DEAR DR. FOX: Last week, we had to have our beloved 13-year-old kitty, Alice, put to sleep for health reasons. Our house is so empty without a cat.

We plan to adopt an adult female cat. Our local shelter, King Street Cats, has many to choose from. I would like you to help me convince my husband to adopt two cats. We are senior citizens, but we are still away from the house five or six hours each day. I am afraid a cat who is used to living in a shelter would be very lonesome while we are gone.

I appreciate anything you can add to my desire to adopt two adult cats who are littermates or are used to being together. -- S.J., Alexandria, Va.

DEAR S.J.: I am glad to read that you would prefer to adopt two cats because you and your husband are away from the home for much of every day.

Cats do suffer from loneliness and boredom. I frequently emphasize in my advice that two cats are generally happier, healthier and more active and lively than those who live alone.

Cats living together engage in social grooming that reduces stress and may boost their immune systems. They often enjoy sleeping together, which provides mutual security and the benefits of rest and relaxation. Most cats enjoy playing together and can be encouraged with various interactive toys, my favorite being a feather tied with a long string to a short cane -- the cat fishing rod. Physical play, including stalking, chasing and wrestling, provides mental and physical stimulation and serves as social bond strengthening and affirming activity.

Strange cats will often get on well, but, generally, littermates and a mother and one of her kittens get along best of all. My book "Supercat: How to Raise the Perfect Feline Companion" will give you more insights and inspiration to make your indoor environment as cat-friendly and as safe as possible.

DEAR DR. FOX: I've got a problem with my dog, Charlie. For several months now, he has had a bad case of fleas.

No matter how many flea baths, flea powders and flea collars I've tried, they just won't subside. I live with my mother, and I wanted to bomb the house, but she won't let me because she thinks it will get all over her doll collection and furniture, etc.

What can I do? I know the fleas are really bothering my dog a lot. Is there a homemade remedy? -- R.F., Milford, Conn.

Dear R.F.: You are correct that the house most probably must be thoroughly fumigated by a professional to break the flea cycle. Fleas feed off the dog and hatch and develop in carpets, floor cracks, crevices and down the sides of upholstered furniture.

Alternatively, set up some 15-watt light bulbs just off the floor over pans of warm soapy water to act as flea attractors. Fleas will jump toward the warmth of the lights and fall into the sudsy water and drown.

Sprinkle and vigorously brush into carpets borate powder, like Flea Busters, or try diatomaceous earth on carpets, sides of furniture and everywhere the flea larvae may be hiding. Vacuum up after 72 hours, and repeat after seven to 10 days and again after another seven to 10 days. Be sure to have the dog given at least one flea-killing shampoo during this time, and use a flea comb to check for and catch any fleas you may find on him.

The in-home dustings with borate powder or diatomaceous earth will not harm your dog.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a 6-year-old female Pomeranian, Alla, who is indoor "pee pad" trained. For the past six years, she has faithfully utilized her pad for her duties.

Recently, we left her for three days at a trusted pet sitter's house. We are now experiencing her wetting once or twice daily on the floor just outside her pad.

Any insight or suggestions as to how we can restore the consistency she once had? -- C.D., Chesterfield, Mo.

DEAR C.D.: Before coming to a psychological interpretation of an animal's change in behavior, one must always first rule out a physical or medical cause.

The stress of separation and of being in an unfamiliar environment at the pet sitter's house could have brought on cystitis (bladder inflammation), possibly complicated by a bacterial infection and urinary calculi -- a veterinarian can rule out this possibility.

Try accommodating her behavior by putting four pee pads side-by-side on the floor, on top of several sheets of newspaper. Then, at weekly intervals, make the area smaller until you are down to one pee pad. This shaping of her behavior to re-train her to urinate on one small spot should prove effective. If she has difficulty squatting, you may want to have her checked out for lower lumbar or hip arthritis.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 5-year-old cat has recently started defecating in the bathtub, much to my disgust.

I have changed her diet to include wet food and fiber. I've changed her litter and taken the top off the litter box -- nothing works.

Her stools are always dry and hard, and I've caught her crying in the tub once or twice. I leave her alone while I'm at work, but I have another cat, and they get along fine, so I don't think it's an aggressive behavior toward me for leaving her without company.

I come home every day to tub poop now, and I am coming to my wits' end. Can you help with a suggestion or two? It will be much appreciated. -- A.D., Olney, Md.

DEAR A.D.: I am glad you wrote to me regarding this very common cat problem, because I am sure many cats are wrongly scolded for pooping outside of the litter box. Some will do this when the box needs to be cleaned or a cover makes the dark interior irritating. But most cats who behave like yours experience pain when evacuating in the box and become aversely conditioned by associating being in the box with pain.

Your cat could be suffering from painful constipation, blocked anal glands or both. A veterinary checkup would be advisable. The mild laxative Laxatone and a few mashed lima beans in your cat's wet food may help. Also, deep abdominal massage can help many cats who are suffering from chronic constipation.

MANUFACTURERS REFORMULATE JERKY TREATS

Two companies have reformulated their pet jerky treats and will reintroduce them to store shelves. Jerky treats made in China have been linked to illnesses in 4,500 pets, mostly dogs, and close to 600 deaths. Nestle Purina Pet Care's Waggin' Train treats for dogs and Del Monte Foods' Milo's Kitchen Chicken Jerky Strips and Chicken Grillers Recipe treats will soon be available again.

Nestle Purina is working with a single supplier in China and also has products made entirely from sources in the United States. Del Monte will use U.S.-sourced meat for its treats. Some consumers and veterinarians remain wary of the products because the Food and Drug Administration's extensive investigation hasn't yielded an explanation for the illnesses.

SELECTIVE BREEDING CAN MAKE DOGS SUFFER BRAIN-DEFORMING DISEASE

Selecting toy dog breeds for a desired appearance could cause Chiari malformation in some canines, which is like trying to fit a big foot into a small shoe. Dogs with the disorder had taller foreheads, and in severe cases, the cerebellum was folded under another part of the brain. Such malformations can lead to problems including headaches, brain pressure and cavities of fluid in the spinal cord, says lead author and veterinarian Clare Rusbridge. The disease affects many toy dog breeds, such the Brussels griffon, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Chihuahuas and their crosses. Rusbridge states, "There are responsible breeders out there who have invested in screening and who are breeding for health as well as producing attractive puppies, and it is vital that people only look to buy from them."

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Our problem isn't a huge one, but it drives us crazy all the same.

We have a wonderful 3 1/2-year-old feral cat who adopted us after a blizzard in 2010. Tips is very sweet and is a really good boy, but he has a habit of laying down in his litter box. He usually lays on his side -- maybe he's trying to scratch his back? Our vet has never heard of a cat doing this. We get unscented, dust-free litter, but when he jumps out, he is covered and smells like litter. If I catch him, I say "No."

He doesn't do it all the time, mostly when I clean the box and add new litter or if I add a refresher scoop when needed. We clean the box every time he uses it, and he has his own box. We have another older cat, Boomer, but they each have their own food, water and litter boxes.

Both cats get along very well; in fact, he's been the best thing that has happened to our older cat, who now plays and acts so much younger! Have you ever heard of such a crazy thing? Maybe he needs his back scratched more often? -- K.O., Brick, N.J.

DEAR K.O.: Your issue has a comic dimension, but I can empathize fully with having to clean the litter from your cat's fur.

I have one solution to offer: Try shredded paper or Purina's Yesterday's News cat litter made from newspapers. It's not very absorbent, but it's at least a recycled product and should not adhere to your litter box-basking feline. He may like the odor and texture of the litter material, so a change may do the trick. I never advise using litter that has chemical fragrances and deodorants added, since these could be a feline health hazard.

Thanks for reminding readers how a younger, easygoing cat can bring new life to an older one like your Boomer.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 4-month-old kitten who doesn't meow! Or at least not that we can hear. She opens her mouth as if attempting to meow, but nothing comes out. She does it when she wants to be picked up. She stops running around the house like she's crazy and just cuddles when she does the open-mouth thing. She only squeaks occasionally, usually when jumping onto the bed.

I have heard about the "Silent Meow Theory," where some cats meow in a pitch that humans cannot hear. Is this a real thing? I'd appreciate any information you could provide on this mystery. -- S.E., Kansas City, Mo.

Dear S.E.: I am not aware of any research regarding the "silent meow" of cats who purportedly emit a high-frequency sound (as "singing" mice do), and I very much doubt its veracity.

My impression from decades of studying cat behavior is that some cats are simply less vocally articulate and motivated than others -- for example, Siamese cats are big "talkers." Furthermore, as they mature, some cats develop more voice. Others cats remain relatively silent while living with a more vocal cat who does all the meowing in the house, but become more vocal after the passing of the vocal companion.

Be patient. As your kitten matures, so may her vocal abilities. Since cats are copycat mimics, you might try making cat "meows" and other cat sounds that may motivate your young cat to be more vocally responsive.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)