Our troubled oceans: Pollution, wildlife, consumer concerns
Dear Readers: I have long advised cat owners not to give tuna fish to their cats because the mercury could poison them and cause brain damage. Levels of mercury in the atmosphere have fallen dramatically in the decades since governments began requiring emission controls on coal-fired power generators, but mercury levels in tuna have been generally unchanged since 1971, according to a study in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
Mercury emitted decades or even centuries ago remains deep in the subsurface ocean and mixes with the surface ocean, where tuna feed, says lead author Anais Medieu, and “massive mercury emissions reductions” are needed before levels in tuna will decline, says co-author Anne Lorrain. (doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00949) In addition:
Samples from whales and dolphins stranded in Florida and Georgia from 2007 to 2021 contained mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, manganese and other elements and heavy metals, and concentrations varied by sex, age, location and other factors, according to a study in Heliyon. Exposure to heavy metals can cause oxidative stress, damage DNA, disrupt membrane lipids and may cause degenerative heart disease and immunodeficiency, says veterinarian Annie Page, senior author of the study. (doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25552)
Dear Dr. Fox: I support a local cat rescue in our town. I fostered to adopt two 5-week-old kittens from this rescue, with the intention to allow my daughter to finalize the adoption. She has had this brother-and-sister pair for about six years. For a lot of the time, she has been back and forth to the vet with the female cat for urinary tract issues. We even changed vets at one point to a large animal facility, thinking perhaps with more eyes on the problem we might get some answers.
The doctors tell us that she has what is called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which they basically said is caused from her being a nervous cat who gets upset with changes, such a bringing a new friend over, buying or rearranging the furniture – things such as those. This cat is the most laid-back animal and does not seem bothered by anything. She is indoor only, as is her brother, spayed and has all needed shots. And she has a large screened-in patio so she can lie out in the sun whenever she likes.
She currently is on a high-cost prescription diet, takes gabapentin daily and is given a medicated cream to use on her ears to calm her down. I swear if she were any calmer, she would be comatose.
I think since she was given the diagnosis of FIC, no one goes further than to read that in her chart and treat her accordingly. I cannot tell you how many blankets, beds and couches she has ruined through no fault of her own. Sometimes when she is having a really bad episode, she will actually come and urinate in front of us, as if to say, “See, I’m bleeding, help me.”
We both feel terrible and are lost as to what else to do for her. My daughter loves both her cats with all her heart and has spent a fortune on trying to help, but to no avail.
Is there anywhere or anything you can recommend to try and alleviate her pain?
S.S., Port St. Lucie, Florida
Dear S.S.: I am glad to hear that you support cat rescue in your community. This is an issue in so many states.
Your veterinarian’s recognition and treatment of this poor nervous cat’s urinary bladder issue seems spot-on in my opinion. I would advise occasional urine testing for bacterial infection.
Without you sending me more details about the special diet she is on, I cannot add much further help except to suggest giving her one-half of a 3mg tablet of melatonin at bedtime. If she is difficult to give pills, crush it up in her food. If she likes and is not allergic to sardines (canned, in water), you could put it in a half-teaspoon of mashed sardine. This will provide some anti-inflammatory oils that may help soothe the bladder.
Not all cats like catnip, but I would give that a try early in the evening. It could give this poor cat a buzz and a period of relaxation.
I bet you can feel the difference in body tension when you are petting these two cats. My book “The Healing Touch for Cats” provides instructions about providing therapeutic massage for your cat. That may be worth a try if she is not totally averse to being touched, as some cats are.
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.