Feb 27, 2022 4 min read

Dear Readers: Cats sometimes eat, drink or groom excessively, and such behaviors can be indicative of a medical issue. Many cats — like other animals, including humans — become more irritable, withdrawn or aggressive when in chronic pain.

Alternatively, these behaviors may be dismissed as psychological or obsessive-compulsive. Dismissing these behaviors is bad science, and could mean that veterinary care is not even sought.

The flaw of “psychologizing” animals’ behavior — imposing a preconceived interpretation of psychopathology rather than making objective observations — is exemplified by a ridiculous study entitled “A Domestic Cat Model of Triarchic Psychopathy Factors,” published in the Journal of Research in Personality. In their summary, University of Liverpool psychologist Rebecca Evans and associates state: “Findings provide insight into the structure of triarchic psychopathy in cats. Essentially, results measure a cat’s levels of three things: ‘meanness’ (aka traits such as a lack of empathy), ‘disinhibition’ (problems with behavioral restraint) and ‘boldness’ — which, in this instance, is to do with social dominance and low levels of fear. The test also looks at a feline’s level of unfriendliness towards people, and towards other pets.”

While the media, especially in the U.K., were quick to promote these erroneous claims of psychopathology in cats, other experts have responded, such as Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado (see “No, Your Cat Isn’t a Psychopath” at whatyourcatwants.com) and Dr. Marc Bekoff (see “Are Some Cats Psychotic, Or Are They Just Being Cats?” at psychologytoday.com). Certainly, we share similar core emotional states and responses with other animal species, but to characterize some as equivalent to psychopathic conditions in humans is unscientific anthropomorphizing. I sought to rectify this type of error while opening the door to the realm of animals’ emotional disorders in the 1968 book “Abnormal Behavior in Animals,” in which I edited contributions from animal experts around the world.

I must add my observation that fear, anxiety, exhaustion, depression and anger can distort animals’ perception of others’ intentions, and can have harmful consequences. These core emotional states are possibly genetic and are certainly familial, epigenetic and cultural. Conflicts in our beliefs lead to violence and war if we are not mindful of how our emotions affect our perception and cognition.

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Dear Dr. Fox: My 7-year-old Shih Tzu has allergies and itching, and has been prescribed Apoquel for the rest of his life. Why do vets use that medication so much? It hasn’t helped in over a year, and I have heard it has a lot of side effects, which I worry about. Should I stop giving it to him, since it hasn’t helped? — S.D., Erie, Pennsylvania

Dear S.D.: Check out these articles on my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/apoquel-risks-and-alternatives-for-dogs-with-atopic-dermatitis and drfoxonehealth.com/post/skin-problems-in-dogs. I would also look for a holistic veterinary practitioner in your region on AHVMA.org — the website of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Cats help children with autism

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder say their children became more sociable and empathetic and exhibited fewer concerning behaviors within 18 weeks of adopting a cat, and the cats in the study also appeared to thrive. Researchers at the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction selected cats from an animal shelter for families of children with ASD, compared parent-reported behaviors with reports from control families, and monitored the cats for signs of stress. (Full story: Columbia Missourian, Jan. 27)

Having been one of the first to evaluate the possible therapeutic benefits of contact with animals in children diagnosed with autism in the late 1960s, I would advise vigilance and supervision when introducing children and cats.

Rabbit owners virus alert warning

A variant of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus has spread throughout the Southwest, and veterinarian Krista Keller of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine says domestic rabbits should be vaccinated now, before the virus spreads further in the spring. Humans aren’t susceptible to the virus, but people can pick up the virus on their shoes or clothing, then pass it to domestic rabbits. Pet rabbits that graze outdoors can contract the virus directly. (Full story: The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Jan. 27)

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.