My Pet World: Trapping and neutering/spaying feral cats is humane solution

By Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Mar 24, 2020

Try to find like-minded souls to help you launch this neighborhood effort. Check with local spay/neuter clinics about the cost for these services. Often, there are grants that help cover the cost or partly subsidize these surgeries. Hermitage No Kill Cat Shelter and Sanctuary, Pawsitively Cats and Tucson Cares indicate on their websites that they provide humane traps, so you can trap the cats for their surgeries.

If you can educate your neighbors (and the city council to change the laws about caring for feral cats so it's not a crime), you will make a huge difference for feral and community cats in Tuscon.

Dear Cathy,

We have a 7-year-old rescue dog. We recently found out he is allergic to chicken. I am told this is the top allergen for dogs. Yet 99% of dog foods and treats contain chicken. Even the ones that claim to be beef, salmon, etc. Are there any foods that don't have chicken? How do you find them?

- Jani, Las Vegas

Dear Jani,

There are pet foods on the market that are labeled "limited ingredient foods" that have alternate proteins, like fish, duck, rabbit and bison for dogs with food sensitivities and allergies. So long as the food is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, you are not missing any important nutrients.

I fed my dog Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Fish Formula Limited Ingredient because she could not tolerate chicken proteins.

There are other brands available these days for dogs with food allergies. Ask your vet for a recommendation or go to a pet store and speak to someone who can walk you through the dog food brands. You also can search online for "limited ingredient dog foods" or "dog foods for pets with allergies."

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)