DEAR READERS: Several sources estimate that the life expectancy of an outdoor cat is only 2 to 5 years. By contrast, the life expectancy of an indoor-only cat is 12 to 18 years! One major reason for the discrepancy is that when an outdoor cat enters another cat's territory -- whether that of a feral cat or the pet of an equally irresponsible neighbor -- fights usually ensue, along with bite wounds and claw punctures.

Cat bites can transmit FIV -- the usually fatal feline immunodeficiency virus -- and bites and claw punctures can both transmit bacterial infection into underlying tissues, muscles, tendons and joints. These wounds can be crippling and lead to septicemia (blood poisoning) and a slow death if the cat is not immediately treated.

Every veterinary hospital will attest to the fact that many of their feline patents come in with bite and scratch wounds, usually from other cats and occasionally from wildlife such as foxes, raccoons and coyotes. Some of these poor cats had no defense since they had been declawed by their owners. Being hit by vehicles, of course, is the other major cause of considerable suffering and expensive veterinary treatment for outdoor cats.

I am especially concerned about TNR "Community Cat" programs that do not provide any protective enclosures for their cats. In such cases, any free-roaming stray, feral or outdoor-indoor cat could encounter them and injurious fighting could occur. Catching TNR cats with fight injuries would be challenging -- and probably too little, too late, even if the suffering animal is actually caught. And "working cats" on farms and such with infected bites and scratches are likely to die slowly from a combination of infection and starvation, being too ill or injured to hunt.

For more details, go to petshed.com/petcyclopedia/cat-fights.html.

CAT RABIES RISK

An unvaccinated 8-month-old cat in Torrington, Connecticut, that shared water and food with wildlife and other outdoor cats was diagnosed with rabies. State law requires all dogs and cats older than 3 months to be vaccinated against rabies. (Full story: The Register Citizen, Jan. 12)

This incident underscores the need to always keep cats indoors. In the CDC's 2020 rabies surveillance report (https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.22.03.0112), only 11 coyotes tested positive, as compared with a total of 288 cats -- an increase from 245 cats in 2019. Only 57 dogs tested positive in 2020 -- a drop from 66 in 2019. Yet each year, hundreds of thousands of animals need to be placed under observation or be tested for rabies, and between 30,000 to 60,000 people need to receive rabies postexposure prophylaxis.

For more, see cdc.gov/rabies/location/usa/surveillance/human_rabies.html.

DEAR DR. FOX: I rescued three cats and I have one dog. I have a doggie door, and my cats learned how to use it to go outside. So to protect them from getting lost or, God forbid, getting hurt by other animals, I bought a chicken coop. I cut out the square where the dog door opens and put a comfortable hammock inside the coop. My cats love to go outside, get fresh air and watch the lizards and the birds, with no worries of getting lost. I thought I'd pass on my tip. -- M.B., Trenton, New Jersey

DEAR M.B.: Good for you -- and for your cats! I would put an extra protective fence around the chicken coop to keep any visiting cats or other animals at a safe distance. Cat owners who want more information on making in-home life safe and enjoyable for their cats can find a lot of good information from the American Bird Conservancy website (abcbirds.org).

There are also multiple articles on this topic on my website, drfoxonehealth.com.

(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: This is a continuation of my thoughts on the development of "grown" meat products as an alternative to factory farms and the slaughter of livestock for consumption. For the first part of this discussion, and the letter that prompted it, please see my Feb. 12 column.

Onward to the latest developments and their possibilities and implications:

Canadian meat giant Maple Leaf Foods has teamed with California's The Better Meat Co. to co-create next-level mycelium meats. While vegan burger and sausage manufacturers such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods rely on soy and pea proteins, and Quorn Co. was the first to utilize fungal mycelium, venture funding is stimulating innovations in animal cell culture in bioreactors.

For instance, San Francisco-based Wildtype will grow salmon stem cells in bioreactors, then transfer them to 3D plant-derived scaffolds to recreate the natural texture of fish. Such innovations will take time to reach the market, but could do much to quell the harmful consequences of overfishing, the depletion of ocean life and the inhumane conditions at salmon fish farms. (For details, see fishfeel.org.)

There is also a company using fungal mycelium to create a durable substitute for animal leather, which can then be made into shoes, clothing, wallets and more. For details, including purchase information, go to mycoworks.com.

On the pet food front, Bond Pets is using precision fermentation to create animal proteins that are just like meat. And a new company called Because, Animals is growing rabbit meat for dogs and mice meat for cats using cells from real meat. A growing number of companies, including Good Dog Food (gooddogfood.com), are focusing on cultured meat for companion animals only.

A company in Singapore, Pawsible Foods (pawsiblefoods.com), is another player in the mycelium-based pet nutrition arena. They are doing similar things as Quorn and The Better Meat Co., as far as using fermentation methods and mycelium-based bioprocesses to create food for pets that is cleaner and healthier than traditional meat-based products.

Fungal mycoproteins and other chemical components of mushrooms can heal, as promoted by some holistic veterinarians, notably my old friend Dr. Robert Silver. (For details, see realmushrooms.com and wellpetdispensary.com.) The role of fungi in helping us create safe and near-zero carbon emission foods, meat, fish, dairy and egg substitutes is indeed most promising, and they have been used safely in baking and brewing for centuries.

The powers, qualities and gifts of the fungal kingdom are many, and these organisms play vital roles in forests and other ecosystems. Recapturing these gifts, and in turn helping keep forests -- the lungs of the Earth -- healthy, may put us on the path of scientific redemption, healing and planetary restoration.

Readers interested in more information on this topic may find these two articles enlightening: "The Rise of Cell-Cultured Seafood" by Cliff White (seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/sena-panel-the-rise-of-cell-cultured-seafood) and "Understanding the Cellular Agriculture Industry's Impact and Growth" by Hamid Noori (forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/01/18/understanding-the-cellular-agriculture-industrys-impact-and-growth).

ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS FOR PETS: A WORD OF CAUTION

Regarding all of the promising developments and technologies above, we must still be patient and prudent before rushing to feed our companion animals any unproven products. Allergens remain a possible concern, as always.

The most likely food allergens contributing to canine cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFRs) are beef, dairy products, chicken and wheat. The most common food allergens in cats are beef, fish and chicken. CAFRs include both food hypersensitivities (mediated by the immune system) and food intolerances (not involving the immune system). (For more, see "Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals," R.S. Mueller, et al, biomedcentral.com.)

In light of these findings, I would exercise caution in putting cultivated meats into pet foods. But this is unlikely in the near future anyway, because of the costs in producing animal proteins via biofermentation at this stage of research and development.

(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: I have a 4-year-old terrier mix. There are two situations I am concerned about.

1. He eats irregularly. He'll eat in the morning but not in the evening, or vice versa on other days. He hasn't lost weight, though. I feed him Science Diet food. I have no other problems with him; he is energetic and very loving.

2. I am stressed out because I am going on a cruise soon, and I need to board him for four nights at a dog facility. I have heard many good things about this facility and the care given there, so I booked a small room for him, equipped with a TV. My great concern is that he will not adjust or eat while I am gone.

I am planning on taking him to the facility for dog-sitting for a few afternoons, and possibly a few full days, to become acquainted with the facility and staff. Am I being too obsessed with leaving him? What are your thoughts? -- K.U., via email

DEAR K.U.: As to your first concern: Some (adult) dogs do like a one-per-day meal schedule. Be sure he is getting adequate nutrition, since many manufactured dog foods are inadequate and full of additives and preservatives. You might want to consider transitioning your dog to Earth Animal's Wisdom food, chicken or turkey flavor, which is a slow-cooked, nutrient-retaining kibble. I add a little hot water and let it soak for a while, and my dog relishes it. I add a little grated carrot or crushed blueberries mixed in cottage cheese and a few drops of Nordic Naturals cod liver oil, or on alternate days, a couple of canned sardines.

Sticking to the same feeding routine is important for both dogs and cats. Checking body weight every few weeks is important to gauge if you need to feed more or less.

As for your vacation concerns, some dogs do unfortunately suffer from separation anxiety and refuse to eat. If you cannot get an in-home dog-sitter, try this measure: Have your dog spend two nights at the boarding facility, making sure he gets his usual food, then pick him up and bring him home. This way, he may learn that next time he is left there, it will not be forever. While he is at the facility, leave him a T-shirt you have worn for a couple of days so that the scent can comfort him.

Alternatively, follow the plan you have suggested and then do an overnight stay. I recall, in my veterinary student days, seeing a black Labrador who refused to eat when his owners left him at the vet's boarding facility in a small kennel. He went into rapid decline after a couple of days, but picked up and regained his appetite when I took him for walks and napped with him every afternoon! That was my first lesson in recognizing emotional distress and separation anxiety, and the benefits of understanding animal behavior. Tender, loving attention is an integral aspect of good veterinary care.

DOGS' SOCIAL LIVES AND DISEASE RISKS

Whether it's the dog park, doggie day care, boarding, competitions or training classes, mingling dogs with varied or unknown health histories can present health problems for dogs as well as for their owners. The AVMA has gathered resources on disease risks and safety tips for pets and people during these important social interactions. View AVMA's resources on dogs' social lives and disease risks at: avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dogs-social-lives-and-disease-risks.

(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.)