to quit.He starts this bad habit as soon as he''s finished eating and we have to put him outside: he''ll back up against anything (the wall, the trashcan, a chair, cabinet doors), lift his tail up and spray. At one point I rubbed his nose in it, told him "no, no, no" and put him outside (he''s an indoor/outdoor cat).I''m sure he knows he''s doing wrong, but how can we get him to stop? He gets a little frightened when we put him outside because we do it in a scolding manner. We think maybe he''s doing this to mark his territory. Please advise us on possible solutions.

J.V., Houston, TX Oct 30, 2005

Answer:

You''re right -- your cat is "claiming" his territory. He probably feels insecure about going outside and meeting rival cats, so he''s marking his own place. Punishing him will make him more anxious and thus more likely to spray.First, if he''s not been neutered, do so, since un-neutered tomcats are notorious markers.Second, try to make him a stay-at-home cat. Not letting him out and getting him a companion kitten for good company (a female about 12 to 16 weeks old, say, who is healthy and whom you will later get spayed) may settle him down.In order to reduce his anxiety and motivation to spray, your veterinarian should try a course of Valium or Xanax therapy. There''s also a new product called Feliway -- a natural cat scent that may actually calm your cat. Many cats have improved with both such treatments.

Question:

Regarding cat attacks at dawn: Our cat, Ivan, did the same thing until I started giving him a bowl of food when we went to bed. Evidently, he was just trying to tell us he was hungry. After all, they are nocturnal.

L.D., Frederick, Md Oct 30, 2005

Answer:

Many people with cats who awaken them in the early hours have followed your common-sense solution. Cats like to take little snacks rather than two big meals a day. Most cats will self-regulate and not overeat. Those who do gorge should be provided with a dry-food dispenser so that they have to "work" to get a snack.

Question:

My husband and I have observed puzzling, ritualistic behavior in our 3-year-old, neutered, orange male cat, Buttercup. He has a constant supply of dry food from a self-dispensing container and we feed him half a 3-ounce can of moist food three to five times a day, depending on his appetite.Invariably, though not always, he sniffs his food and pretend-buries it by scratching all the surfaces around the dish. He then goes out the cat door and returns within a minute. Then he eats his fill and, if there is anything left over, he scratches again, sniffs and scratches once more.We thought maybe he didn''t like the food so we tried other flavors and brands, but that made no difference. Could he be trying to hide it from predators (real or imagined)? It seems he tries to bury the food, can''t and so eats it anyway.Buttercup is now slightly chubby and I worry that by misreading his hunger signals we compel him to eat more than he wants just so it wouldn''t be there for his "rivals" (though we have no other pets).How wo

A.S., Bethesda, Md Oct 23, 2005

Answer:

You need to cut back on the amount of canned food you are putting out for Buttercup. Give him about one-half to one-third of what he now gets, but don''t change the feeding frequency.Cats like to snack, so any leftover food should be removed, otherwise Buttercup will persist in his anxious covering-up behavior, which is a natural instinct. It may be to hide food from "rivals" or to cover up the odor in his living space.I hope he''s not becoming addicted to dry food -- this is a common problem in many cats, who then refuse any and all moist food, which is generally better for them. It may be advisable to not let him have any dry food during the day. Let him get to the dispenser at night -- many people with cats who get hungry and awaken them in the early hours of the morning have found this to be a good solution.

Question:

I feed my cats tuna fish, and after reading one of your columns it has been worrying me. Would you please write on this in one of your columns?.

C.G., Houston, TX Oct 23, 2005

Answer:

An occasional weekly teaspoon of tuna (or a gravy made of 1 teaspoon in spring water to moisten dry cat food) is about all I recommend. Tuna is high in mercury and other poisons (like dioxins and PCBs), and is a hazardous food for people and other animals. Too much tuna can cause fatty liver disease associated with vitamin deficiency in cats, muscular weakness being a chief sign. Neurological problems may also develop because of the high mercury content, thanks to how we humans have polluted the planet and poisoned the food chain on land and in the seas.

Question:

I recently adopted two female albino rats from an elementary school classroom.First, they won''t chew on their mineral stone. They didn''t have one in their classroom habitat and I''m not sure how to get them to use it. Any suggestions? I don''t want their teeth to overgrow. They won''t touch the hard alfalfa blocks, either.My second question has to do with their behavior: One always picks on the other. She''ll even grab her sister by the neck and drag her around in the cage. There''s no blood or apparent injury, but it causes the "victim" to squeal loudly. They are a year old and I just want to be sure this is normal behavior.

J.F., Hawley, MN Oct 23, 2005

Answer:

I''m glad that you adopted these wonderful creatures from a classroom. Animals do not belong in elementary school classrooms. Too often, they are not properly cared for (especially on weekends, vacations and emergency school closings), and many pose a serious risk to children''s health.Give your rats a chicken bone to gnaw on; this will keep their teeth trimmed and supply them with calcium. Handle your rats often -- they like to be petted, tickled and played with. Allow them to explore a safe room with nothing dangerous to chew on and no holes in the walls or floor in which they could get lost or trapped.The neck grabbing of one rat by the other is most likely playful fighting. Be sure their enclosure has toys, crawl-in tubes, a ladder to climb, and a rope to pull and chew.Rats are inquisitive, active, intelligent and very social animals that need a stimulating environment. I''m glad you have two rather than one for this reason.

Question:

Do you recommend that dogs be vaccinated yearly for rabies, etc.? Where can I find reliable information about the frequency necessary to keep my pet safe?.

R.F., Culver, IN Oct 23, 2005

Answer:

It is illegal for people with dogs to not have them routinely vaccinated against rabies. In order to minimize possible adverse reactions, a long-acting, 3-year anti-rabies vaccine is a wise choice. See my web site for a minimum vaccination protocol. After "core" vaccinations are given twice during puppyhood and again at 1 year, most are good for at least three years (if not for the rest of the dog's life) -- notably the vaccines for distemper, parvovirus and viral lymphoma. Other vaccinations like Lyme disease and leptospirosis do not provide good immunity, and annual boosters are advisable depending on where you live and your dog's risk of exposure.

Question:

I have a 5-year-old Tonkinese cat who is very affectionate. She will back up to my husband, who then picks her up at the base of her tail and onto his lap for a pet. I''ve asked him not to do this because I''m afraid the tail will eventually detach from her body. My husband says that since she never complains there is no problem with the way he is picking her up. Could you please comment on this?.

K.G., Washington, DC Oct 16, 2005

Answer:

No, your cat''s tail will never detach from her body, but picking her up by the tail could cause pain, especially if she gets heavier with age. She may well conceal discomfort because of the anticipated reward of being petted (as in "no pain, no gain").Your husband should understand that this is no way to pick up a cat -- a connecting ligament in the tail could easily be injured. Instead, he should scoop her up or invite her to jump up.This is not to say that cats don''t enjoy an occasional gentle tail-pull once in a while. That was always part of my play-routine with cats (and dogs), who often bite and pull each other''s tails while playing together.