DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 14-year-old male rescue cat and have had him for 10 years. Recently, when I am asleep or get up to use the bathroom, he has started to violently attack and bite me. Sometimes when I am sound asleep, he bites my face, legs and arms.

I am wondering why he is doing this. My retired husband, who is always home, may be away for a while. Could the cat be mad that he is gone? Also, are cat bites as bad as dog bites? Should I be seeking medical treatment for them? -- B.L., Fairfield, Connecticut

DEAR B.L.: Your very disturbed cat needs to be put in a carrier and taken to a veterinarian immediately for a full evaluation. That is, if he is not simply biting you gently to get your undivided attention for petting or play. You may need help doing this, so call your nearest veterinary hospital and discuss the situation with people there.

I am not clear from your communication if the cat suddenly began reacting this way when your husband left you alone with him. If so, the cat may have bonded with him and is now fearful in his absence. Surely, he has a strong bond of affection for you after all these years, so I suspect, considering his age, this could be a sign of dementia or another physical condition causing fear or anxiety.

Has the cat been allowed outdoors? If so, the worst-case scenario is rabies. In that case, the cat should be quarantined for observation rather than killed to determine if his brain has the virus, which you may develop if any of his bites penetrated your skin. When was your cat's last anti-rabies vaccination?

A rabies surveillance in the United States published last month in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that of the 21,187 cats submitted for rabies testing in 2017, 276 (1.3 percent) were confirmed rabid, a 7.4 percent increase from 2016. Most cats were infected with a rabies strain carried by raccoons, while a few others were infected with the strain carried by skunks.

Most infections reported in humans come from bites by infected bats, raccoons and dogs. If your skin has been broken, you should go to the hospital for treatment.

Good luck and keep me posted.

DEAR DR. FOX: My son's dog, Charlie, a 5-year-old golden retriever, attacks my daughter and me when we visit. He will come over to us all of a sudden and start "humping." My son yells at Charlie when he does this and makes him stay in his cage.

Charlie does not do this with those who live with him, only visitors. I am 83 years old and handicapped. I use a walker and am afraid of being knocked over and hurt. Any advice would be appreciated. -- H.S., Boynton Beach, Florida

DEAR H.S.: Yelling at a dog who is excited when there are visitors and then putting him in a cage is no solution. This will only increase his anxiety and general excitement, which should have been nipped in the bud at an early age with proper socialization and education. Like most young dogs, Charlie should have been taught how to behave around visitors and exercise self-control.

I am sure you feel like you are being attacked, but this is normal, playful, non-aggressive canine behavior, which will wane once he gets over the excitement of your arrival and that of other visitors. Your son should not yell and cage Charlie, but at least make an effort to leash-train him to sit and stay, and to have him restrained on the leash when visitors come, until his excitement subsides. Such over-arousal makes me wonder how much attention, physical activity and stimulation Charlie gets on a regular basis. If he is confined much of the time, then that issue needs to be addressed.

Alternatively, he could be a "perpetual puppy" who wants to play with exciting new people whenever the opportunity arises. This can be blamed on both genetics and overly permissive treatment when he was a pup, where he never learned to respect boundaries and to not jump up or engage in playful humping. This can also have an element of social dominance or sexual arousal in some dogs; a certified canine behavioral therapist could help your son achieve better control of Charlie.

FEEDING CATS PROPERLY

Serious health and behavioral problems can arise when cats living in one-cat or multiple-cat homes are not fed with an understanding of how to minimize stress and overeating while still getting adequate nutrition.

These are all-too-common issues, an understanding of which is essential for optimal feline well-being. The American Association of Feline Practitioners has produced a consensus statement and excellent brochure on this subject. Cat caregivers and veterinarians alike will find this material most informative, and it may help many cats enjoy better lives. Go to catvets.com/howtofeedcats.

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR.FOX: We wanted to write you and share an unfortunate experience we had fostering dogs, something we no longer do.

Our first few fosters were dogs that the rescue group had had for a while. We took them to the groomer (at our own expense), and when we took them to adoption events, they were the first ones to get adopted. We were thrilled to see these dogs get good homes.

Then one day, the rescue group brought us a dog straight from the shelter. We did the same things for her that we did for our previous foster dogs, but we noticed that she didn't seem to be healthy. Within hours of her being around our dogs, they caught an upper respiratory ailment from her. This meant vet visits for our dogs.

We called the people from the rescue group and told them that the foster had made our dogs sick. They vehemently denied it and said that their vet had examined her and found nothing wrong. Obviously, they were lying, because we know they brought her to us directly from the shelter. We told them that we would no longer be available to foster for them.

I tell this story to make the point that if people are going to foster (and they have pets of their own), they need to be very clear with the rescue group about the health of the animals they are asked to foster.

Our dogs recovered just fine, but it was an unnecessary illness for them and an added expense for us. We learned our lesson. If we choose to foster in the future, we will be more specific with the rescue folks. -- C.R., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR C.R.: Your experience will help others who provide temporary foster homes for companion animals. I do encourage people to take up this very rewarding avocation, ideally coordinated with a well-run animal shelter (where the longer animals are incarcerated, the more they suffer and may become less adoptable).

Full veterinary needs are called for prior to an animal going into a foster home. Quarantine may be necessary. But in emergency situations, such as natural disasters, animal rescue and fostering networks across counties and states are needed immediately. In addition, community shelters are called on to handle displaced people's animals, with support from local and national emergency veterinary services.

I would like to hear from readers about how well prepared their communities are in this regard.

DEAR DR. FOX: We had a yellow Labrador for 15 1/2 years before we had to put him down due to cancer returning for the second time.

One night while in bed, before I had fallen asleep, I opened my eyes and saw him coming into our bedroom. He looked at me and continued down the hallway. (I don't take drugs and did not have any alcohol.) He was translucent, like stained glass.

He never was seen again. He was such an incredible dog and would have made an excellent guide dog or companion animal with professional training. I'm happy to say we had him as part of our family. -- M.A., Jupiter, Florida

DEAR M.A.: Your letter will be appreciated by many readers who share the view that the life we live is but one dimension of many realms we barely comprehend, but are, on occasion, blessed to glimpse through such experiences like yours.

I especially like what ecologist and nature writer Sigurd F. Olson writes in his book "Reflections From the North Country":

"The world of nature does no violence to faiths that speak of personal immortality or reincarnation, for a basic truth encompasses them both."

HYPERTHYROID DISEASE IN CATS AND HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL: POSSIBLE LINK

A recent study reports a possible connection between the fabric stain-repellant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with hyperactive thyroid disease, a common malady in felines today. The chemical was detected in the blood of cats with clinical signs of the disease.

This makes PFOA another household chemical to add to the endocrine-disrupting effects of bromide-based fire-retardants in fabrics, especially petrochemical-based carpets and sofas, where cats are in almost constant contact. (A cat may inhale the microparticles and swallow them when they get on the animal's fur and the cat grooms itself.)

Other chemicals, such as Bisphenol A in cat food can linings and phthalates on food packaging, are also endocrine disruptors. They have been implicated in thyroid disease in cats and may also contribute to thyroid diseases in dogs and humans. (From Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry via JAVMA News, Nov. 14.)

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Recently, you wrote about humans' love for their animals. It reminded me of an article I'd once read that described the "broken-heart syndrome" we feel after losing a pet. I was wondering if you have any insights on this topic. -- M.M.B., Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR M.M.B.: Your query arrives at a fateful time. Last month, my wife and I had to euthanize one of our beloved cats, Pinto Bean, whom we rescued in June 2010.

He was first seen in the snow in January of that year. Possibly because of food-deprivation anxiety, he loved to eat. His palpable post-traumatic stress disorder quickly dissipated when he was with us and our other rescued cat, Mark Twain, but we could never control his food addiction. The dye of self-survival and semi-starvation had been cast with serious metabolic and other health consequences.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as broken-heart syndrome, is a sudden heart condition typically brought on by intense stress, such as grief, and can even cause death. With Pinto Bean's passing, I feel close to that condition right now and can empathize with all who have suffered the loss of a loved one, human or nonhuman.

Intense grief can also kill dogs, elephants and other animals, as the effects of broken-heart syndrome are not exclusive to humans. This condition does need to be more widely recognized; and whatever emotional support can be given to those who are grieving, the better.

I recall vividly Pinto Bean's deep affection and his absolute trust, which I feel I somehow betrayed in having to end his life. But I celebrate the memories of the good life he had in our home and all he gave to us.

DEAR DR. FOX: I had a problem with my 7-year-old cat often vomiting after meals. My vet suggested that I raise his food bowl a few inches. It seemed to work; now he gets sick only about once every two to three months. Just wanted to pass it on to you and your readers. -- C.D., Washington, D.C.

DEAR C.D.: Your veterinarian's advice is a good example of what one can do when dealing with a cat that vomits soon after eating.

A raised food bowl is often the approach taken with dogs that have various difficulties swallowing and engage in frequent food-regurgitation. In cats, food-regurgitation can be the result of eating too fast, a problem with always-hungry cats with metabolic syndrome and related health issues. Recurrent vomiting can also be caused by intolerance or allergy to one or more food ingredients, or fur balls in the stomach.

CBD OIL MAY EASE OSTEOARTHRITIS PAIN IN DOGS

Scientists at Cornell University have found that not only does pollen from hemp attract honeybees, but also that cannabinoid (CBD) extracts from hemp can alleviate pain in dogs with osteoarthritis.

A research team at the university's College of Veterinary Medicine reported in Frontiers in Veterinary Science that pain significantly improved in more than 80 percent of dogs taking CBD oil, and side effects were minimal in the intervention arm of the double-blind placebo-controlled trial. (From Frontiers in Veterinary Science via Forbes.com, Dec. 13.)

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)