DEAR DR. FOX: I recently started using essential oils. When I happened to mention it to my vet in an email, she told me many essential oils are toxic to cats, as there is a liver enzyme necessary to process the oils that cats do not have. I have three rescue cats that I love.

She then sent me to a website that she trusted for research, which had information about essential oils and cats. I have also found information on another website. The two sites differ somewhat in describing the types of the missing enzymes, plant chemicals in the oils, and oils that are toxic to cats.

I would venture to guess that many veterinarians and thousands of cat owners do not know about this. Essential oils are very popular in the U.S. and overseas, and are used as alternative medicine for physical ailments and emotional problems for humans.

There is even an essential oil company that has come out with a line of pet care products, including treats, that contain many of the oils toxic to cats.

I find all of this very scary. Please let your readers know what you think about this potentially deadly problem for their cats. -- J.C., Springfield, Virginia

DEAR J.C.: I appreciate you sending me the information that you have gathered about the risks of most essential oils to cats, because as you said, cats lack a liver enzyme to process these substances and neutralize possible toxic consequences.

Humans and dogs do not have this deficiency, so with cats, a weaker and safer form of various beneficial herbal extracts called hydrosols are used. Veterinarians using essential oils are quite aware of the risks to cats.

I would like to hear from other readers about their experiences with essential oils and their hydrosol alternatives, ideally under veterinary supervision, on their animal companions.

DEAR DR. FOX: Empathy is an emotion, a feeling about distress in another critter. What does the response of the hungry wolf to a distressed rabbit tell us of empathy? The wolf is more concerned about its own needs than the needs of the other.

This is in contrast to compassion, a response required of the intellect, heart and soul of the human being for the other, with no tangible benefit to the one giving compassion.

Humans are animals, of course, but much different from others, I hope you know. That’s why you and I can think and give names to things. Other animals? I’m afraid not.

As Chesterton once wrote, man finds primitive drawings by other ancient men in caves, including a depiction of a deer with a tilted head as it notices the man. Man can go as deep as he wants, but will never find a drawing by the deer of the man. Keep it rational -- thought through, not just what you want to see. -- D.W., Washington D.C.

DEAR D.W.: The French philosopher Pascal wrote, “The heart knows what reason knows not.” It is my contention that we need to integrate heart and mind, empathy and reason, to respond appropriately in any given situation.

I regard empathy not as an emotion, but as a bridge for emotional communication at a very basic level: an openness and receptivity to others’ feelings. Father Matthew Fox (no relation), in his writings, regards compassion as a verb, not a noun -- a call to action, especially with regard to our treatment of animals and the natural environment.

The cry of prey species like a gazelle fawn could well be the empathy-arousing trigger to explain those instances where a lion or leopard is seen to actually care for a helpless creature rather than killing and consuming it.

Without empathy, how can there be compassion? We may step closer to according rights to animals when chauvinism and arrogance give way to humility, and we abandon such ignorant beliefs that only humans can reason and think. Also, check out the art by captive Asian elephants.

QUICK TAKES: BANS AND LAWSUITS

-- Court upholds Chicago’s ban on sale of pets from large breeders: “The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Chicago’s ban on pet store sales of animals from large commercial breeders and dismissed a lawsuit initiated by two pet stores and a breeding operation.” -- Chicago Tribune, Sept. 26

-- Maine’s largest city bans display of wild animals: “A unanimous vote by the Portland, Maine, City Council bans the display of big cats, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles and other wild and exotic animals, joining more than 125 other municipalities and four states with similar bans. Domesticated livestock are exempt.” -- Portland (Maine) Press Herald, Sept. 18

This good news gives me hope because it is clear evidence that people who care can make a difference where there is empathy, conviction and commitment.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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 READERS: Please take note of these words from the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association, of which I am an Honor Roll member):

“Many people are aware that turtles and other reptiles can carry salmonella bacteria, but not many know that amphibians can carry it, too. This doesn’t mean amphibian and reptile owners should get rid of their pets. What it does mean is that amphibian and reptile handlers and owners should take precautions to protect themselves and their families.”

You can read the AVMA’s tips on preventing salmonella infections from these animals by visiting AVMA.org and searching for “salmonella.”

This post is so needed because many captive-bred and indigenously -- and often illegally -- collected amphibians and reptiles are ill at the point of purchase. It is extremely difficult to recognize when they are sick because they have a way of masking illness. Many go untreated and slowly die, often from combined malnutrition and chronic stress. In their natural environments, reptiles and amphibians help control many insect-borne diseases that can infect humans with far worse consequences than salmonella.

While the tips and awareness are necessary, I wish that the AVMA would go further and practice some veterinary bioethics, and urge people to stop purchasing these animals and all non-domesticated species. This is because the worldwide wildlife market, coupled with human encroachment and pesticide poisoning, means much-documented animal suffering, countless deaths and the plunder, pollution and destruction of natural habitats and healthy ecosystems. This correlates with the rising incidence of zoonotic diseases, with drug-resistant malaria being a very serious public health concern.

My book “Animals and Nature First” is a call to accept this ecological perspective and its application. It is a way of seeing that begins with greater respect for, and less exploitation of, all life. As the Elder Brothers of the Kogi people of Colombia warn, this path of exploitation and destruction, rather than of exultation and empathy with all life, is collective suicide.

It is good that there are veterinarians, biologists and others who are dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and to the treatment and prevention of diseases and suffering of those in captivity. But their commercial breeding and extraction from the wild for sale as “pets,” which drives the market of exploitation and destruction, must end. PetSmart and Petco know what to do.

DEAR DR. FOX: Out of five cats that I have had, two had to be on prescription Hill’s Science Diet: Max for pancreatitis and Audrey for cystitis.

Max developed thyroid cancer, requiring a very expensive treatment, and now Audrey has developed diabetes. This was after a few years of eating the Hill’s. They did not like the food and ate very little. Audrey has now lost weight and nearly stopped eating. The vet suggested changing from chicken to fish Hill’s, which worked for about three weeks. My husband and I were reading the labels and we were appalled. The only meat was pork, and the only other thing close to meat was “fish FLAVOR.”

I started to research food when we found out that she had diabetes. I told the vet that Hill’s had cornstarch, corn gluten, soy and wood (cellulose), and many other unrecognizable ingredients. Audrey is now on insulin and a different diet, which she likes.

I am wondering if anyone else has had this experience with the Hill’s company. Not sure if it is the Hill’s, but my other three cats ate anything I gave them, and they never had serious issues. Makes me wonder. -- S.M., Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey

DEAR S.M.: You should not be reading the ingredient labels on manufactured pet foods, especially the expensive special prescription diet ones! Just trust your veterinarian, who in turn trusts the science and medical claims of the manufacturers!

Not really, of course. That trust is wearing so thin that there is now considerable transparency -- to the degree that my and other veterinarians’ advocacy of home-prepared diets is making a difference. I recommend whole-food, organic, biologically appropriate diets for dogs and cats, as per the recipes posted on my website.

It does not take a doctoral degree to realize that since cats are obligate carnivores relying on animal fat and protein for their nutritional requirements, corn gluten, cornstarch and soy vegetable protein have no place in the feline diet. For more insights, visit feline-nutrition.org.

The big pet food manufacturers offering higher-quality pet foods are hedging their bets as ingredient costs spiral up and quality and availability spiral down; many people either cannot afford good quality dog and cat food, or they expect to pay little for it and balk at the higher prices. “The same kibble every day is fine,” they think, and so our pets have widespread obesity, diabetes and other “nutrigenic” diseases, that in turn create a profitable market for special prescription diets.

Special diets are of benefit to both cats and dogs. Some veterinarians are now preparing their own or providing recipes, and many are using the resources of veterinarian-directed Balance IT in Davis, California. Visit secure.balanceit.com for a cornucopia of good nutrition and therapeutic diets.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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: Responding to your request for ‘pet’ peeves -- or should I say ‘guardian’ peeves? Mine are:

-- Feeding an animal too much so she/he becomes obese.

-- Buying cheap grocery-store pet “food.”

-- Not providing dental care. -- D.A., Falls Church, Virginia

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for providing helpful information in your newspaper column. In a past column, a reader asked what the worst mistakes are in pet care. You provided some helpful ideas. May I suggest you add another to the list?

Please stress that pet owners should NOT drive their car with their pet roaming freely in the front seat or sitting in the driver’s lap. It is a danger to the pet, who may be thrown through a windshield in the event of a sudden stop. It is also very distracting to the driver, who may cause an accident that would endanger the lives of the owner, the pet and other drivers/pedestrians.

I have witnessed an accident and have, several times, been nearly hit by drivers who had pets sitting in their laps. I even urge people to write to their congressional representatives to sponsor state laws that pets not be allowed in the front seat unrestrained. It is currently a law in only a few states but, for everyone’s safety, it needs to be a law in every state.

Let’s keep pets and their owners all safe. -- S.B., Burke, Virginia

DEAR D.A. & S.B.: Your “pet peeves” are spot-on, and I need add no more except to endorse your concerns and urge all readers to take your good words to heart.

DEAR DR. FOX: Two weeks ago, I adopted a cat from the Humane Society, and yesterday I had to take him back. I hated to do that, because he was basically a good cat. But MY cat nearly had a heart attack when I brought the new one home. I found that I had to keep New Cat in the basement, and Old Cat upstairs. With bathroom facilities accordingly. Can’t live like that. The few times I tried to get them together required several Band-Aids. For me.

But now that New Cat is gone, how do I convince Old Cat of that without buying another box of Band-Aids? The cat bathroom is in the basement and I’d like to retire the temporary one upstairs. I thought I was doing a good deed, but all I did was upset an already neurotic cat. -- E.J., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR E.J.: It is foolhardy to simply let a new cat into the home and expect the resident cat or cats to accept the interloper like a long-lost friend. The Humane Society is very much at fault for letting you take the cat without any advice about introduction and preparing your home before you took the cat with you. The steps that should be followed when adding a new cat into a home are available in the article “Introducing a New Cat” on my website, drfoxvet.net. These kinds of materials should be provided by all cat adoption agencies.

It may take several weeks for your resident cat to recover and accept going down into the basement to use the litter box. You may want to place the litter box at the top of the basement stairs or at least close to them, with the basement door open, for a few days. Of course, clean the box used by the new cat with water and vinegar before putting in fresh litter, and clean around the floor surfaces in the basement to at least dilute the scent of the new cat. A plug-in dispenser of Feliway, the cat bonding pheromone, in the basement may also help.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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.)