Question:

My cat Ellen is 14 years old and was adopted as a stray kitten. She is an indoor cat and in excellent health. My problem is when I try to brush her -- she bites, hisses, and scratches. Normally, she is affectionate and lets me hold, pet, and massage her. I''ve tried all kinds of brushes and bristles, to no avail. All I want to do is control some of her shedding, but she won''t let me. Do you have any suggestions?

A.B., Fort Worth, TX Jun 28, 2010

Answer:

Inflammatory skin and connective tissue conditions can cause cats to experience pain and show extreme discomfort, even when lightly touched. This hypersensitivity may be related to eating too much tuna; having hyperactive thyroid disease; or being touched/brushed where painful static charges buildup, especially on synthetic rugs, blankets and upholstery. I would suggest the latter possibility in your case, because she will accept a gentle massage. A soft rubber comb as she is sitting on a cotton towel beneath her may be the solution.

Question:

We have a 10-year-old German shepherd (60 pounds). Like many shepherds, she has developed painful hips. Our veterinarian has prescribed glucosamine with chondroitin and an NSAID (Rimadyl; 75 mg) to be given once every 12 hours. Can I substitute the more affordable human ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen?

The vet also requested liver tests after the first 10-day trial is over. Is this necessary? While we want to keep her comfortable, we would also like to save on expensive drugs.

S. & P.M., Stratford, CT Jun 28, 2010

Answer:

Poor German shepherds top the list of breeds for the highest number of diseases of hereditary origin. DO NOT give your dog any human NSAIDs -- they could kill her. Liver tests are advisable because of the potential toxicity of NSAIDs such as Rimadyl. You should give your dog a wholesome diet, ideally with organically certified ingredients and such supplements as chondroitin, glucosamine, MSM, turmeric, fish oil and silica, coupled with massage therapy (as per my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs").

Question:

I have five dogs. There are lots of deer in this area, and they come right up to the house. My dogs are on Frontline, as they often test positive for either Lyme or ehrlichia. I haven''t seen a flea in years, and the Frontline keeps most of the ticks off. When they test strongly, we put the dogs on Doxycycline. I don''t like the Frontline and the antibiotics and wondered if you had a better solution.

P.A., Keswick, Va Jun 27, 2010

Answer:

In the seasonal war zone where you live, Frontline is generally safe and quite effective as a last resort when all other steps to keep fleas and ticks off the dog fail. Some dogs can have serious adverse reactions to Frontline. No product can give 100 percent flea/tick or other bug protection. And as you have discovered, such products do NOT prevent insect-borne diseases. Vectra 3D for dogs and puppies from Summit VetPharm may be safer, but more in-field data is needed for this new product. Bio Spot has a poor record in terms of cats and dogs having adverse reactions. Avon''s Skin So Soft talcum powder or indoor-use grade (not swimming-pool grade) diatomaceous earth rubbed into the dogs'' fur before they go outside may help as a deterrent. You may also want to try some essential-oil products -- visit www.aromadog.com.

Question:

I had been trying to entice a wild cat into becoming a part of our family for about two months. He wouldn''t get any closer than about 100 feet from the house. I was about to give up until I read one of your columns regarding semi-feral cats.

I followed the advice you gave, moving his food closer and closer to the house while calling and talking to him. Lo and behold, within a couple of weeks, he was eating breakfast and dinner on the porch and finally sitting on my lap. Gus (the name I''ve given him) is now a full-time member of our household. He sleeps at the foot of our bed and has lots of toys, his own special blanket and a large cardboard fort.

He has come down with two urinary-tract infections, and his veterinarian put him on meds and a special diet. We''ve had no additional problems. He is one of the smartest cats we''ve ever had and, for the most part, he stays close to the house and will come when I call him. If we leave the house, I make sure that he''s indoors (we live on 425 acres). I am so glad we were able to gain his trust, and I hope others in similar situations will be guided by your valuable advice.

S.W., Springfield, Mo Jun 27, 2010

Answer:

So good to receive your letter. Our feral cat will not yet voluntarily approach us and will attack if approached in most situations in his room in our home. Your Gus was clearly less feral than our Mr. Mark Twain -- he is teaching us much. After five months and cautious stroking with a long feather along with treats, he has begun to purr! I hope others will join you in feral-cat-rescue efforts. Patience, skill and experience can help a lot of "recoverable" cats.

Question:

With regard to your advice to so many people and their animals, how is it that doctors like you can give us the answers we need and it seems local vets cannot? Please take this with all due respect.

E.C., Minneapolis, MN Jun 27, 2010

Answer:

I appreciate your words of support and encouragement, with due respect for the veterinary profession.

Local vets cannot give the answers from my perspective as long as they selling so many dubious kinds of manufactured cat and dog foods and prescribing highly overpriced "therapeutic" diets; insisting on annual "booster" vaccinations and teeth-cleaning under general anesthesia; and engaging in the routine de-clawing of cats and cropping of dogs'' ears. For further details on veterinary economic and ethical conflicts, see related articles at my website, www.DrFoxVet.com/info/.

Question:

After losing our beloved Australian shepherd to hemangiosarcoma, I decided to listen to your advice and feed your homemade natural food to her 11-year-old sister. I am amazed at how little time it takes to prepare her rations and how much satisfaction we both have. However, I have had trouble finding dried kelp. I finally found some sheets of dried kelp at a local natural-food store, and I''ve cut it into pieces for use in the dog food. Is this what I should be doing, or do you recommend something else?

B.M., Golden Valley, MN Jun 21, 2010

Answer:

Seaweed is a good addition to dog (and human) meals. (I often put it into our soups and stir-fried veggies.) Use different varieties as kelp can be contaminated with arsenic, so rotating from one variety to another is advisable. Wash to remove excess salt if you are using whole leaves rather than powder. The best sources are health-food stores and Asian markets. Some varieties of seaweed purportedly have anti-cancer properties, with overall health benefits being recognized in Oriental medicine and by indigenous healers of many countries.

Question:

In October 2009, a little male kitty we believe is full Siamese appeared at our home. He made a home for himself under our shed. I set out plates of food and toys, and I made a bed for him in our garage. He has never let me pet him. As it became colder outside, I lured him inside with chicken, and he has been inside every day since then. He has bonded only with me and only tolerates my mother and husband, even though they try to love him. He is definitely skittish.

My main concern is that he bites me a lot (no scratching, just biting). I give him a firm "No'' and then ignore him. Sometimes he jumps at me from out of nowhere and gives me a scare. He jumps quite high and then lies down at my feet. A lot of the time, he acts as if he''s going through the "terrible twos" and I''m sure he knows better. He''s about 9 months old. We will be getting another neutered cat as soon as possible. What do you suggest I do about the biting and jumping?

F.A.W., Springfield, Mo Jun 21, 2010

Answer:

I am pleased to know you have saved an obviously wonderful strayed-and-lost cat, and that you plan to adopt a second young cat.

You should have him neutered as soon as possible, about three to four weeks after he has been examined by the vet, wormed as needed, and given the three core vaccines for feline distemper/panleukopenia and respiratory viral infections. Have the rabies vaccine given to him a month or so after he has been neutered only if mandated by local laws. In my book "Cat Body, Cat Mind," you will find more answers to understanding and changing your cat''s behavior than I don''t have room for in this column. But you should understand that he simply wants to play (most intensely in the early evening, I bet). You need to learn to think more like a cat and play with him. Check out your local pet store, and ask about interactive cat play toys like wands and snakes that you use as a lure to trigger his predatory instincts. This will help redirect his attentions from you, ankles being a favorite for cat-play-attack stimuli. Engage him in games of hide-and-seek, peekaboo and other social games that a second young cat will more fully participate in to the delight of all.

Question:

We have a neutered, 7-year-old, male American Eskimo dog. We''ve had him since he was an 8-week-old pup. Behaviorally, he is a challenging dog. He barks excessively for food when we have guests or at any sound outside. He also guards excessively -- his food bowl, toys, sleeping space -- and he growls aggressively if anyone walks past him. He has never bitten anyone, though.

He can be affectionate and greets our family warmly when we come home. But we are looking for guidance in curbing the barking and growling. We''ve tried obedience training more than once, to no real effect.

R.G., Minneapolis, MN Jun 20, 2010

Answer:

Your dog is barking and growling in order to get attention and to assert/insert his presence. This behavior-modification method may work: Try reward training -- when he barks or growls, say "Quiet," praise him, and put him in the sit-stay position; then reward intermittently with a treat. If he cannot contain himself, say "Go away" and point to the room to which you will send him for a 10- to 15-minute timeout. I call this "shunning," and most pack-oriented dogs hate it and soon shape up.

Question:

Our cat craves pork! Is there a reason why there are no pork cat foods? Is it OK to give her table scraps?

D.K., Bethesda, Md Jun 20, 2010

Answer:

unsalted, unprocessed and well cooked -- is a good source of protein for cats. Pork from free-range pigs, including the fat, is far more nutritious than the flesh from corn-fed pigs from cruel factory farms. It should be well cooked because of the risk of trichinella -- a muscle parasite. Cats fare better on lightly cooked or raw, red meats.

Pork fat is used in many manufactured pet foods, but not always listed as such. Pork-meat trimmings and various pig-organ parts that do not finish up in pork sausages are probably included under the generic pet-food-industry label of "meat byproducts" and "meat meal." These can also include road kills and, until recently, recycled remains of euthanized cats and dogs.

Giving a few nutritious, high-protein leftovers from one''s table is fine for cats, but all things in moderation. Cats can be manipulative and train their owners to feed them only what they want, such as just tuna or ground beef, which could have serious health consequences.

Question:

This is in response to the letter about the 3-year-old beagle in Arlington, Texas, who is allowed to chase rabbits for exercise and entertainment.

I work in a wildlife rehabilitation clinic and see so much suffering of these defenseless, harmless creatures at the mouths and claws of dogs and cats. Rabbits can literally die of fright or run in front of a car while trying to escape this senseless harassment. We humans need to respect the lives of all animals.

P.G., Naples, FL Jun 20, 2010

Answer:

I embrace your sentiment and respect your concern. Recently, I politely chastised an acquaintance when he told how much his dog had just enjoyed chasing ducks and geese resting on the edge of a nearby lake. It was midwinter, and wintering wildlife, including deer and rabbits, cannot afford to expend energy as a source of canine entertainment. The extreme shortage of food and the metabolic demands of winter (and later demands of pregnancy and care of offspring) indicate that dogs should not be allowed to routinely harass wildlife. Occasionally chasing (without physically harming) a rabbit flushed out during an off-leash outing could be bad for dogs, many of whom cripple themselves by tearing their cruciate ligaments or by impaling themselves on broken branches. This can cost their uninformed owners thousands of dollars in veterinary treatment. Respecting the lives of all animals, as I document in my book "The Boundless Circle," is enlightened self-interest. Frequently disturbed and stressed wildlife can actually become a serious public-health problem.