DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 19-year-old calico cat named Carmella. She has always been an indoor cat from the time I found her roaming my street when she was about 6 months old.

Recently, she has been acting strange: She escapes out of the house on a regular basis. She doesn't go very far, but sometimes I don't realize she's out until I start looking for her. She tends to eat a lot of grass. And, any chance she gets, she tries to eat butter and raw meat (that I have thawing on the counter), and she gets into the garbage. She actually chews through meat wrappings and garbage bags. She doesn't have all of her teeth, but she still manages to chew or claw her way to get to what she's after.

Is there something wrong in her diet? She and my other two cats have always eaten dry food with an occasional can of wet. I'm worried that she may be diabetic or have some chemical imbalance. My husband thinks she has dementia. -- C.B., Schenectady, New York

DEAR C.B.: Both you and your husband could be correct in the many possible causes of your cat's ravenous appetite and change in behavior. Old cats do suffer from a kind of dementia, and ravenous appetite can signal diabetes or thyroid disease.

Any changes in normal eating, drinking, sleeping, play, general activity or temperament (such as increased irritability and aggression) in cats and dogs call for an immediate veterinary evaluation. Make an appointment at the earliest time possible, and find an animal doctor who does house calls if the trip would be too stressful for your old cat.

DEAR DR. FOX: Is there anything that can be done regarding shedding? We obtained a little fox terrier/Chihuahua mix from a rescue. We took him to our vet for a checkup, and he was in good health. I didn't notice the shedding until later. We feed him IAMS dog food mixed with a small amount of canned chicken chunks.

Is there anything we can give him that would help cut down on the shedding? -- D.H., Bakersfield, California

DEAR D.H.: The most frequent reason why dogs shed their coats constantly is nutritional. Of course, there are other reasons, from seasonal (winter) baldness to liver and kidney disease and various endocrine disorders.

Getting to the bottom of chronic shedding can entail costly tests, but first try your dog on the following nutritional supplements: For a 30-pound dog, give 1 teaspoon daily of flaxseed oil, powdered kelp and brewer's yeast mixed in with the food. A pediatric daily multi-mineral and multi-vitamin pill may also help.

If there is no reduction in shedding and improvement in the coat after two months, then more tests are called for.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have an issue with a feral kitten I adopted several months ago.

He has adapted very well to being an inside kitty, but he has an unusual penchant for licking my face when I pick him up. He will kiss my face for several minutes, until I distract him. There is nothing on my face like perfumes or creams.

Have you ever heard of this? My other cats have never done this. -- D.N., Springfield, Missouri

DEAR D.N.: Some cats (and dogs, too) are more caregiving and attentive than others, displaying their affection by licking their caregivers' hands and face. Such behavior is much like a mother cat or dog gently grooming and cleaning their offspring.

I would like to learn from other readers how their animal companions show affection. One of our dogs, Lizzie, would greet friends by bringing one of her stuffed toys to the door. And she was the most indulgent of our pack of three dogs when it came to affectionate licking, which for some dogs can become an obsessive-compulsive behavior that calls for remotivation, like playing a game or simply saying "No, that's enough."

DEAR DR. FOX: I just read your column about feline hyperesthesia. Years ago I had a cat who was tormented by this condition. It was so frustrating not being able to help him.

As the owner of a cat specialty store, I have conversations daily with numerous cat owners. Often, these conversations involve cat health and medical issues. I am often asked for advice, and I refer people to their vets. Recently, a lady told me about her cat with hyperesthesia, and I asked her to let me know if her vet was able to help her cat. Just a few weeks later, she told me her cat was better! After having no success with squeezing the cat's anal glands, the vet got the idea to deworm the cat -- and it worked!

I was delighted to hear this, and in retrospect it makes so much sense. I pass this story on to you in the hope that it might help other cats. Please let me know if you have any success in treating cats suffering with hyperesthesia by deworming them. -- J.W., Calgary, Canada

DEAR J.W.: I have never heard of deworming being a consideration for treating cats suffering from hyperesthesia. But it does make sense, considering that self-grooming is a form of self-comforting, which might help alleviate the irritation and abdominal pain caused by internal parasites. Inflammatory substances from the parasites could also be a factor affecting the histamine-releasing cells in the skin and the sensitivity threshold of the sensory nerves in the skin.

So I will put this observation out for veterinarians and cat caregivers to consider in alleviating cats' suffering from the feline hyperesthesia syndrome.

(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 saw your recent column about a cat eating too fast and then vomiting. We had the same problem, and our vet suggested spreading out the wet food on a large platter -- it has been a great success with our cats. I also observe their eating and have certain times that the cats know are for food. This has really worked wonders. I have five cats who range in age from 4 to 10 years old. -- M.W., St. Louis

DEAR M.W.: Yes, spreading wet food over a plate is one way to make a cat slow the rate of eating, but it can make it difficult for some cats to actually lick up their moist food rather than grab bites. Another method to slow down your cat is to put food in a large bowl with a few glass marbles that the cat has to eat around.

Cats do train us when they want to be fed, and I strongly advise attunement to their natural meal cycle, which is usually around four small meals daily. Feeding two large meals can cause problems, as can at-will self-serve eating from a dry cat food dispenser.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am in a family of four: my husband and two grown "kids," ages 38 and 34, who still live at home. We currently have, yes, 13 cats and kittens in our home.

My older son was feeding a couple of outdoor strays who kept coming around our house. They ran away if he even opened the house door before they were done eating and went on their way. To make a long story short, one of the cats gave birth to kittens, and sadly, while following them into the yard of another neighbor, was mauled to death by a K-9-trained pit bull who lives there.

Two very nosy "concerned" neighbors claimed they knew our son was feeding the strays and brought the four motherless kittens to our door. They said they found them abandoned in the street. We tried to get the one male and three females fixed and get their shots in a timely manner, but our financial situation did not allow it. We are now faced with owning 13 cats in total as the male cat impregnated his three sisters, two of whom had four kittens each; the remaining sister gave birth to kittens who died shortly after birth.

My husband and son are the feeders of the 13 cats. They do it four times a day, at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. That is what their lives revolve around, and I feel they are grossly overfeeding all the cats and kittens. They're out of their mind!

Please give me your input. I am at wits' end and desperate to resolve this extraordinary, over-the-top situation. I know it sounds like I am making up a story. Sadly, it is all true. I am an animal lover myself, but know it is more than a little prohibitive -- at this rate, the cost of cat food and kitty litter alone has been outrageous. We did get all the cats and kittens spayed and neutered, and they've had their shots ... better late than never, I guess. All remain indoor cats. -- T.L., New Jersey

DEAR T.L.: What a tragedy for the mother cat to be killed. This happens to many cats allowed to roam free.

I advise feeding adult dogs twice a day, and most people feel that is fine also for cats. But recent studies have shown that four small meals a day and a couple of snacks is a better, more natural feeding regimen for cats. High-cereal-content cat foods often lead to obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

Adult cats should be periodically weighed to check if they are putting on too much weight. To keep them healthy, look for grain- and soy-free cat foods; feed them freeze-dried, raw frozen or canned food; or try my home-prepared cat food recipe.

(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 cannot get to the bottom of my 13- year-old female formerly diabetic tuxedo kitty's problem with head scratching and shaking.

For the past two months, we've fed her canned wet food instead of kibble; her last glucose test was normal. This head and face issue has been a long-standing one. When we've taken her in to see various vets, they all prescribe Tresaderm, but the scratching always comes back. She also overgrooms, and then vomits hairballs from licking so much. I believe she does this because of stress from her head and face condition. There are no visible sores on her head or face.

I thought the dry food was the issue, but changing to wet only cured her diabetes. Even on wet canned food, she still has the shaking and scratching on her face, head, neck and ears. What should we do? -- L., New Jersey

DEAR L.: This could be a variant of feline hyperesthesia syndrome. Keeping my cat off fish helped; catnip seems to calm him down, and evening games are a must.

Your cat may get some comfort from having a light blanket placed over her, since this may have a calming effect. Our other cat often goes to sleep when I put a newspaper over him or when he crawls into a rolled-up piece of carpeting.

I would not rule out a vitamin or other dietary deficiency or neurotoxin contaminant. And of course we have the established link between feline hyperthyroidism and flame-retardant chemicals, stain-repellent chemicals, formaldehyde and quaternary ammonium compound "sanitizers" for counter and floor -- all of which you can find in your home.

Hyperthyroidism, a symptom of which may include excessive grooming, affects more than 1 in 10 older cats. and might be due to exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are commonly used in plastics and furniture, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers at Stockholm University found high levels of the chemicals in blood samples from cats with hyperthyroidism. PBDEs can get into dust that sticks to cats' fur and is then ingested when cats groom themselves.

Be sure her veterinarians checked her ears and teeth for issues. The cat pheromone product Feliway may help calm your cat, as may a drop of lavender essential oil where she sleeps, but be sure there are no synthetic fragrances in the cat litter or laundry.

DEAR DR. FOX: After our 16-year-old dog passed away late last year, we finally decided it was time to look for a new family member.

We came across a 3-year-old miniature American Eskimo mix at a local shelter, went through the process and brought her home. She's absolutely wonderful with us -- silly, playful, mostly well-behaved -- and we're very happy to have found her.

Our only problem is that when we have visitors, she barks nonstop for the longest time. Her tail is wagging, but she won't let the visitor pet her. When we go for a walk, she barks at anything close to us -- people, cars, other dogs. We know she lived with a senior couple previously, so we don't know how much training she got.

I've started to get her to sit and heel as a car or other "threat" approaches, but I wanted to get your opinion on what else we can do. We've only had her for 10 weeks, so we know it will take time. Thanks for any help. -- S.R., Beachwood, New Jersey

DEAR S.R.: An educated guess is that your dog was not taken out and about very much with her former caregivers, and she is showing the typical adjustment issues of a dog who has been raised in a relatively deprived environment, though clearly not unloved.

So take her exposure to the big world slowly, and help her learn self-control by teaching her to sit and stay. This exercise helps develop internal inhibition. She may handle better with a gentle leader or a harness around her chest. Three to four drops of lavender oil on a bandana around her neck before going out may help calm her down, as would PetzLife @-Eaze.

FROZEN DOG FOOD RECALL

OC Raw Dog voluntarily recalled 2,055 pounds of Turkey & Produce Raw Frozen Canine Formulation because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. The products were distributed in Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Colorado and sold to consumers through independent pet specialty retailers.

This recall is a result of a routine sampling program by the Nebraska Department of Food and Agriculture, which revealed a presumptive positive to salmonella. Consumers with questions may call 1-844-215-DOGS (3647).

(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.)