DEAR DR. FOX: We truly need your help with our young cat, Smokey. He is approaching 6 months old. He was born in a barn and later found abandoned, and we adopted him at around 3 months of age.

The problem is that he will randomly full-on attack you. His ears go back and he will jump on your leg, arm or ankle, and bite hard with claws dug in. There is rarely any warning. He can be sleeping and then suddenly jump on you if you walk by him. There is no pattern to it.

We play with him regularly and have created many opportunities for him to use his mind with puzzles, hiding toys or treats to find. When he attacks, we sternly say "no." We have tried squirting him with water, making a loud noise when he does it, and even a rolled-up newspaper when it is really bad. I will pick him up, take him to his room and shut the door for a few minutes, and he seems to calm down.

We love him and don't know what else to do except rehome him. My husband is the person Smokey loves the most, yet he is attacked just as frequently. We have four grandchildren, and so far he has not gone after them, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. That definitely cannot happen!

Is there something we should try that we haven't yet? I know cats that aren't with their mom for long can have issues -- he was never bottle-fed, but had milk replacer from a dish -- but this is straight-up aggression.

When he is sweet, he is a wonderful gift to our lives. We are trying so hard to work through this. -- D.F., Winston-Salem, North Carolina

DEAR D.F.: You are courageous and caring not to have already abandoned/rehomed this rather deranged cat. In my experience, most rescued cats who have had to survive in the wild quickly come around, and their defensive, aggressive and prey-killing attack behaviors subside. The latter are generally satisfied with interactive games and toys, as you have tried.

Physically disciplining this cat will only make things worse. You do not say if he has been neutered; if not, then that would be the first step toward subduing his injurious behavior. So many people think male kittens will grow up meek and mild, but once the testosterone builds up as they approach sexual maturity, they can become more aggressive and want to get outdoors. Many do escape, get lost and ultimately breed with female cats (who were either let out by their owners or are feral), leading to ever more kittens being born and filling up animal shelters across the U.S.

The cat-calming pheromone in the plug-in room diffuser product Feliway may help subdue Smokey, along with a few drops of essential oil of lavender on his bedding. Gabapentin, prescribed by your veterinarian, would be worth a trial run, provided he is neutered. If that does not help, your veterinarian might try amitriptyline.

Keep me posted, and good luck!

D.F. REPLIES: We greatly appreciate your quick response to us. I spoke to our veterinarian, and we are scheduling Smokey for neutering within the next week or so. I purchased the Feliway diffuser last week and began the lavender, as well.

We will see how he responds and will try to keep plenty of cat toys for him to attack. He is positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, which I did not realize was so contagious to other cats; we are going to do all we can to keep him busy and happy here with us for as long as he lives. I will put him in his room when we have visitors. We hope to avoid euthanasia with the suggestions you provided. My very best regards to you!

DEAR DR. FOX: I just caught you on an old episode of Johnny Carson, sitting next to Orson Bean. My wife and I very much enjoyed your discussion. I wondered if you were still active, and guessed that you were -- seems I was right! -- P.T., Portland, Oregon

DEAR P.T.: I am glad you and your wife saw that archived "Tonight Show," hosted by the one and only Johnny Carson. I made several appearances on his show and others, including those hosted by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Dick Cavett, Katie Couric, Gene Shalit, Larry King, Regis Philbin and Oprah Winfrey. I also did countless radio interviews, including with Joan Rivers, and was on "To Tell the Truth."

I used these occasions to advocate better understanding and care for animals, wild and domesticated, and to help promote my many books on subjects ranging from understanding your dog to the ethics and risks of genetic engineering and cruelties of animal factory farms.

Recent podcast interviews are posted on my website (drfoxonehealth.com), along with several DVDs. I have not appeared recently on national TV. Regrettably, it seems most TV talk shows no longer deal with social and animal welfare and rights issues, but are more superfluous, lively fluff!

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: According to the Veterinary Record (February 2022), there is good news out of Norway about cavalier King Charles spaniels and English bulldogs: The Norwegian Society for the Protection of Animals won its case against the breeding of these dogs. This is based on the stipulation in Norway's Animal Welfare Act that states that animals may not be bred if their offspring can be expected to inherit health problems. A judge recently banned the breeding of these dogs except for the purposes of expanding genetic diversity and making the breeds healthier.

Bulldogs, in particular, have been inbred to the point that they suffer from myriad health problems and can no longer give birth naturally, says veterinarian Erik Olstad, an assistant professor at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. UC-Davis veterinary geneticist Danika Bannasch says it may be impossible to selectively breed out some of the health problems while still having a purebred dog. (Full story: National Public Radio, March 8)

This same principle holds for many breeds of dogs and cats as well as other species marketed as pets. The Australian Veterinary Association issued a policy statement in December 2021 calling for a ban on breeding and showing brachycephalic dogs (those whose muzzle length is less than one-third of the skull length). Ultimately, the desires and buying behavior of potential dog owners need to change, so that everyone is selecting dogs for good health traits rather than what they look like.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 4-year-old Havanese who has skin tags. She's had them for a few years, but they are getting worse, and more of them are popping up. Her vet seems to think that it's nothing to worry about, as long as it doesn't bother her, but lately I've noticed that she's licking at them.

The other concern is that she eats poop. It's disgusting. Everyone says she must be lacking vitamins or minerals. Someone suggested to sprinkle her food with meat tenderizer that contains MSG, but I can't find any.

Could you please help? I love my Lucy and don't like to see her hurting. -- P.R., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR P.R.: Not being able to see your dog and examine the skin issues in question, my best advice is limited to suggesting treatment with topical antibiotic and local anesthetic ointments. If those do not help, and the tags are still troubling the dog, I would suggest local anesthetic and removal with laser cautery.

Many dogs eat poop, which is called coprophagia, often because they lack dietary enzymes and a healthy gut bacterial population. A teaspoon of canned pineapple bits (with no extra sugar) twice daily will provide some digestive enzymes. A good quality probiotic, which your veterinarian should prescribe, will help enrich the gut flora. Cultured plain kefir, 1 tablespoon per meal, or nonpasteurized, plain organic yogurt, will also be of benefit, along with a tablespoon twice daily of grated carrot. Most dogs love this, and benefit from the added fiber and phytonutrients.

You might also try Dr. Bob Goldstein's Wisdom dog food, which is a slow-dried mix of nutritious ingredients and comes in various formulations. For details, visit earthanimal.com.

SPRINGTIME ANIMAL WARNING

Many stores and online retailers sell baby ducklings, chicks and rabbits across the country this time of year, which should be prohibited on humane and public health grounds. So many of these animals die from the stress of transportation, warehousing and inadequate care by well-meaning owners. Make the springtime a celebration of the renewal of life by adopting a suitable animal from your local shelter. If your children want baby rabbits, get them made of chocolate -- and keep all chocolate away from sweet-toothed dogs, because it can poison them.

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Please check out the local broadcast (link below) from Fox 23 News in Tulsa, and let the station know your views on this important issue. The TNR (trap-neuter-release) advocates are asking all TNR groups far and wide to write to Fox 23. We need representation for those of us concerned citizens who oppose TNR. -- P.G., Tulsa OK

Broadcast link: fox23.com/news/fox23-investigates/proposal-create-cat-colonies-feral-cats-has-tulsans-divided/VN7THEMJXNEJHODCNPRMYFQJKI/

DEAR JANNA CLARK WITH FOX 23 NEWS: I thought you did a great job reporting on the cat issue and in detailing the absurd, inhumane, public-health-risking and wildlife-decimating recommendations of Best Friends Animal Society. This cultish and influential organization is ethically oblivious and ecologically, scientifically and medically ignorant. Its advocacy of TNVR (trap, neuter, vaccinate and release) and for unadopted cats to live in open "community colonies" is wrongminded.

My research into these "cat-saving" activities shows that they are unacceptable on every count. See the post on my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/releasing-cats-to-live-outdoors-humane-environmental-and-one-health-concerns.

As a veterinarian, bioethicist, ethologist, advocate of One Health and author of books on cat behavior and care, I condemn all "nonprofit" organizations that promote TNVR. Many shelters, while claiming to be "no-kill," have been found dumping large numbers of unadopted cats in the outdoors to fend for themselves -- another wholly unacceptable practice by organizations and agencies purportedly in the business of animal welfare and protection.

Engaging in TNVR, which is ultimately misguided altruism, enables animal shelters to claim that they are "no-kill." It enables them to avoid the necessary responsibility and emotional burden of having to euthanize healthy but unadopted animals if safe enclosures and lifelong care cannot be provided. We must all accept the responsibility and burden of having to euthanize healthy animals for reasons such as financing, competing social priorities, public health and our love and respect for cats -- who so often suffer either violent or very slow deaths when allowed to roam free.

TNVE -- trap, neuter, vaccinate and enclose -- is the humane alternative. The fact that many animal shelters fill up with kittens every spring calls for better cat-owner education, as well as municipal ordinances prohibiting cat owners from allowing their cats to roam off their property, as is mandated in most communities for dogs.

VETS OFFER MATERIAL, MORAL SUPPORT TO UKRAINE

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation will match a $100,000 donation from Merck Animal Health for veterinary medical facilities, animal shelters and animal rescue groups in Ukraine and neighboring countries, and AVMA President Jose Arce encouraged AVMA members and the public to contribute to relief efforts. Other international veterinary and animal welfare organizations are sending food and supplies, supporting Ukrainian veterinarians and veterinary students, raising funds to support shelters and assisting zoos. (Full story: AVMA News, March 14)

MOST POPULAR BREEDS IN THE U.S. IN 2021

For the 31st year in a row, the Labrador retriever was the most popular dog breed in the U.S. last year, according to the American Kennel Club. It was followed by the French bulldog, golden retriever, German shepherd and poodle. (Full story: CNN, March 21)

I have long decried the continued breeding of French bulldogs with extremely flat faces and associated multiple health issues, and German shepherds with sloping backs, almost walking on their heels. Consumer beware!

DEAR DR. FOX: In a recent column about homeless pets and groups that help them, you didn't mention Feeding Pets of the Homeless, a 501c3 charity. I give them $50 a month.

Please investigate and include them in your next column on the topic! -- M.B.W., Delray Beach, Florida

DEAR M.B.W.: Thanks for the information. I checked out this nonprofit organization, and Charity Watch gave it a five-star rating. I hope readers will donate: petsofthehomeless.org.

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)