DEAR DR. FOX: My 2-year-old cat, Purrlie, who, along with her brother was orphaned at five days old and raised by a foster mom, decides every once in a while to stand up in the cat box and pee over the edge in a spraying position.

Lately, she has been doing this more often, and I'm worried about the area around the box becoming permanently "perfumed." I can't figure out what might be triggering this behavior. How clean I keep the box seems to have no impact. There doesn't seem to be an obvious motivating factor. She does not regularly go out, but was outside a little in good weather last summer. I never saw her spray on those outings. -- M.T., Lexington Park, Md.

DEAR M.T.: Spraying, a deliberate territorial marking behavior, is unusual in neutered cats. They do, however, quite often start to spray as a territorial marker when upset by the presence of a prowling cat around the house or having met or scented one while outdoors. But she may actually be having difficulty in urinating or be in pain, indicative of bladder inflammation or cystitis and possibly urinary calculi. Corn in the diet can be a contributing factor. A veterinary checkup may be useful to rule out a physical or medical cause. Older cats sometimes miss the box because they are in pain from arthritis and cannot assume the normal posture to evacuate.

In the interim, get a second, larger tray with high sides to help contain her sprayed urine. Feliway is an effective cat pheromone product (available in spray or plug-in dispenser) that may have a calming effect on your cat's psyche when used in the area you have the litter box. A couple of drops of essential oil of lavender on the edge of the box may also help.

DEAR DR. FOX: Your recent column about weighing a dog on the bathroom scale will only work if you can lift the dog. The 2-year-old chocolate Lab is most likely way too heavy for 99 percent of people to lift. Most people would find it impossible once a dog weighs 25 to 30 pounds or more. Do you think your regular vet would let you weigh the dog for free? Since an office visit could cost $50 or more, most people will wait until their dog's next visit. Also, most dogs are never enthusiastic about a vet visit. Given the probable cost and the dog's lack of enthusiasm, most of us would decide not to make a monthly weigh-in visit. -- C.R.M., Washington, D.C.

DEAR C.R.M.: I appreciate your point of correction! Yes, indeed -- dogs over 40 pounds would be a challenge for many people to lift and stay still on the scales. However, I cannot imagine any veterinarian or animal clinic staff not allowing a regular client to stop by for a free weigh-in. But I would advise telephoning first to set the day and time, because just dropping by anytime could be problematic when they are very busy or have an emergency. Any "regular vet" who doesn't let a client weigh his animals at no charge and any that does demand a fee, I would happily tar and feather and deliver to the Better Business Bureau.

As for putting any dog on a diet, that should begin only after a veterinary appointment and appropriate evaluation and guidance.

HEADS UP FOR UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Staff at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine have started VETouch -- Veterinary Treatment Outreach for Urban Community Health -- in response to the current economic crisis affecting many pet owners who have been surrendering their animals to animal shelters because they could no longer afford their care. Free clinics are held monthly at a city church, where veterinary students provide vaccinations, routine care, referrals for more advanced treatment and pet food. I hope that other veterinary colleges have similar outreach services for those in need in their communities, and are collaborating with local animal shelters and protection organizations.

DOG BRAINS ARE SIMILAR TO HUMAN BRAINS

Neural responses to certain social stimuli are similar in dogs and humans, according to research conducted involving dogs in Hungary. The animals, who were trained to remain still during MRI, were exposed to sounds associated with emotion, such as crying, laughing and playful barking. The dogs' brain scans were compared to MRI brain scans of people exposed to the same sounds.

"It establishes a foundation of a new branch of comparative neuroscience, because until now, it was not possible to measure the brain activities of a non-primate and the primate brain in a single experiment," said researcher Dr. Attila Andics.

(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: I have just adopted a 6-month-old female Australian shepherd mix from an adoption network. A friend warned me that this breed can get ill and die from heartworm prevention medication. I respect his advice -- he is a dog trainer and seems to know a lot. What is your opinion? -- K.P., Silver Spring, Md.

DEAR K.P.: First, let me say that I now endorse year-round heartworm preventive medication for most dogs. Your dog should also get periodic blood tests to check for heartworms because of climate change, traveling and the fact that more than 70 species of mosquitoes can transmit this disease. Your veterinarian can determine if it is safe to temporarily stop the monthly medication during the winter season.

You raise an important issue, which needs to be addressed. I hope all readers with dogs will take note because dogs do have adverse drug reactions, and many drugs are now being prescribed for the dogs' entire lives. Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine advises, "Many herding breed dogs have a genetic predisposition to adverse drug reactions involving over a dozen different drugs. The most serious adverse drug reactions involve several antiparasitic agents (ivermectin, milbemycin and related drugs), the antidiarrheal agent loperamide (Imodium), and several anticancer drugs (vincristine, doxorubicin, others). These drug sensitivities result from a mutation in the multi-drug resistance (MDR1) gene. At Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine you can test your dog for multi-drug sensitivity and prevent serious adverse drug reactions. We can work with your dog's veterinarian to find appropriate drug doses or alternative drugs for your dog based on results of MDR1 testing."

Consult with your veterinarian about this genetic blood test, also available from other laboratories.

The university also posted the following breed prevalence as an approximate percentage frequency of the genetic mutation causing multidrug sensitivity: Australian shepherd, 50 percent; mini Australian shepherd, 50 percent; border collie, 5 percent; Collie, 70 percent; English shepherd, 15 percent; German shepherd, 10 percent; herding breed cross 10 percent; long-haired whippet, 65 percent; McNab, 30 percent; mixed breed, 5 percent; old English sheepdog, 5 percent; Shetland sheepdog, 15 percent; silken windhound, 30 percent.

As advances are made in canine genetics and related nutrigenomics -- specific dietary requirements related to genetic background -- the burden of disorders and suffering related to our selective breeding of various kinds of dogs may be alleviated, and our canine companions can enjoy a better quality of life in future generations. Overall, mongrels -- mixed breeds, not the new "designer" breeds -- have the best prognosis.

DEAR DR. FOX: I would like to hear your rationale as to the difference between horse slaughter for human consumption, which you discussed in a recent column, and that of cattle, hogs, poultry and fish? -- B.W., St Louis

DEAR B.W: My "rationale" is quite simple: While killing is killing regardless of the species, there is a difference in slaughtering animals raised or caught specifically for human consumption and those such as horses and dogs, who have enjoyed a close human bond.

This difference is cultural and, some would argue, also ethical. It is a kind of emotional betrayal of the animals' devotion and service. There is also a biological difference -- horses have not been selectively bred to be less reactive to being herded and transported, unlike cattle and pigs. I have visited livestock slaughtering facilities across the United States as well as in India and Africa and documented my concerns several years ago.

For an in-depth and in-field account of the continuing horrors in the meat industry, which would mean an intensification of this holocaust of the animals if horse slaughter were to become legal in the U.S., read the book by my friend and former co-worker Gail A. Eisnitz, "Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry."

PRO-PET FOOD RECALL

Pro-Pet LLC of St. Mary's, Ohio, has initiated a voluntary recall of a limited number of its dry dog and cat foods for possible salmonella contamination. Affected foods include Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food, QC Plus Adult Dog Food and Joy Combo Cat Food.

For more information on the recall, including batch numbers, visit DrFoxVet.com and contact Pro-Pet's customer service line at 888-765-4190.

(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: I have read your recent columns regarding trap, neuter, release (TNR) with interest, and while I do agree that trapping, neutering and returning feral cats to a place where they do not get good care is inhumane, not all TNR is the same.

There are caregivers who provide food, warm shelter (including heated cat houses) and veterinary care for their feral cats. I work in an animal hospital, and I have seen caregivers provide better care for their feral cats than some pets get. You should not lump all TNR advocates into the same boat.

There is also another alternative for these cats that doesn't seem to get much attention. Feral cats make superior barn cats. Anyone who has horses or other livestock knows barn cats are necessary to keep rodents out of the feed. Releasing spayed and neutered feral cats into horse barns is a win-win for everyone. The cats get a good place to live, and the barn owners get rodent control. Over the years of being fed by people, many eventually become tame enough to become house cats when they get older.

Rodent control for horse stables is a necessity. Rodents carry hantavirus, typhus, salmonella and plague. There are two choices: cats or poison. Poison is more expensive, and it is also harmful to wildlife, pets and children.

Many horse owners are quite willing to feed and provide veterinary care for the cats in exchange for the great poison-free rodent control they provide. This is a great option for these cats, and one I rarely see mentioned in any discussion of TNR. -- T.B., St Louis

DEAR T.B.: I appreciate your contribution to this debate concerning the well-being of TNR cats, which I will stop featuring in my column. The bottom line is that some animal shelters are using TNR as an excuse not to take in cats and to pass the burden of responsibly of dealing with unadoptable cats to others.

I agree with you that many such cats might do well in the farm-barn environment as "working" animals, helping keep rodents under control. The problem is that they can pick up diseases from rodents, such as toxoplasmosis, and roam out of the barn area and kill other wildlife. I have seen much suffering in barnyard cats not given veterinary care who are allowed to breed, but those days are now almost gone with modern factory farms. The old barns that remain are mainly kept by hobby farmers and small local producers. I would not want barn cats using my vegetable plot as their litter box unless I wanted to pass on toxoplasmosis to my customers! And cats can pass plague and other diseases on to people. A well-cared-for TNR cat colony in a good horse stable facility could offer an excellent quality of life for the cats and provide some valuable services, but monitoring the health of the cats is paramount, and to do so effectively they must be approachable and easy to handle -- therefore adoptable.

MAN DEVELOPS 3 TYPES OF PLAGUE AFTER PULLING MOUSE FROM HIS CAT'S MOUTH

An Oregon man contracted plague and almost died from the deadly bacterial infection after pulling a mouse from his cat's mouth. Paul Gaylord's cat went missing for two days in a rural area and seemed to be choking on a mouse when he returned. Gaylord pulled the mouse free but was bitten by his cat in the process. Within days, Gaylord felt ill. Soon he was comatose and on a ventilator, battling all three forms of plague: bubonic, pneumonic and septicemic. Gaylord's cat died and subsequently tested positive for the disease, but Gaylord survived, although he lost his fingers, toes and much of one foot to the illness.

(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.)