DEAR DR. FOX: We have had Miss Kitty for 10 years, with no problems until now. She has defecated twice on our living room rug. Can you help us? -- M.R., Florissant, Missouri

DEAR M.R.: Unfortunately and inexcusably, many dogs and cats are punished and often abandoned to an uncertain fate in animal shelters for house soiling. Yet most instances of urinating or defecating outside the litter box -- or in the house with dogs -- can be effectively remedied by veterinarians. Regrettably, too few cat and dog owners recognize that house soiling can mean the animal is not simply being disobedient or stupid, but has a diagnosable physical or psychological problem.

Find a local veterinarian who does house calls, which are less stressful for most cats, for a full wellness exam. Put consideration of diet and constipation at the top of the list.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 12-year-old female dachshund.

For about the last year, she has been licking everything -- her blanket, my clothes, any cloth she is near.

Could you explain what drives her to this maddening obsession? She is otherwise healthy. I have had her on Blue Buffalo, and more recently Taste of the Wild. Is it something she is lacking in her diet? -- D.A.R., Moro, Illinois

DEAR D.A.R.: Your old dog's compulsive licking behavior is a signal of some discomfort. This calls for a thorough wellness examination by your veterinarian. Reasons could range from food ingredients that are harming your dog to arthritis, oral or anal gland disease, anxiety and pre-epileptic/seizure-associated behavior. Some veterinary detective work is called for. I'd also suggest switching her to my home-prepared diet, which you can find at DrFoxVet.net.

DEAR DR. FOX: I enjoy your column, but I missed the article in which you expressed disapproval of the catch-and-release programs for feral cats in the United States.

Could you please provide your views about this again, and suggest what else people should do about the problem of feral cats? -- S.C., Hollow Rock, Tennessee

DEAR S.C.: The feral cat problem is nationwide, and, as I point out in my website article, "Releasing Cats to Live Outdoors," there are many solutions. But there is one partial solution being improperly applied in many states that calls for closer scrutiny: trap-neuter-release (TNR).

Where I live in Minneapolis, the Animal Humane Society's Community Cats Program involving TNR releases cats where they were trapped. That includes my own property, where it stresses our indoor cats, who have attacked each other after seeing a cat outdoors, and decimates the wildlife at our feeders. A version of this review article, co-authored by my wife and co-worker Deanna Krantz, will appear shortly in Animal Wellness magazine.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF TNR BENEFITS EXTREMELY LIMITED

Scientific studies of the effects of TNR on targeted cats and the local cat population demonstrate essentially what one would expect following neutering, namely, better physical condition and longevity, in part determined by the quality of human oversight and supplemental feeding. Neutered males are less aggressive, and females do not have to raise kittens. With fewer screaming catfights, there were fewer public complaints. But none of the reports mention any significant decrease in killing of wildlife where wildlife are present in the TNR cat colony environment. With a greater longevity, such cats clearly could be a problem -- except in confined or isolated locations and where they are provided adequate food and shelter as needed. Nor did any of these studies have a contiguous and encircling study area where cats were trapped, given anti-rabies vaccination, opposite-ear-cut for identification, ideally microchipped and released un-neutered. Without such a control group, the claim that TNR helps reduce the overall cat population cannot be confirmed. Yet advocates of TNR state this as fact.

The only obvious positive result in terms of the virtual plague of free-roaming cats in the U.S. and other countries is that TNR takes cats out of the breeding cycle. But in most situations, the cats should be taken out of the environments they invade, harm and suffer, be they breeding or not.

Read more at alleycat.org/document.doc?id=385.

BOOK REVIEW: "Men With Cats: Intimate Portraits of Feline Friendship" by David Williams

This book is a charmer, with photo-profiles of over 75 men in their home environments, along with apt quotes about their feline companions. It breaks many stereotypes and affirms the mythology of feline powers domesticating man.

(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.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: As a feral cat rescuer for more than 20 years in Washington, D.C., and with parents who did this in Washington state, I can tell B.W. in Naples, Florida, that old, feral, outdoor cats do love to "retire" from the outside and live the indoor life when they get old. There is nothing more rewarding than waking up to a formerly feral cat sleeping beside you in bed!

Boo sounds like she would do very well as an inside-only cat. I have brought many, many colony cats inside when they get old, and they adapt well. I do this not only for my cats, but I have helped many people bring their old feral cats inside, too. There are some tricks that make it easier:

-- First, I recommend taking the cat to the vet for a full checkup, including vaccination updates, de-flea, deworm, ear treatments if necessary, etc.

-- Use two litter boxes at first; feral cats seem to prefer to go pee and poop in different boxes, I think because they are used to the clean soil. Scoop right away when the box is used, and use unscented, scoopable sand to approximate what they know outside.

-- Install window perches, as you suggest, but do not let the cat have access to screens for the first few weeks. Instinct could cause the cat to try to get out, and they can go through screens easily.

-- Use interactive toys to keep Boo active, so she's not bored. Turn on a radio to get her accustomed to human voices.

I hope this is helpful. -- S.W., Washington, D.C.

DEAR S.W.: I will pass this on. Good advice indeed. In my estimation, formerly feral cats -- like many stray and previously abused or neglected dogs -- once they come to trust and feel secure, make the best companions. Too many in shelters are killed for lack of space and funds to re-socialize these animals, though some never come around because of severe trauma or possible genetic drift to "wild" (fearful and hyper-alert) temperaments, especially those birthed in the outdoors by stray and feral generations of cats.

My wife and co-worker Deanna Krantz and I have a feral cat in our home who we are hoping to rehabilitate for adoption or integration into our two-cat (formerly feral) family. What is quite nonsensical in our location is that if we were to have taken this cat to our local animal shelter, he would have been declared unadoptable and been released back on our property after being neutered and given rabies vaccination when the windchill was negative 20! Animal control and the local police contend that feral cats are wild animals and belong outdoors. In suburbia? The domestic cat, Felis domestica, belongs only indoors, never being part of the wildlife ecology of North America, especially since it is a descendant of the Middle East desert cat Felis sylvestris lybica. Nuts!

DEAR DR. FOX: I am a 92-year-old lady. I have three kitties (I don't have "cats" -- I have "kitties"). I love them dearly. They are 15, 11 and 4 years old. They get along quite well. I always want to learn more ways to care for them better.

When I leave my mortal coil, my sons (who also love kitties) have promised to care for them, and I know they will. So I would love to buy copies of the two books you recently wrote about that you have written, "Supercat: Raising the Perfect Feline Companion" and "Cat Body, Cat Mind." Where can I find them? -- M.C., Falls Church, Virginia

DEAR M.C.: I always appreciate receiving a letter such as yours that demonstrates how elderly people can be eager to learn more about their animal companions. Having an active mind and learning new things is best antidote to mental deterioration -- along with good nutrition! My cat books are easily available to order online at Amazon.com. You can also check my website for more cat-related information at DrFoxVet.net. I am sure there are some articles there that you would enjoy reading. I also have a DVD movie on my website you can watch about cat behavior and psychology, as well as one on dog behavior and psychology.

It is a sad reality that the corner bookstores in most communities are now gone. Now every corner seems to have a bank, drug store, liquor store or bakery, a reflection indeed of the health of the nation! Poor nutrition and no food for thought seems to be the fate of many consumers whose maladies are mirrored in their companion animals, who are fed biologically inappropriate diets and live impoverished lives alone most of the day.

Cats, like yours, do so much better when they have the companionship and reciprocal need-satisfaction of one or more other sociable cats. When I wrote my now-out-of-print best-selling book "Understanding Your Cat," I made it very clear that it is an arrogant presumption to claim to "understand your cat." Like good hunters, they are unpredictable and full of surprises. We learn something new about them all the time, and I am glad to be able to convey the insights of behavioral and animal health and welfare research findings to my Animal Doctor columns that I have been writing for over 40 years. I continue to learn much from the animals and those who care for them and who develop a strong, sympathetic relationship of mutual trust and affection. Kinship indeed!

(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.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: In your recent column, E.B. of Norman, Oklahoma, wanted to have the companion of a dog or a cat but had various reasons that it would be a financial expense that he could not afford. In the greater St. Louis area, we have an organization called Senior Dogs 4 Seniors. This wonderful organization adopts adult dogs to seniors who need a calmer pet. My friend's mother used the organization until she passed; for a one-time adoption fee, Senior Dogs 4 Seniors provided a dog, paid for vet services, provided dog food, groomed the dog and even removed the dog leavings from the yard. (There are various levels of involvement from the organization, based on the adopter's need.) I know my friend's mother loved her dog very much, and he was a wonderful companion for her in her old age. Readers in the St. Louis area can visit seniordogs4seniors.com or call 636-458-1892 for more information.

I hope there is a similar organization in Norman for E.B. -- P.G.F., St. Louis

DEAR DR. FOX: I saw the letter from the 74-year-old in Norman, Oklahoma, who is physically and financially unable to care for an animal, yet could use the comfort of one. I believe there is an organization called A New Leash on Life in Oklahoma City that may possibly be able to assist by bringing a therapy dog for visits. I participate in the People, Animals, Love therapy dog organization in the Washington, D.C. area, and I know we honor requests for therapy dog home visits on a regular basis.

A New Leash on Life can be contacted toll-free at 886-248-6265 or newleashinc.org. -- P.H., Washington, D.C.

DEAR DR. FOX: I love your column and was just reading the touching letter from E.B. in Norman, Oklahoma, who wanted a pet but could not afford one. I wanted to reach out and ask him if he is part of a faith community or a similar organization, where he might seek out someone to share their pet for a day or two each week or month. My parents are aging but love dogs, and they will often watch our dog for a weekend. They love the company, and we get a wonderful, trusted, no-cost pet sitter. Perhaps E.B. has a community to reach out to and see if someone would do something similar?

I may be completely off base, but my heart went out to him, and I wanted to share one option. Thanks for all your great work. -- P.P., St. Louis

DEAR P.G.F., P.H. and P.P.: Thank you all for your concern and helpful letters. I hope these kinds of programs and initiatives will spread across North America like wildfire. It will help keep people out of often dubious "assisted living" and nursing home facilities and enrich the lives of those elderly persons suffering from loneliness in their own homes -- and give old dogs a better life, too!

READERS USING MY CAT AND DOG FOOD RECIPES

Please note that I have changed the beef ingredient in my cat and dog food recipes for in-home preparation, increasing the proportion of beef in light of new nutritional studies and using stewing and whole beef rather than ground beef or hamburger, which is more likely to harbor potentially harmful bacteria. This change is also because we will soon not know where our ground beef came from -- possibly multiple sources: Congress has been pushed by the World Trade Organization and U.S.-based multinational corporate lobbyists to discontinue Country of Origin labeling. One way around this is to purchase beef from local producers, notably those with Grass Fed and USDA Organic certification.

PET FOOD RECALL

Carnivore Meat Company is recalling a single lot of Vital Essentials Frozen Chicken Patties Entree for Dogs, due to concerns of the possible presence of salmonella. Read more at vitalessentialsraw.com/#!recall-notice/w0u37.

(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.net.)