DEAR DR. FOX: Although I love the outdoors and I am sympathetic to wildlife and the environment, I disagree with your recent statements regarding "re-wilding" public lands. The reason for my objection is not made to support trappers, hunters or mining concerns, but to maintain some of these areas so that my grandkids and I can hike or camp without fear of attack or death from one of a few deadly predators that are being reintroduced. My thoughts on a couple of the issues usually mentioned:

1. Putting things back as they were: This can be completed with or without adding deadly predators in the mix. The environment must be fixed in a variety of ways -- regardless of if the predators are there.

2. No need to worry because bears, wolves and cougars are afraid of people, and if we don't bother them, we'll be safe: blatantly false. Cougars and bears already kill a few people each year, and any fear they have will rapidly vanish, as bears in state parks prove over and over again. -- J.P., St. Charles, Missouri

DEAR J.P.: Many people share your fear and concerns over human safety in those parts of our National Park System of public lands designated as national parks and wildlife refuges. Remember that state and federal agencies have waged war on natural predators for decades, their extermination causing great harm to these ecosystems. Their natural recovery or carefully conducted reintroduction is much needed. These lands are not our lands, but theirs; they are only "ours" in sacred trust as good stewards.

Already, our national parks are suffering from the impact of too many tourists. More people are injured and killed by falling trees, snakes, lightning and climbing accidents as well as by their own dogs, cattle and horses on home-base than ever by wolves, lions and bears.

Despite the general impressions that human deaths are regular and imminent, this is not true. I recently corresponded with Will Stolzenburg, author of "Heart of a Lion." He said:

"The last person killed by a mountain lion was in 2008. And in fact, a recent study showed that people's lives are actually being saved by mountain lions, by preventing fatal vehicle collisions with deer (which now kill about 200 people each year). The study further estimates that if mountain lions were allowed to return to the eastern forests, they could save upwards of 155 people over the next 30 years.

"Another point: Many of the aggressive encounters between people and bears or lions stem from our hunting of the animals, by wounding and incapacitating otherwise healthy, well-behaved animals, and by orphaning cubs and kittens who grow desperate. Or, in the particular case of bears, our ill-advised feeding of them primes the possibility for bad encounters. Again, our fault."

So hikers and campers beware; take along a can of pepper spray, keep dogs on the leash -- children, too; and let's give equal consideration to the endangered children of other species who have no less a right to be than we, as I emphasize in my book "Animals and Nature First."

STATE OF COMPANION ANIMAL HEALTH IN THE U.S.

Two reports provide some insight into cat and dog health, and alert owners to discuss preventive measures with their veterinarians.

There were 67.6 cases of diabetes mellitus per 10,000 cats and 23.6 cases per 10,000 dogs. Dental disease continues to be the most common disorder among cats and dogs, affecting 68 percent of cats and 76 percent of dogs in 2015. For more details, see stateofpethealth.com.

In another report, 58 percent of cats and 54 percent of dogs were reported as being overweight or obese. See more at PetObesityPrevention.org.

(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: Even though I know you advocate feeding pets -- especially diabetic ones -- homemade food, I wonder if you'd consider this question.

My geriatric cat has been insulin-dependent for 5 1/2 years. I started him on Fancy Feast Classics, but I got shamed into changing him to Hills m/d. This summer, I ventured back to Fancy Feast since he likes it so much better. Suddenly, his blood sugar dropped like a rock. On a schedule of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. insulin glargine injections, his glucose would be 70 to 100 at 1 or 2 a.m. -- unusual behavior caused me to get up and test.

In your opinion, could m/d have been keeping his blood glucose elevated? If I were to cook his food myself, what would I give him? -- M.J., Cheyenne, Wyoming

DEAR M.J.: As I repeatedly stress in this column, avoid feeding cats high-carbohydrate treats, as well as regular cat foods. I invited veterinarian Greg Martinez (visit dogdishdiet.com) to offer his opinion since I am impressed with his nutrition-first approach to companion animal health issues, which I have long advocated -- and now I feel less alone professionally!

"Diabetes in cats is thought to be caused by too many calories in the diet and too little activity. Overweight, sedentary cats develop Type 2 diabetes, which is the insulin-resistant type also seen in people. A diet with fewer calories per ounce, less fat and fewer carbohydrates will obviously have more protein, just the mix of ingredients that cats evolved to eat (moist rodents or other prey). That same mix of ingredients will also help cats lose weight and regulate their blood sugar. Hill's m/d diet is formulated to have fewer carbohydrates and less fat than other cat foods, but it still may have too many simple carbohydrates for some cats. Fancy Feast Classics worked so well is that the ingredients are also high protein, low fat, high moisture and lower calorie ones. It could be that your cat does not tolerate the cornstarch in the m/d, which may elevate his blood glucose more than the type of carbohydrate in Fancy Feast Classics (the only listed is guar gum, which is a soluble fiber known to help with regulating the blood sugar). Individual cats may just do well with different ingredients, and it sounds like Fancy Feast agrees with your cat, where Hills m/d doesn't. You may try asking your local pet store for a grain-free quality canned cat food with a similar high-protein, low-carbohydrate, medium-fat mixture.

"If you are going to make your own cat food, veterinarian Lisa Pierson has lots of good info on cooking for your cat: Access 'Making Cat Food by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM' at catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood. The basic recipe calls for 90 percent low-fat meat and keeps the carbohydrate level at less than 10 percent. This high-protein diet is not appropriate for cats with kidney issues."

I would urge against feeding animals carrageenan, which can be found in the Hill's prescription cat food. Read more at my website, DrFoxVet.net.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read your column regarding German shepherd dogs and waiting to spay until after a year because of an issue with their bone health -- I think. I gave the article to my daughter, who has a 5-month-old rescue German shepherd. Now I'm reading about how important it is to spay female dogs before the first heat cycle to help prevent mammary gland cancer.

What is the best way to go in this case? My daughter was going to wait until her dog was a year old, but has changed her mind to have it done at 6 months of age, which is in a month. -- K.K., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR K.K.: It is a long-held view that spaying dogs before their first heat will help prevent mammary gland cancer. While this is generally true, there are several other health issues that can arise following early removal of the ovaries and which, in the final analysis, negate the benefits of early neutering. So my advice is to wait until the dog is closer to maturity -- around 2 -- before having the operation.

Some veterinarians now leave the ovaries intact to prevent the hormonal deficiencies and imbalances associated with the adverse consequences of a complete ovariohysterectomy. This topic is controversial, and more clinical studies and long-term evaluations of various breeds and the risk-to-benefit ratios of complete or partial removal of the reproductive organs are called for. This may contradict animal shelter policy of neutering all animals prior to adoption, especially in areas where there are too many animals multiplying in the community and adopters cannot be trusted to prevent their animals from reproducing by keeping intact females restrained when in heat.

(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: We rescued our cat, Cookie, who was born outside behind a garage, at about 4 to 6 months old. She is currently 3 years old.

We had a rough start -- biting and scratching that would leave scars on us. We read articles on how to deal with feral cats, and she turned around.

Cookie is not like our previous cats -- she does not purr, she hisses at times when approached and she is not a lap cat.

We have two small crocheted blankets she sleeps on: one on the bed and one on the couch. About three times a day and every time she is alone, she jumps on the bed, bites the blanket, jumps off the bed, drags it through three rooms and takes it to where her food is. Then she meows, almost howls, for a few seconds. Sometimes she kneads the blanket.

Do you have any idea what causes this behavior? -- V.T., Brick, New Jersey

DEAR V.T.: Your cat's behavior may remind some readers of how their children needed to carry a comforter, blanket or towel everywhere they went. Some would suck or stroke a corner -- all self-comforting behaviors, which some cats will also engage in. Cats also knead and "nurse" the soft material; sometimes they'll even do the same to caregivers' arms or earlobes!

This may be one aspect of your cat's fetishlike behavior. Another is the behavior of carrying a kitten to the food source, or carrying prey from room to room. Such seemingly bizarre behaviors are the result of cats adapting to the domestic environment where their natural predatory and parental instincts are thwarted or suppressed, and where they are deprived of interaction with their own species. In some instances, these cats were weaned too early and experienced maternal deprivation.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read with interest the column regarding dogs' "love." Here is a story about our beloved Loki, the Lab-pit bull rescued from the Brooklyn Animal Care and Control shelter in New York City:

Loki was 8 years old when we adopted him. From the very beginning, he had serious health issues. However, he was a wonderful, affectionate pet who lived to be 13. Much of Loki's enthusiasm for life had to do with Joey, the female German shepherd who lived next door. The two really enjoyed each other and would "call" for each other when outside.

Tragically, Joey's owner became terminally ill with cancer. Right after he died and the house was being emptied, Joey came to our back door. I called to Loki, but when I opened the door, Joey came in. She had never done that before. She slowly walked around the house while Loki sat somewhat puzzled in the kitchen. Then Joey went up to Loki, they touched noses, and Joey went back out to the now-empty house. She had been given away to some relatives who lived far away. Loki never saw her again, but he would go over to the empty house and put his paw on the back door. He seemed to be grieving.

What amazed us is that apparently Joey knew she was going away and had come to say goodbye. It was so sad, but totally remarkable how these two dogs had communicated with each other. -- M.H., Poughkeepsie, New York

DEAR M.H.: Thank you for sharing this sad and touching story. I am glad that more people are recognizing that dogs, like many other species, share similar emotions as humans. Scientists are discovering that dogs use similar parts of their brains for cognitive processing to decipher words and language. For me, this affirms our kinship with animals and calls on us to give them the best care possible in accord with their behavioral, social and emotional needs.

(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.)