DEAR DR. FOX: Our 7-year-old Himalayan cat, Toby, is a rescue. He is sweet and lovable, and he gets along famously with our other cat, Eli, an 8-year-old black Persian. They romp and play, and naptime finds them close to each other. Toby was 9 pounds when we adopted him, and he is 13 pounds now. He's a big boy, but not unwieldy. He is healthy, happy and affectionate. He never throws up or misses the litter box. He drinks plenty of water. He is a hand-nudger and a wet-nose-kisser type.

I do have some concerns, though. Toby eats dry Adult Iams with some wet canned Friskies. He frequents Eli's bowl, which contains only the dry Iams. Toby is a dedicated, compulsive eater, and he regularly snacks on newspapers, which I find gnawed up when I wake up. There are times when he seems haunted by the possibility of more food and goes on the hunt. The cats get treats at scheduled times. I added the wet food to Toby's food hoping to discourage the newspaper eating or help fill some sort of nutritional need.

Toby also overgrooms. He loves to be hugged and petted, but usually hastens to groom afterward. He helps Eli groom on occasion. He also sometimes covers Eli's litter box business -- such a gentleman.

I am reluctant to incur a whole lot of expense at the vet's on a mostly healthy, fantastic cat who has some idiosyncrasies that may not be detrimental. I waver, considering insecurity, something lacking in his diet or my overactive imagination. I hope you can lend some thoughts on my concerns about Toby. -- C.C., St. Louis

DEAR C.C.: I am concerned about Toby's increased appetite, coupled with excessive grooming and compulsive paper eating. These three behaviors could be symptomatic of thyroid cancer. Toby is around the age when hyperthyroidism appears, and it is all too common in cats today -- along with Type 2 diabetes.

Several environmental factors can trigger thyroid disease in cats -- from chemicals in carpets and upholstery to high levels of iodine and cadmium in cat food to fluoride in drinking water.

You should consider having a full thyroid function test conducted by your veterinarian. Try transitioning Toby onto a raw food diet, a single-protein cat food or my own home-prepared diet, and see if that helps reduce the excessive grooming. If the grooming gets worse, you may be better able to spot a food allergy/hypersensitivity and take it from there.

DOG FOR DOG RECALLS PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCT

As part of a widespread recall of Sunland human food products containing peanut butter, DOG for DOG is asking owners to return the company's Dogsbutter, a canine peanut butter. No Dogsbutter products have tested positive for salmonella, but the company is taking this action to ensure the well-being of dogs. Thirty-nine people across 19 states have contracted salmonella in an outbreak linked to a number of Sunland products. For more information, visit dogfordog.com.

(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.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I believe my 10-month-old puppy suffers from anxiety. He runs in circles and barks like crazy when he sees a tree, mailbox or person. Please help; I don't know what to do. -- C.A., Fargo, N.D.

DEAR C.A.: This sounds more like excitement than anxiety. If he gets out and about rarely and is not widely socialized, you could be creating a Kaspar Hauser -- a poor soul who feels "overloaded" outside and cannot take in too much stimulation. This often manifests as agoraphobia and xenophobia -- fear of open spaces outdoors and strangers. Dogs kept in kennels can develop these anomalies, though genetics and temperament make some more susceptible.

Your young dog, with the tail chasing and spinning, could be developing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which, in some cases, can lead to tail biting and self-mutilation. I advise lots of physical activity outdoors; an organic, additive-free diet; and no more vaccinations after his one-year booster shots -- except for mandated rabies shots.

You may also try the cradling therapy, which is described on my website and in the archives of my "Animal Doctor" newspaper column. Find those at DrFoxVet.com. In severe cases where behavior modification fails to prevent tail chasing, Prozac or a light dose of Valium can prove beneficial.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have had two cats, brother and sister, for six years. Recently, the male had to visit the vet for a urinary tract infection. We were gone for less than an hour, but when we returned, the female acted as if he were a stranger.

This behavior has gone on now for more than three weeks, and the male has stationed himself behind our sofa and only comes out to eat. We have a pheromone diffuser and squirt the female when she attacks him. No one, not even our vet, can tell us what to do.

Any suggestions? Will this behavior end at some point? -- W.D.L., Scranton, N.J.

DEAR W.D.L.: What you are witnessing is one of the irrational aspects of feline behavior: The strange scent your cat picked up at the veterinary hospital makes your other cat terrified and act as though she no longer recognizes her brother.

Olfaction plays a major role in feline gestalt perception and cognition. This is a fairly common occurrence and is seen notably when one cat comes in from roaming outdoors bearing the scent of another cat after a fight or other physical contact.

I advise rubbing a little bit of the same perfume or aftershave used by one of the caregivers on both cats for several days, around the cheeks and back of the neck. Offer them dried catnip. If these steps fail, visit my website, DrFoxVet.com, and look up my review of the procedures established to introduce a new cat into the home where there is already one cat. Good luck!

DOG TREAT RECALL: BOOTS & BARKLEY AMERICAN BEEF BULLY STICKS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Kasel Associated Industries of Denver is voluntarily recalling its Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks because the product may be contaminated with salmonella.

The recalled Bully Sticks were distributed nationwide through Target retail stores from April through September 2012.

Consumers who have purchased the six-count 5-inch packages of American Beef Bully Sticks are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact Kasel Associated Industries at 800-218-4417.

(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.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I have been fostering a 7-year-old female Westie for the past five months. The rescue center told me that a Missouri breeder dropped her off, saying that the dog had no problems, was in good health and had been kept in a pen her whole life. It took her a little bit to come around to me, but she now comes when I call to her and can obey simple commands.

I would like to socialize her, but she seems to be very sensitive to sounds that naturally occur in a home, and she is extremely frightened of the outdoors and other people. If the dog and I are outside in the backyard and she hears a neighbor talking or a car drive by, she panics, pants, shakes and begs to go back inside. She doesn't know how to play or chew on toys, and she seems to want only to hide in a corner and sleep all day. She doesn't bark, bite or act aggressive -- just scared all the time. I speak softly to her, pet her and show her as much love as I can, and she trusts me now, but she can't seem to accept the simplest of noises, like a door closing or the neighbor's lawn mower.

Can you think of anything I can do to help her relax around normal noises and people? Is there a book you can recommend? -- L.M., St. Louis

DEAR L.M.: You have my sympathy, and I share with you the frustration and sense of failure you have gone through with this poor dog. It is likely your dog is suffering from the consequences of prolonged environmental deprivation (PED), a syndrome that researchers studied in dogs decades ago. Depending on breed, temperament, duration of confinement and the quality of rehabilitation treatment, recovery is possible, though there are no guarantees. This syndrome is similar in some ways to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Under veterinary and behavioral therapist guidance, using a combination of Valium or Xanax with gradual desensitization behavior modification, your little terrier may recover and enjoy a better quality of life with freedom from fear. Spending several hours a day with an easygoing, friendly dog could be the best medicine. You might also try fitting her with an anxiety wrap -- such as the kind sold to help dogs suffering from fear of thunder -- when you go out.

Your letter is a red flag for purebred dog adoption networks and prospective long-distance adopters. These organizations have a responsibility to the dogs to ensure they are suitable for adoption in terms of temperament and compatibility and that dogs with PED and other behavioral problems are given appropriate treatment -- like good foster homes -- prior to being put up for adoption.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a 2 1/2-year-old cat, Tuxedo, who we adopted last year. He prefers being outdoors and on the screened porch, with the screen door ajar. His personality is loving to us and fearful of other people and noises.

He has not learned to use our porch pet door (lightweight plastic). We carry him to the door and coax him with food and treats to open it when he is most hungry and try when he is outside by opening the flap and enticing him with favorite food. He simply will not walk through or allow us to gently lift him through the open flap.

Please help. We need to have the screen door closed. Our vet couldn't offer any new suggestions. -- W.K., Front Royal, Va.

DEAR W.K.: I am very much opposed to letting cats go free outdoors unless they enter a bird-proof and escape-proof enclosure.

Please make every effort to help your cat enjoy life outdoors in an enclosure rather than allowing him to roam free. Many cat owners build outdoor enclosures for their cats to enjoy. Alternatively, you can make the screened porch more cat friendly by including a cat condo, scratch-post or secure tree branch placed for him so he can climb and look out. Consider adopting an easygoing, healthy young cat to enrich his social life indoors. Cats can be trained to wear a harness and enjoy strolling outdoors on a leash.

Pet doors should be left open initially so the animal gets used to passing through the opening. Then tape it up so it is half-closed and just needs a little push up.

ORDER YOUR VETERINARY CALENDAR NOW!

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The first Dr. ShowMore Calendar was a success. It was sold at more than 20 medical and veterinary conferences, and it was featured on CBS News and ABC News, in many magazines and newspapers, and at the Sundance Film Festival.

The Dr. ShowMore project is overseen by the Center for Integrative Veterinary Care Inc., an organization dedicated to education and outreach and designed to raise awareness of the public, pet owners and veterinarians concerning integrative veterinary medicine. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated toward veterinary student scholarships. The calendar costs $15, which includes shipping and handling. Order from 508-435-4077 or DrShowMore.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.com.)