DEAR READERS: Here are some snapshots of modern pet ownership, via various sources.

-- According to the AVMA, dogs are the most popular pets in the country. In 2024, 45% of U.S. households owned dogs, compared with 32% of households that owned cats.

-- Pet ownership overall has increased, according to the American Pet Products Association: In 2024, 66% of U.S. households had a pet, up from 56% in 1988.

-- Veterinary visits for cats increased year-over-year from 2023 to 2024, despite a decline in veterinary visits overall, according to the CATalyst Council’s first-ever Feline Market Insights Report. The report found that cat ownership is rising and that urban living trends are favoring cat ownership.

-- A 2010 study out of the University of Texas suggested that individuals who prefer cats and those who prefer dogs may exhibit distinct personality traits. Self-identified dog lovers tend to be more extroverted, agreeable and conscientious, while their cat-loving counterparts tend to be more introverted, open to experiences, and potentially more neurotic.

-- According to a study published in April, certain cat and dog breeds are beginning to look more alike. This is due to selective breeding for features like flat faces and large eyes, per the study from PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). These features make the animals more closely resemble human infants, which may trigger nurturing instincts in pet owners -- but it may be at the expense of the animals’ health.

-- Researchers recently found the remains of at least two cats on a Spanish galleon that sank in 1559 off the coast of Florida. The remains “likely represent the earliest cats in what is now the United States,” say the experts. The cats were likely used to control rodents on board. They were well-fed, indicating they were likely not brought along for consumption or for their fur, researchers reported in American Antiquity.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have been reading some books about animal/human relationships, and one writer says animals are "emotional parasites." On the subject of animal rights, another writer questions the practice of keeping animals as pets, calling them "emotional slaves."

I really love my rescued dog and cats. They are my family -- I don’t see them as parasites, and they are certainly not my slaves. What can you add to clear my mind? -- R.E., Washington, D.C.

DEAR R.E.: My rescued dog and cat are my immediate family members -- even more so since my wife died. Caring for these two animals, showing them loving attention, engages me in affirming my devotion to their well-being. I regard them as a living bridge to illimitable love.

That love leads me to declare that all who have companion animals must extend their affection for all creatures, great and small, and support organizations, local and national, dedicated to their rescue and protection. Otherwise, people live in their own self-centered bubbles, where animals may well be viewed as objects -- lesser beings to be either overindulged or overdisciplined by those who wish to control and dominate.

The quality of our relationships with each other, and with companion animals, reflects our humanity and ability to love. Narrow, limited love can become a box of duty and responsibility, a prison of codependence or a sphere of possessiveness. But our animal companions can catalyze limitless love that connects us with all that we hold sacred, which some call God or a higher power. That is the power of love.

Researchers in the U.K. recently reported that “a pet companion increases life satisfaction by 3 to 4 points on a scale of 1 to 7. Moreover, we estimate the size of the impact of pets on human life satisfaction and well being in monetary units. We find that having a pet companion is worth up to 70,000 pounds (roughly $94,000 U.S.) a year in terms of life satisfaction, similar to values obtained in the literature for meeting with friends and relatives on a regular basis.” (See the study “The Value of Pets: The Quantifiable Impact of Pets on Life Satisfaction” by Michael Gmeiner and Adelina Gschwandtner, published in 2025 in Social Indicators Research.)

Bottom line: Pets care for us and improve our lives in countless ways. There is significant value associated with their companionship in terms of emotional and physical health.

(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: Please read this excerpt from the study “Relationships between Indigenous American Peoples and Wolves” by Brandy Fogg et al., published in 2023 in the Journal of Ethnobiology.

The study's abstract reads:

“We examine the historical relationship between humans and wolves as illustrated through stories of North American Indigenous peoples, especially the Great Plains and Intermountain West (regions) ... All Plains tribes examined closely have stories that describe wolves as guides, protectors or entities that directly taught or showed humans how to hunt after humans arrived in the Americas. Indigenous stories provide insights into the process of the domestication of wolves ... There appears to have existed a reciprocal relationship in which both species provided food for each other or shared food. This is important because it is often assumed by scholars from the Eurocentric tradition that the first wolves associated with humans scavenged or hung around camps waiting for scraps; thus, from this perspective, the process of domestication began with wolves being dominated by humans.

"In contrast, we argue for a coevolutionary reciprocal relationship between Homo sapiens and Canis lupus that existed from the early days of tribes until at least the nineteenth century. ... (Our results indicate that) the process of domestication may have taken a different path than is generally assumed."

It is worth remembering that white settlers, with their cattle and sheep, all but exterminated the wolf, while others engaged in the genocide of North America’s Indigenous peoples.

DEAR DR. FOX: What are your thoughts on the best ways to help animals when one of their housemates and companions dies?

I took one of my cats to be put to sleep today because she indicated it was her time. The lovely vet confirmed it. She said she’s seen dogs say goodbye to their recently deceased friends -- that letting the other animals see the body helps them process what has happened.

We did this with our cat. Her sister was curious and seemed to be processing the smells, etc., whereas our other cat displayed distress and ran away. He looked like he expected her to jump up and attack him -- as she would in life, if he got too close. I hope I didn’t cause him any upset.

Both cats seemed to understand that she wasn’t her usual self yesterday and today. -- S.B., Folkestone, England

DEAR S.B.: I sympathize with your loss. In my experience, surviving animals in the home should be allowed to see their deceased companion. As you observed, some may react with fear and run away, while others take their time, examine the body and then walk away.

Animals of many species mourn the loss of a familiar companion, whether human or nonhuman. Those who do not see the deceased and have at least a moment of mourning may search for them, call out for them and exhibit distress.

I have always provided my cats and dogs the opportunity to see their deceased animal companions. But when my wife died, it was not possible for my dog Kota to see her. For several days, Kota kept looking for her during our daily routines.

SAFE FLEA, TICK AND MOSQUITO PREVENTION

Please see this Facebook video from veterinarian Dr. Bob Goldstein to learn about safer alternatives to the poisonous products many use to keep noxious insects off their pets. Go to: facebook.com/reel/1054928742656921.

(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.)

DR. FOX: I’m 87, and have always declawed my indoor cats on their front paws with no problems. Last year, I got two ginger kittens. Before I could declaw them, they scratched my foot and I ended up in the hospital with cellulitis. After that, they were laser-declawed in the morning and were home tramping around in the afternoon.

The protection of babies, the elderly and furniture require front-declawing. The alternative is euthanizing the cats. Another option is euthanizing any vet who opposes declawing. You’re a jerk! -- L.O., Marco Island, Florida

DEAR L.O.: I am tired of responding to readers such as you, so I referred your letter to veterinarian Dr. Ron Gaskin of Shakopee, Minnesota. He has done remarkable reconstructive surgery on many cats crippled by this surgical mutilation.

Gaskin writes:

"It was shocking to read the statement that to protect humans and furniture, front-declawing cats is 'required'! Perhaps much more thought should have been given to the needs of these kittens rather than the wants of the owners. Bringing kittens into a home with elders who are not willing or able to create a feline-appropriate, safe and compassionate environment for them is inexcusable.

"Kittens have not yet had a chance to learn about boundaries. Amputating their toes for human convenience, rather than clipping their nails and providing them with suitable scratching posts, is inhumane.

"Millions of people worldwide live happily with cats whom they choose to respect and not harm. Many countries prohibit declawing, considering it cruel and unethical. At its very core, declawing inevitably changes the mechanics of cats’ paws, balance and how they walk, which in and of itself is medically unjustifiable and ethically indefensible.

"As to the comment about vets, we have sworn an oath to prevent and relieve animal suffering. Performing a painful elective procedure that provides no medical benefit to the cat, for the sole convenience of the owner, inflicts suffering rather than preventing it, and therefore violates our oath.”

DR. FOX HERE: I would add that the elderly should consider the probability of any adopted animals outliving them. Either make appropriate provisions for these animals, or instead of adopting a pet, engage in foster care for an animal shelter. Animals can thus be rehabilitated for adoption by younger people.

For more about declawing, see my post here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/declawing-cats.

GOOD NEWS FOR RED WOLVES

Three red wolf pups were born at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina. This marks another milestone in conservation efforts for the critically endangered species, which has about 20 members in the wild and 300 under human care. (Full story: The News & Observer, May 13)

This is a glimmer of hope, brought about through the dedication of many people, for an American wolf species on the verge of extinction.

(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.)