My Pet World: Cat sharing might be best

Question: Our cat, Columbus, is an escape artist and somehow manages to get out nearly each morning to visit our neighbors. They feed him, and have three young children who dote on him. Columbus clearly adores them and spends most of the day around their house. Sometimes they even need to walk Columbus back to our house. Does our cat prefer the neighbors to me and my husband? We love him but want to allow him to make a choice. Should we give him up? — H.C.,Louisville, Ky.

Answer: I hate to break your heart, but allowing Columbus to make a choice might be what’s best for him. Somecats detest attention from young children, but Columbus apparently thrives on it. Presumably, those kids have their little friends over and Columbus enjoys the commotion.

Interestingly, this neighboring family has cat food. Are they attempting to sway Columbus to their side of the fence? Also interesting is that you describe Columbus as an “escape artist.” If you really wanted to keep him inside, it seems you could. In any case, Columbus is clearly happy at the neighbors’, although that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s unhappy spending time with you and your husband.

I’m not opposed to the idea of cat sharing; two families can be better than one. But then who pays for vet visits, food, etc.? If you can work out these sticky details, giving Columbus the best of both worlds might be ideal.

Q: Recently, you wrote about a dog who licked everything, suggesting the pet had allergies or even psychological issues. Well, that’s just nuts.

I agree with the Tibetan terrier owner who more recently wrote to you, explaining that her dog also licked at herself and licked people. Her vet said the dog had allergies, but the owner simply added salt to the dog’s diet and the licking stopped.

I read on the Internet about adding salt to a pet’s diet, so I tried the same thing with our shepherd mix, who also seemed obsessed with licking. It seems clear that there isn’t enough salt in pet foods. I started adding a teaspoon of salt a day to Chester’s food, and he longer licks. Don’t you believe, now that your own readers have offered evidence that there isn’t enough salt in dog food? Check it out on the Internet. —V.D., Cyberspace

A: Thousands of people read my columns, yet you’re only the second reader who’s written about adding salt to a licking dog’s diet. Proven science is what convinces me, not random websites or blogs. Still, I admit it’s intriguing that even two readers believe there’s an association between adding salt to a dog’s diet and licking.

You should know thatdogs who lick themselves may do so for many reasons, ranging from flea-related allergies to pain (it hurts, so the dogs lick). A small percentage of dogs lick at themselves as a compulsive behavior. The most common reason dogs lick at their paws is allergy. In general, dogs may have inhalant/environmental allergies and/or food allergies. It doesn’t make logical sense that increased salt could impact an allergy.

As for licking salt off sweaty people, or just licking people in general, this is something many dogs seem to enjoy. It’s one thing to say the dogs enjoy licking our perspiration, but another to suggest they don’t get enough salt in their diets.

Tiffany Bierer, nutritional sciences manager at Mars Pet Care in Franklin, Tenn., says: “There’s already sodium in (canine) diets, and while some diets may contain more or less than others, they’re all complete and balanced. Adding salt daily can create excess, which short term can cause diarrhea and/or vomiting. And it may affect the absorption of other minerals, as well as the dog’s electrolyte balance. In dogs with heart disease — which may go undiagnosed for a time — the added salt can be a serious problem, and the same goes for dogs with kidney disease.”

I concede, I can’t explain how adding salt has apparently resolved a licking problem in some dogs. Even for these pets, there could be a price to pay later.

Q: Each morning, I enjoy a nutritional drink called Shakeology This chocolate-flavored drink contains 70 healthy ingredients, to which I add almond milk. My kitten, Taz, got a taste of the drink and just loves it. She licks a little from the blender each morning. and I haven’t seen any adverse affects. I know Shakeology has many benefits for people, and assume the same is true for cats. What do you think? — S.B., Cyberspace

A: If the chocolate flavoring is made with actually real chocolate (which contains theobromine), dogs, horses and cows that consume it can become ill. Tiffany Bierer says that’s probably true for cats, as well.

“We also know that caffeine (which the drink may or may not contain) is a problem for most cats,” she adds.

Because the drink contains almond milk, there’s probably no issue with lactose, but some cats are lactose intolerant.

“If it really is a very little bit, there’s probably no harm,” says Bierer. “And you’re right, the drink may offer some benefits. Still, if it was my cat, I wouldn’t take the risk, especially if there is real chocolate in the shake.”

Q: My Dachshund has a weird habit of circling his food dish before eating. He’s 8 years old and has been doing this all his life. Last month, we rescued a Dachshund puppy, and he’s doing the same thing. Does this surprise you? — P.L., Indianapolis

A: Chris Dignan, a Chicago dog trainer (also a marine mammal trainer at the Shedd Aquarium), says he’s not surprised. Dachshunds sometimes circle when they get excited.

“Your dog began to circle all those years ago as you approached with the food dish. You rewarded the behavior by giving him his food,” he notes. “Most likely, the same thing occurred with the puppy, but it’s also possible, though less likely, that the puppy learned the routine from the older dog.”

STEVE DALE welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can’t answer all of them individually, he’ll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to petworld@steve dale.tv. Include your name, city and state. Steve’s website is https://www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated “Steve Dale’s Pet World” and “The Pet Minute.” He’s also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.