58 — Wednesday, February 16, 1994 ~ North Shore News

CONTINUAL:

SSECTIRTEEA YS SOREXU CEOS REDE SCPE OURGALON TS

Furry feline Emily brought love to family home

A RECENT column on cat
food has given my family and
me a few good laughs. In it, ¥
mentioned that our Ginger
has become addicted to an
expensive product
Whiskas’ Ultra Milk. I
advised readers to stay away
from the stuff — Gingie’s
consumption of Ultra will
cost me a return-trip ticket
_ toe Hawaii this year.

_ Two readers kindly sent me a
number of 50¢-off coupons —
used, with thanks!

One letter was addressed to
Ginger McCreadie — care of me.

“6 “Our: human has taken the

‘advice of your human and decided

. against trying this wonder juice.

There are three of us and the cost to

treat all-of us would be too great a

burden on the pocketbook.”

Signed Mama Jazz and daugh-
ters Mini and Maxi, furry compan-
ions of Maureen McKinnon and
Sandy Saidler,

I showed Gingie the enclosed
picture and he was very impressed.

On a much sadder note, while |
was writing that column, my little
Emily was bouncing around the
house, full of health and energy.
That night, she sat on Brian's lap,
nudging his hand for ear scratches,
She chased Misty and | told her that
I'd warm her tail with my slipper. if
she continued to be such a bitch.

By noon the next day she looked
a bit unwell ~— just a bit slow and
didn't demand her lap time and her
ear rubs. By three o’clock she was
desperately ill, Brian rushed home
and we took her to the vei. She was
so far gone that he advised cuthana-
sia.

No!

Instead, he put her on an TV and
took some blood for testing. What
was wrong with my baby? Poison
was a possibility but it was virtually
eliminated — Emily had no access
toanything toxic

The next day she was worse and
the bloudtests came back from the
lab. Acute Feline Leukemia.
Prognosis: bleak. The vet still
advised euthanasia but | couldn't do
it. Instead, .he tried Interferon, one
of the medications used for treating
AIDS. it can sometimes help with
Feline Leukemia but only in less
extreme cases. Emily continued to
weaken.

When it appeared that she was
so near death that she was past
human help, we said goodbye.

Where did she get it? God only

knows. She'd had regular shots and
had tested negative for it cight years
ago when she'd had a similar col-
lapse, Our vet, John Cruikshank
explained that the leukemia virus is
sneaky — lo be sure of a true nega-
tive, three tests must be taken —~ at
three month intervals,

Emily nay have been carrying
the disease from birth. She was a
strong, well-cared for little cat and
this probably got her through her 12
years,

The virus in its extreme form is
very contagious. The other cats
were tested the next day. ATb nega-
live but they will be retested in
March and June.

Emily was a joyful little cat. She
loved people -— perfect strangers
would find her on their laps, purring
loudly. She never scratched or bit a
human in her life — 1 could push
the nastiest pills in ker mouth with-
out any Concer.

She tatked. Siamese cats are
vocal and Emily yowled with the
best of them. She answered when I
talked to her — a full range of
replies and f knew darn well what
she was saying. Unlike many other
cats, Emily came immediately when
I called but I rarely had to call
because she was always by my side.

She slept with Gingic. He didn’t
know what to make of her at first.
Ginger was a malted, un-neutered
stray alley cat when we adopted
him and an elegant little Siamese
was out of his realm.

Especially once who wanted to
cuddle into his soft tummy and
purr.

Fortunately, Ginger is a gentle-
man. Twice her size, he could have
killed her with one bite. Instead, he

tolerated her shoving him into
shape, only walking away when she
attempted to lick his ears.

Gingie still likes to take the odd
stroll into the bush at the back of
our house, “Emily, call your broth-
er!" I'd holler, and Emily would
yowl and Gingie would come
home.

What can you do to prevent this
happening to you? In Emily’s case

f
f
‘

there was nothing, She'd had regu-
lar shots and we're sure she wasn't
infected by another cat,

If she carried the virus from
birth her shots may have prevented
an outbreak until she was older and
not so able to fight it off.

Please keep your cat's inocula-
lions current. The cost involved is
nothing compared to the grief of *
losing a beloved pel unnecessarily.

a favorite |

) Alsatian onion tart

From page 87

and fluted sides of pan.

Place the pastry in the freezer
until ready ¢o fill and bake, 1-2
hours. oo

Peel and thinly slice the onions.
Saute in-the 5 oz. (150 g.) butter
and the oil, stirring until’ softened
“and tender, The onions should not

brown. Set aside.

Stack the.bacon slices and cut .

into 1” (2.5 cm). lardons. Cover
... with cold water in a small saucepan.
Bring to’a simmer for 1-2 minutes
to blanch. the. bacon. Drain off the
water completely and set bacon
strips aside.

Prepare a classic, bechamel sauce
(any French cookbook) using the 2
oz. (50 g.) each butier and flour and
the 1 c. (250 mL) milk. Remove
sauce from heat.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Pour warm bechamel sauce over
the sauteed onions. Add the heavy
cream, eggs, blanched bacon, and
season mixture with salt, freshly
ground. pepper, and nutmeg.
Combine all ingredients gently. but

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thoroughly.

Pour filling into chilled pastry

shell. ;
Bake in the preheated oven 35-

‘45 minutes, or until golden-brown

on top and “puffed” in the centre (to
indicate that filling has set com-
pletely).

Remove from oven. Set aside at-
least 30 minutes before cutting into
wedges 10 serve.

Thanks to Juergen Burkhardt of. i

the Black Forest Delicatessen at
Park Royal’s Marketplace in West

Vancouver for the sausages for our |

photo.

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