Dear L.V.D.: Your reminder is timely for cat owners whose felines do not have halitosis but sometimes have a pungent stink that comes from the anal glands.

Dogs have more of a problem than cats when it comes to this part of their anatomy. Impacted anal glands can be very painful and sometimes make cats develop an aversion to the litter box because it hurts to defecate.

Overactive glands can leak the smelly stuff that cats release spontaneously when they are frightened -- much like a skunk. A daily teaspoon of psyllium husks in the cat's food for three to four weeks may help keep the stools soft and enable the glands to heal and begin to empty normally.

Yes, whistling can arouse cats, possibly mimicking bird chips or the high-pitched sound that cats make when courting and soliciting attention. I used to amuse friends by chirping and whistling like a cardinal and my cat would always run to the window to look for the bird. Now I say "cat" or "meow" to my dog Batman and he runs to the window to look for a cat.

Send your questions to Dr. Fox c/o Animal Doctor, United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.