DEAR DR. FOX: In one of your columns, you mentioned that to control fleas, there are several safe alternatives to potentially lethal pesticides. Would you please elaborate? -- N.B.-R., Key West, Florida

DEAR N.B.-R.: There are no simple solutions for keeping fleas at bay. Several steps need to be taken that include treating animals' environments as well as the animals themselves.

The constant use of drugs on cats and dogs to prevent fleas in those states where there is a flea season (not year-round infestation, as in Florida) should be questioned. When it comes to using the new-generation anti-flea and anti-tick drugs, potential health risks and adverse environmental consequences call for caution.

A flea comb for daily checkups is a must. Also, thoroughly vacuum the floors, carpets and furniture every week. Giving brewer's yeast with your pet's food (about 1/2 teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight) also helps repel fleas. Food-grade diatomaceous earth rubbed into the animals' coat will kill the fleas, as will FleaBuster's borate powder, which you sprinkle on carpets, sides of furniture and cracks in the floor. Visit PetzLife.com for some other effective anti-flea and anti-tick products.

Most importantly, electronic anti-flea collars are a scam!

DEAR DR. FOX: Please tell me how to stop submissive urination by my 1-year-old female Chihuahua.

I've read at least eight books on Chihuahuas and found no reference to this problem, with the exception of one short sentence saying they'll outgrow it. Well, this one didn't.

We bought this dog at 12 weeks. She was easy to train, and all was well for about a month, then she began to slightly urinate when anyone petted her. By then we had fallen in love with her and tried everything to stop this problem: We approached her quietly, after she had time to settle down, and even got down to her level. No change. We hoped she'd outgrow this, especially after she was mature and spayed at 11 months -- still no change.

She seems shy, and we can't figure this out. She came form a loving home-breeder to our calm and quiet adult-only home; she's never been scolded.

She is ruining our carpets and upsetting anyone who visits us. This is frustrating beyond belief. Please help. -- G.C., Pompano Beach, Florida

DEAR G.C.: It is true that most dogs outgrow urination as a display of submission. Those who don't are either extremely submissive by nature or have developed a conditioned fear reaction to their caretakers, who either punish them or rush to clean up and thus frighten the dog.

Try ignoring your dog every time she piddles, and encourage her to play with you -- the rougher the better (I especially recommend tug of war with a knotted rope). As she develops more self-confidence and you stay calm whenever she piddles, you may well see increasing continence. If this fails, discuss hormone-replacement medication with your veterinarian to help improve urine retention and sphincter control.

"ORGANIC" BUT NOT NECESSARILY HUMANE

Many people who consume animal products and feed them to their cats and dogs have been relying on the United States Department of Agriculture's "Certified Organic" label as an indicator of humane treatment of farmed animals.

When I was an adviser during the time that the National Organic Standards for farmed animals were being drafted, it was agreed that in order to qualify for USDA organic certification, operations producing milk, meat and eggs must allow the animals access to the outdoors.

Now corporate agribusiness interests across the country are operating industrial-scale confinement facilities, providing no legitimate grazing, or even access to the outdoors, as required by federal regulations. Video documentation by Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute (cornucopia.org/organic-factory-farm-investigation) exposes this atrocity that needs to be addressed by state and federal lawmakers and regulators.

Voice your concerns to your state and congressional lawmakers, and call for a full investigation.

(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 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: 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: 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 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.)