The Animal Doctor

DEAR READERS: My concern that the coronavirus could be present in the feces of infected humans after they test negative for the virus in respiratory samples has been recently confirmed in the gastrointestinal journal Gut (“COVID-19 and the gastrointestinal tract: more than meets the eye,” Siew C. Ng and Herbert Tilg, September 2020).

I based this concern on the fact that it is well known that feline coronavirus can be present in cats’ feces, but now that cats can get a different coronavirus infection from humans with COVID-19, my next concern is that such cats could also have the SARS-CoV-2 virus in their feces.

On this topic, I contacted professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. He wrote, “We have performed additional cat experiments and found one of six animals shed SARS-CoV-2 in its feces. So, in our hands, SARS-CoV-2 can be present in feces, but it is not a common occurrence.”

But in a larger population, this could be problematic if the amount of viral shedding is sufficient to cause infection. Read on for more about cats and SARS-CoV-2.

EVIDENCE CORONAVIRUS CAN SPREAD TO PETS

Eight cats whose owners had a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection had antibodies for the virus in their blood, and the owners reported that all eight had shown signs of respiratory or other illness, researchers reported at a recent conference on the coronavirus. Two of 10 dogs whose owners had confirmed infections also had coronavirus antibodies in their blood, and one had shown signs of a respiratory illness.

“These preliminary results suggest that a substantial proportion of pets in households of persons with COVID-19 become infected,” said study co-author Dorothee Bienzle, a professor of veterinary pathology at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

These findings call for heightened vigilance when handling fecal waste, both human and feline -- especially in homes where one or more people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and who have one or more cats. As a public health safety precaution, cats from quarantined homes and in infected communities should not be allowed to roam free, since they could become potential reservoirs for cross-infection to other cats and susceptible wildlife -- and also a source of reverse-infection to humans.

DEAR DR. FOX: I don’t read your columns regularly, but did happen to see a recent one that explained your way of dealing with the world for readers who don’t like your politics. I thought it was really well-written, clear and consistent. Sadly, we seem to have developed a very toxic individualistic culture, and many don’t care about the common good.

I retired as a psychotherapist last year, and know that many do not have the ability to think abstractly. Also, many are fearful that there are not enough resources to go around, so they have to look out for themselves and cannot see how improving the common good helps us all. But I also know that when an alternative view is presented in a nonthreatening way, it does cause some to consider alternatives. I’m hoping your clear message will cause a few of the readers who object to your “politics” to consider other ways of thinking. -- B.C., Mantoloking, New Jersey

DEAR B.C.: I appreciate your perspective as a psychotherapist -- a profession in which you must be sensitive in confronting your clients to examine the truths they live by, especially as they relate to their own suffering and that of others. I see epigenetically impaired cognitive processing as a serious social and cultural issue, which educators and therapists alike need to address with the same compassion and understanding as any good cat “keeper” or dog “owner”!

(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: Here in New Jersey, almost everything that had shut down due to the pandemic has been reopened, wholly or in part. But not animal shelters. At the shelters near me, anyone interested in adopting must select a pet from an online picture, then make an appointment to meet the animal. What is the rationale for this, and do you think these strict rules are still necessary? -- J.W., Allenhurst, New Jersey

DEAR J.W.: Yes, I think these restrictions are very much in order, and wish similar ones would have been applied months ago in other situations where people gather in confined areas. Such steps would have done much to reduce America’s high death rate and uncounted numbers of survivors suffering from some of the chronic health consequences of this highly contagious virus.

Many people now shop online, and the internet is a tool shelters have effectively used to facilitate adoptions, as you describe. Many adoptable animals are currently being held in foster homes, leaving the shelters themselves mostly empty. But the shelters may soon fill up again when more people go back to work and children return to school: If the transition is not managed thoughtfully, animals adopted during the shutdown may not adapt well to the long hours of now being left alone. Separation anxiety can lead to behavioral problems, which can lead to families surrendering or abandoning these “animals of convenience.”

People who have adopted animals during the pandemic to entertain their children, and for company in this time of social isolation, should utilize the American Veterinary Medical Association’s tips to avoid such problems. The AVMA recommends seven steps to get pets ready for your return to work.

From avma.org:

-- Slowly introduce workday routines. Schedule waking up, feeding and walking as you might for your expected workday routine, then introduce a consistent departure schedule that builds on that routine.

-- Take anxiety out of your departure. Practice short departures on a daily basis and gradually extend the time you are gone. Give a small treat just as you walk out the door to condition the pet to find it rewarding when you leave. If signs of anxiety -- such as destructive activity -- occur, do not punish the pet. Instead, shorten the time away and slowly build up to longer periods. Stay calm when leaving or returning home.

-- Exercise. Before leaving, engage in play and activity. Burning energy can help keep pets calm and relaxed. ... Keep cats indoors if possible. Do not put face coverings on pets, and do not wipe or bathe your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or any other products not approved for animal use.

-- Keep them engaged. Long-lasting treats, food puzzles and automatic feeders can help keep pets occupied during the day while you’re out.

-- Create a safe space. If you have typically used a crate when you were gone but haven’t been crating your dog while at home, now is a good time to either explore not using a crate (gradually increasing the length of time you are away) or to reintroduce crating while still working from home.

-- Look for signs of stress. Excessive barking or whining, agitation, destructive behavior and inappropriate urination/defecation can all be signs of stress. If you are concerned, consider filming your pets when you leave so you can better observe them and sharing the video with your veterinarian.

-- Talk to your veterinarian. Concerns about behavior, stress and well-being may require a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist and/or medical intervention.

GOOD NEWS FOR WILDLIFE FROM PROJECT COYOTE

From a Sept. 11 release from the Humane Society -- including a quote from my daughter, Camilla Fox, of Project Coyote:

“A coalition of state and national wildlife protection organizations is applauding the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for its vote today banning wildlife killing contests, in which participants compete to kill the most, the largest, or even the smallest animals for cash and prizes. The new rule, put forth by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, prohibits the killing of unprotected species including coyotes, bobcats, crows, foxes and raccoons as part of a contest. Contest participants killed at least 1,427 in these events in Washington between 2013 and 2018.

“Washington joins six other states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Vermont -- that have taken a stand against cruel, unsporting and wasteful wildlife killing contests.

“’Wildlife killing contests are a blood sport just like dogfighting and cockfighting, which have been outlawed nationwide,’ said Camilla Fox, founder and executive director of Project Coyote. ‘We commend Commissioner Baker and the entire Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for relegating these ecologically and ethically indefensible events to the history books.’”

My daughter’s statement (shortened for the release) continues, “Wildlife killing contests are also destructive to healthy ecosystems, within which all wildlife species play a crucial role. For example, coyotes and other targeted species help to control rabbit and rodent populations and restrict rodent- and tick-borne disease transmission.”

I would add this thought to my daughter’s statement: Those who find pleasure in killing any living being as a competitive, recreational sport must be deeply uninformed and in need of empathy-enhancement through better education.

(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: Many thanks for your recent column addressing how cruel TNR is, and offering alternative solutions, which city councilors are always wanting to hear. I forwarded the article to the Animal Welfare Commission of Tulsa, which will soon be providing a recommendation about the TNR issue to the city council. I also copied all of the city council members.

Many thanks again for this timely article and for all your fabulous advocacy -- sorely needed! -- P.G., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR P.G.: I hope more people who really care for cats will step up to the plate and get their city councils to prohibit such activities in their communities, especially where wildlife is at risk from free-roaming cats. TNR (trap, neuter, release) is well-intended, but ethically questionable and scientifically (biologically and ecologically) unacceptable.

Cats are super-predators, and while predation -- one animal killing another for food -- is a natural biological activity and the ecological role of indigenous predators, the domestic cat is an invasive species. Like other invasive species, animal and plant, cats need to be controlled to help protect and restore regional biodiversity, improve ecosystems and maintain public health.

Do keep me posted as to your progress, and I hope other people who share our concerns will support you in Tulsa and other municipalities. Those wanting more information can reach me via my newspaper column or visit my website for science- and experience-based articles concerning cats and their proper care.

MOST UK CAT OWNERS DON’T MIND WILDLIFE ‘GIFTS’

Cat owners’ attitudes about their pets’ hunting behavior fall into one of five categories, ranging from concern to tolerance to indifference, according to a recent study. Most cat owners in the U.K. allow their cats to go outdoors, and oppose the idea of keeping them indoors to protect wildlife, says lead author Sarah Crowley. (Full story: HealthDay News, 9/7)

This culturally embedded practice and attitude is not confronted fairly or fully by the British Veterinary Association, of which I am a member. That group’s current president has stated that some cats with certain medical conditions should be allowed out, while the rest be kept in as a precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic. My recent letter to the BVA Veterinary Record journal, which pointed out various remedies for the conditions she identified, was never published.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have been reading your animal columns for over 30 years, and sometimes send them to my children and friends with animals. The advice you have given has helped so many animals over the years, along with educating us about them and the environment. Keep it up. What keeps you going, and when did you start your animal advocacy? -- R.E., Washington, D.C.

DEAR R.E.: What keeps me going is my love and concern for animals wild and domesticated, and the natural environment we seem incapable of sharing. I am also driven by the mistreatment of both. Animals are not our inferiors. To anyone who claims that their god says animals and nature were created for human use, I say, to hell with that!

What started me were several experiences during my formative years, detailed in my autobiographical essay “My Life for the Animals” (posted on my website, drfoxonehealth.com). One defining moment was during World War II in England, seeing two trash cans brimming over with euthanized cats and dogs, including puppies and kittens, behind a veterinary hospital. (Curiosity on my walk home from grade school had made me take a look, after the loud buzzing of flies on a hot afternoon caught my attention.)

The memory is as clear as it was that day -- a sad reality of the war, when people could not afford to care for their animals. Food was in short supply and rationed, spay/neuter programs were nonexistent, and nobody wanted to adopt a puppy or kitten. But my mother helped me rescue any animal in need while my father was in southeast Asia with the Royal Air Force. We shared our food, saving crumbs and leftovers for the birds -- and for a wild hedgehog who came by many mornings to enjoy the fresh cow’s milk from the local farm, which I hated to drink!

(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.)