DEAR DR. FOX: I enjoyed reading your article on the 78-year-old woman who recently adopted a cat. I, too, adopted a cat, and I am 76 years old.

The cat is very comforting to me, and he is an excellent companion. My wife passed away two years ago, and anyone who goes through this stressful experience understands what it is all about. You get very lonely and at times don't know if you will get through another day without your significant other.

I will be away for one week soon, and I am thinking about leaving the cat downstairs rather than letting him roam the entire home while I'm gone. The downstairs area is large and provides enough space for the cat, his litter box and food. Is this a good idea? I have a pet sitter who will come in once a day to feed him.

Any thoughts you may have will be appreciated. Thank you. -- P.E., Port Republic, Md.

DEAR P.E.: You have my condolences regarding the loss of your wife, and I trust that other readers will consider, as you did, adopting animal companions because of their phenomenal healing powers and the fact that they need good homes.

But always consider the animal's age -- your cat might outlive you. What provisions have you made in your will? Adopting an older animal who will probably not outlive you might be more humane.

Have your pet sitter come in at least twice a day to clean out the litter box, feed, water, sit with and pet/groom the cat. Maybe set up a routine to switch the TV or radio on so the cat feels less alone. If your cat is used to having access to the entire house, confining him to the basement while you are gone could be extremely traumatic, so I'd say no to that. Have the pet sitter come visit as often as possible while you are still there so your cat will be less afraid of a relative stranger when you are gone.

I advise in-home cat sitting rather than boarding a cat. I am in total shock at what seem to be the standard cat boarding facility cage and "condo" dimensions. These range from 3 by 4 feet to 4 by 6 feet floor space with heights varying from 3 to 4 feet. I found only two places in the area where I live (Minneapolis) where I would ever consider boarding a cat -- the better ones have windows and lots of space, including stand-up room for a human. I wonder why such small spaces are considered acceptable for cats but not for dogs?

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 15-year-old black and tan longhaired dachshund who does this strange thing out in the yard. He has a figure eight worn into the grass, and he walks it constantly. He is losing weight from all this walking. He's always hungry, but seems fine for a 15-year-old dog. Do you have an explanation for his behavior? I would love to hear what you think. -- J.W., St. Charles, Mo.

Dear J.W., What you describe is an obsessive-compulsive behavior more commonly seen in caged zoo animals and breeding sows in pig factories confined in narrow crates their entire lives; it is called stereotypic behavior.

Repetitive movements may be self-comforting and result in the production of natural opiates in the body, which, in turn, give the activity an addictive element. The underlying cause in your dog could be some discomfort, which he is trying to relieve. This discomfort could be physical, as from chronic bowel inflammation or a brain tumor, or from increased anxiety.

A full veterinary check-up is called for, and if he is in good physical health -- and I would not advise costly tests considering his advanced age -- a very light dose of alprazolam (like Xanax) to see if it is anxiety-related may be the best treatment option. You can also give him a higher fat and protein diet with supplements to help improve his physical condition -- provided his kidney function is good.

(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: We adopted a darling yellow tiger kitten who weighs about 5 pounds. The shelter we adopted her from suggested she should have kitten food for a year. However, the food I selected for her -- Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Chicken -- is for kittens and cats, and it gives the amount to feed by weight. The store employees said kittens should be free-fed to encourage weight gain, so I have given her more than the recommended 2/3 cup, seeing as she seems starving all the time. I really want to feed her right, but I need advice. I am not up to home-cooking her food, though.

When she was spayed, the price was supposed to be included in the adoption fee. When my husband went to pick her up, she'd had all sorts of additional shots and procedures. When I called Animal Medical Services -- where the spaying took place -- they said these things were presented to my husband as a matter of choice, but he says they were presented to him as imperative. When I called my husband to see how she was, my first reaction was, "I don't want her filled with all of those chemicals!" But when I saw the bill, I was even madder.

I know veterinarians have to make a living. I also know that a fairly new building and multitudinous employees must be paid for. But, Dr. Fox, I doubt this kitten's paws had ever touched the outside ground before we got her, and I can guarantee that they will not in the future. She is strictly an indoor cat. I believe North Carolina state law requires an annual rabies shot, but beyond that, what does an inside cat need? -- L.E., Mount. Airy, N.C.

DEAR L.E.: Active young cats need several (four to six) small meals a day, ideally canned or raw-frozen and a lesser amount of grain-free dry cat food. For readers who are interested in a home-prepared recipe and recommended commercial cat foods, go to DrFoxVet.com. Some pet food companies donate their cat and dog foods to shelters and provide free samples for people to take with them when they adopt an animal. This makes marketing sense, but does not mean that the animals would fare best when fed such foods for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for sending me your itemized veterinary bill. The charges seem reasonable to me. The spay operation was free, but charges were made for protective electrolytes and blood screening. The treatment for worms and fleas was also free. I would only question the need for a feline leukemia vaccination for an indoor cat. Surprisingly, you were not charged for the feline viral leukemia tests, which can cost more than the entire bill that your husband paid. The other vaccinations that were given (at a very reasonable charge) are necessary.

You should count your blessings in this regard and consider adopting another cat and take him/her to the same veterinary facility.

DEAR DR. FOX: My otherwise healthy 6-year-old beagle, Kady, has recently been diagnosed with glaucoma. I took her in due to her glowing greenish-looking eyes and the fact that she bumped into a few things. The vet said that Kady probably had this from a young age and that it was genetic. She is on latanoprost drops twice daily to stabilize the pressure in her eyes.

Have you found these drops to help the situation? I was told that when her pressure gets too high and when she becomes uncomfortable, I might need to have her eyes removed.

I am sick about this possible scenario. Any information you have on this problem will be appreciated. Thanks for your time and attention. -- S.G., St. Louis

DEAR S.G.: I am glad that this condition was diagnosed and that treatment was immediately instigated -- if it is not too late, that is, to save your dog's eyesight. Glaucoma -- increased fluid and pressure buildup inside the eye -- can lead to detachment of the lens, ulceration of the cornea and blindness.

It is common in some breeds such as the cocker spaniel, wirehaired fox terrier, Great Dane, poodle, miniature schnauzer and Alaskan malamute. Initial signs include excessive blinking and/or rubbing of eyes, reddening around the eyes and dilated pupils.

Your attending veterinarian may also consider treatment with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor such as methazolamide, especially if one or both lenses are detached. So-called gonioimplants (aqueous humor shunts) to drain out the fluid inside the eye may be a surgical option, but I am afraid that the prognosis is poor, and your dog may well go blind. She may, indeed, need to have the eyeballs removed.

With patient and loving support, many dogs adapt surprisingly well to loss of vision, and your beagle still has her nose and ears on her side.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have been feeding our two large dogs Blue Buffalo chicken dog food because they have allergies and will chew their feet while eating regular food.

It was expensive to start with, and the company just cut the $58 bag from 30 to 24 pounds -- a 20 percent increase in price. We shop at Costco and saw its gluten-free dog food. We were afraid to try it, even though it would be about half the price. Are you familiar with Costco's brand for allergic dogs? -- L.P., Naples, Fla.

DEAR L.P.: So-called hypoallergenic dog and cat foods contain a single protein such as chicken, venison or rabbit. But recent findings reveal that some brands may contain other animal protein ingredients that are not indicated on the label. So you must take your chances if you do not make your own dog food or have confirmed assurance from the manufacturer.

Transition your dogs gradually over a five- to seven-day period onto the cheaper brand, give your dogs probiotics and see how they fare. If their food allergy/intolerance symptoms flare up, you may wish to shop around for another less-expensive brand after you put your dogs back onto the Blue Buffalo (an excellent brand).

(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: A few years ago, we got two Pomeranians. In May, seeing a proliferation of fleas and ticks, I let my guard down and went with my vet's recommendation of Vectra. We applied it to our small Pom in the recommended dose and forgot about it. Within three weeks, my healthy 3-year-old dog was dying; her immune system shut down, and she was no longer producing red blood cells or platelets. Our vet asked if she had access to rat poison.

More than $10,000 later, after transfusions, bone marrow and other tests, two weeks in the veterinary hospital and many drugs, she survived and came home. She has sort of recovered, but is now sentenced to a lifetime of cyclosporine -- her immune system is shot, and she'll never be the same.

I welcome your thoughts and sincerely hope you don't condone putting what is well understood to be horrible poisons onto an animal's skin. -- B.G., Toms River, N.J.

DEAR B.G.: I trust that you and the attending veterinarian have sent in a report to the company and also to the Food and Drug Administration. You can also report it at this website: dogsadversereactions.com/fdareporting.html.

As you may know from my newspaper column, I am fundamentally opposed to the use of these kinds of anti-flea and tick drugs. I receive many letters concerning adverse reactions in dogs and cats. Even though Vectra is supposedly one of the safer of these insecticidal drugs, I advise against their use except as a last resort when all nondrug flea control and eradication steps fail. For details on such procedures, see my article on my website.

Check any of the topical flea-killing products on the Internet for adverse reactions in dogs and cats. They can range from scratching, panting and vomiting to seizures and death. If your dog was also vaccinated around the time she was treated with Vectra, an adverse reaction to the vaccination (called vaccinosis) cannot be ruled out.

DEAR DR. FOX: I know you enjoy hearing stories about humans and beloved pets in the afterlife, so I wanted to share a story about my husband and his beloved cat, Rita.

A few months ago, Rita was nearly 20 years old, and my husband took her in to be put to sleep due to her ailing health. My husband and Rita were great buddies and always hung out together around the house -- watching TV together, watching birds, etc.

My husband recently went to the hospital for what was supposed to be a simple procedure, but he had complications and ended up staying for weeks. His doctor decided to perform a relatively simple procedure to determine what was causing all the complications.

A couple of days before surgery, my husband said that he didn't want me to think he was crazy, but in the evening, Rita had come by to see him. He was not on any pain medication that would have caused hallucinations. He said that she had strolled close by his chair so he could pet her on the way and that she sat up in the hospital window and they'd watched for birds. Then Rita curled up on his bed. I told him that I totally believed in animals reaching us from beyond and that Rita was just trying to lift his spirits. My husband, however, was worried that her appearance was an omen and that he wouldn't make it through the procedure. If that were the case, he was thankful that he'd had such a wonderful life.

Much to our surprise and sadness, my husband did not survive the "simple" procedure. Evidently Rita was the omen he thought she was. As much as I miss my husband, I am comforted knowing that Rita escorted him to the other side and they're both up there in a better place and out of their physical pain. -- C.D., North Beach, Md.

DEAR C.D.: I am sure that many readers will appreciate your extraordinary account of a beloved, deceased cat manifesting as an omen, yet giving some sense of an afterlife to your hospitalized husband.

Hospital psychosis is a not-uncommon hallucinatory malady, especially in elderly patients. But it seems as though your husband was in no way psychotically disoriented.

Some readers may complain that this is not the domain of "Animal Doctor" issues and that I should focus solely on animal health and behavioral topics. But spiritual and metaphysical realms are part of the human/nonhuman bond, and it is love, empathy and compassion (as between Rita and your husband) that cement the cornerstone of animal and human health and well-being.

(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.)