DEAR DR. FOX: I have been around cats for decades and love them dearly. I would like to offer my insight into a question posed by one of your readers. She wanted to know why her otherwise wonderful cat gets into and sleeps in his litter box. My firm belief is that he wants to leave his scent in it, marking his territory. The reader mentioned that the cat does this "mostly when I clean the box and add new litter; or if I add a refresher scoop." New litter (even a small portion of it) does not carry his scent, so he is leaving his scent to let the other cat know "this box is mine."

I speak from experience. I had a cat, Norman, who would do this every time I put in new litter. He was a most intelligent cat, very sweet and communicative, but he was also an alpha male. Everything in the house belonged to him, and that included his litter box. Cats are very attached to their litter boxes. Right after I cleaned the box that he shared with two other cats, he would urinate in it before any of the other cats could get into it. If he could not urinate, he would at least walk all over the box and leave his paw prints and smell. It was his way of letting the other cats know that this box was his, but they could use it when they needed to. -- Y.S., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR Y.S.: Your observations on this puzzling aspect of feline litter box behavior certainly call for some cat behavior research studies.

It is surely not a normal behavior for cats in the wild to share the same latrine site, so this sharing may be stressful for some house cats. On occasion, this can lead to one cat not using the litter box. This is why some cats do best in homes where there is one box per cat, even though they may share more than one box.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a small cockapoo who seems to need her anal glands cleaned often. She licks that area a lot and scoots on her bottom frequently.

How do I know when it is necessary to take her to the vet? Can it hurt her to have it done too often? Is it enough to have them expressed from the outside?

Please help me. I have not been able to find the answers in any publications. -- P.O., Marco Island, Florida

DEAR P.O.: Please check my website, DrFoxVet.com, to access the archives of my answers to various companion animal health problems. Simply enter appropriate terms (e.g., "anal glands in dogs"), and you will find some ways to help prevent this distressing condition.

To answer your specific query concerning how best to empty or express these glands: Rough and frequent squeezing can cause more inflammation and secretion, so being gentle and expressing the glands every 10 to 14 days -- or as needed -- is advisable. The most effective way to examine and evacuate the glandular sacs is to use a latex finger cover or glove and squeeze from inside the rectum with the dog restrained by a second person. External expression by pressing on each side of the anus can be effective, but can also be more painful and not as thorough a technique. Above all, read up on ways to prevent this, one being a close evaluation of the dog's diet, fiber content and possible food allergy to corn, other cereals and soy.

(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 cocker spaniel, Roxy, was having seizures quite often, and we followed your recommendation of no-grain dog food. She has had only one small seizure since, and that was the same week we started the no-grain diet. She's been on the no-grain for about eight months now and no seizures! -- P.W., Moorhead, Minnesota

DEAR P.W.: I always appreciate feedback from readers concerning the effectiveness of the advice I offer.

I am very glad for you and your dog that the simple solution to stopping her seizures proved to be so immediate and effective. While this does not mean that all seizures in dogs are associated with wheat, corn and possibly other grains, it does indicate that this should be one of the first causal factors to be considered by veterinarians presented with an epileptic dog. From the letters that I receive, it is clear that some veterinarians are too quick to prescribe anti-seizure drugs. Fortunately, it is only a dwindling minority of vets who still believe that manufactured "scientifically formulated" or "prescription" pet foods are good for all their patients.

For more details, read my book "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Cat and Dog Foods."

DEAR DR. FOX: I live in a large apartment with my two kitties, Brooke (girl) and Dietrich (boy), who are both 5 years old. When the three of us are together, we are a happy little family. Dietrich is always a perfect kitty, but Brooke does not like for me to have human company. With most visitors, she comes into the room, prances around and leaves. But my sister Michele, who lives out of town, is not so lucky -- Brooke hates her.

Last year, my sister was here for a week in July and a week in December. The bad stuff started with the first visit. Brooke was OK at first -- I think she thought Michele would just visit and then leave, like the other company. The real event came on Sunday morning. I left to play organ for the early service at my church, leaving Michele alone with Brooke and Dietrich. Michele started to walk out of the bathroom, but Brooke would not let her out. Brooke growled, hissed and acted as if she would attack Michele. Michele picked up one of my blouses and shook it at Brooke. Brooke hissed and growled again and ran under the piano. Michele walked toward Brooke again and shook the blouse. Brooke continued growling and hissing, then ran into my bedroom, at which point Michele closed the door. That was her last day of that trip, so I just kept Brooke in my bedroom until Michele left.

When Michele visited in December, I had hoped Brooke would not remember Michele, but as soon as she walked in the door with her suitcase, Brooke started her mean little chirp that leads into hissing and growling episodes. I kept Brooke locked in my bedroom when Michele was there, but let her have free access to the whole apartment when we were gone.

By the way, Michele loves cats and dogs -- she has three dogs of her own, but she says she is afraid of Brooke. Michele is coming again in a few weeks. What should I do? I have talked to our veterinarian, and she said to keep Brooke away from Michele as I have been doing. -- P.M., Washington, D.C.

DEAR P.M.: Some cats develop quite specific human phobias; these phobias can manifest in fleeing when a particular person comes into their home environment or going into attack mode. The cat-calming room spray pheromone Feliway, dispersed a couple of days before your sister comes to visit and sprayed on her clothes when she enters, may be worth trying.

Alternatively, have your sister visit wearing the same perfume as you. For several days before her visit, be sure that both your cats have some of the perfume rubbed into their coats.

DOG JERKY TREAT DEBACLE

More than 1,000 dog deaths and 5,000 adverse reactions have been linked to ingestion of dog jerky treats made in China. Three humans -- two toddlers and one adult -- have fallen ill after eating them. The toddlers ate the treats accidentally, and one was diagnosed with salmonella infection while the other developed gastrointestinal symptoms similar to those reported in dogs who ate the treats. The adult developed nausea and a headache. The Food and Drug Administration, which has been looking into the issue for seven years, hasn't identified a causative agent, but investigators have found drug residues, including antibiotics not permitted in the U.S. and amantadine, an antiviral drug, that shouldn't be present in pet foods. These jerky treats have caused kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, convulsions and skin reactions. For more details, visit TruthAboutPetFood.com, and do not buy pet treats made in China!

Should we applaud Petco for announcing that it will remove all China-made pet treats from its shelves, or say "it's about time"? All other stores selling these treats should follow suit, since our government seems to be ignoring the risks in favor of finding the cause before calling for a total recall.

(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: My 16-year-old cat has understandably slowed down and sleeps a lot, but otherwise seems fine.

However, beginning a couple of months ago, every week or so he will make a hissing sound (not directed at anyone or anything) and drool or empty his bladder on the floor. Each episode lasts about 30 to 60 seconds, and afterwards, he reverts to normal behavior.

Could he be having a seizure of some kind? My vet says his blood work is normal for a cat his age. Thanks for any insight you can provide. -- V.B., Cabin John, Maryland

DEAR V.B.: Your diagnosis of your cat's bizarre behavior may well be correct. Cats can have brief, silent "seizures," quite unlike the more violent, falling-over, limb-trembling and extending "fits" seen in dogs and humans. Older cats can also suffer from dementia.

Considering your cat's relatively advanced age, some degree of brain deterioration is probable, especially if his diet was deficient in certain essential fatty acids and other nutrients (a common problem with many manufactured foods, dry or moist). As noted in my review (posted at DrFoxVet.com), neurological abnormalities can develop in cats when fed thiamine-deficient cat foods.

You should first have your veterinarian check your cat for cystitis, a painful bladder condition, and for urinary calculi, stones or sand -- all of which can make urination difficult and painful. This could make your cat hiss out of fear because of the pain.

DEAR DR. FOX: Please help me; I am at my wits' end: My 9-year-old shepherd/rottweiler mix, Max, has a very bad skin condition.

His skin is raw, but he won't stop scratching and biting. I have taken Max to the veterinarian and spent more than $800, not including new food (at $48 per bag) and shampoo ($25). His hindquarters and legs are all chewed up. The vet has run skin tests that indicate that there is no parasite and it is not mange.

Please advise. I can't stand to see my baby like this -- he is a great boy, and I am now near penniless. I drive a school bus, and with holidays and snow days, there has been no work. I don't know where to turn. -- B.B., Walden, New York

DEAR B.B.: I trust the veterinarian has also ruled out the possibility of fleabite hypersensitivity while also checking for mange.

Various ingredients in many manufactured dog foods can trigger allergic reactions or hypersensitivity -- symptoms range from severe scratching, redness and hair loss to chronic diarrhea. One possible solution may be in preparing your own dog food as per the recipe on my website, DrFoxVet.com. You can then take control of the ingredients and find out which kinds of meat or poultry and a few grains your dog does best with. Some dogs fare best on a "rotation" diet -- chicken one week, beef the next and so forth. A week on a diet using lentils as the main protein works well for some dogs.

Add a few drops of fish oil or flaxseed oil to each meal. Commercially available dog foods, such as AvoDerm, and diets based mainly on whitefish and potato, have helped many dogs. Be sure to give your dog a cotton sheet to sleep on, laundering it with fragrance-free detergent every three to five days. Wearing a tight T-shirt secured with Velcro strips around his chest and flanks may help reduce the itch.

(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.)