royal care

Chicago veterinarian Dr. Barbara Royal has a new book out called The Royal Treatment:  A Natural Approach to Wildly Healthy Pets -- and I highly recommend it.  Dr. Royal can claim some celebrity pet clients indeed, but she treats each dog, cat, or whatever animal she sees with an amazing level of care and attention, and you do not have to be rich or famous to visit her warm, friendly clinic on Chicago's north side.  I know because my cat was a patient of Dr. Royal's and she helped me -- and especially him -- through the last month of his life with true compassion.  (Yes, he was an exceptional cat among a world of exceptional cats but maybe I'm somewhat biased!)  Her book details the holistic and conventional elements to her practice, and her words emphasize her level of feeling for all creatures great and small.  And as a wildlife, zoo and domestic animal vet, she really knows her creatures.  There are also recipes for natural diets and therapeutic options to help our indoor pets live with more outdoor vigor.  With the holidays just around the corner, this would be a great gift for any pet lover on your list.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.  -- Anatole France

julia and minette...and other cats in the kitchen

Julia's Cats and/or Julia Child's Life in the Company of Cats by Patricia Barey and Therese Burson is a lovely little tail/tale about one of our first chef celebrities and all the felines who captivated her and husband Paul.  Starting with Minette who came in as a mouser at Chez Child in 1948, Julia was a cat lover who truly seemed to understand the curious quirks and ways of the whiskered ones.  If you're a fellow cat lover, you'll most likely read it in one sitting with a smile and occasional tear or two, and if you're a fan of Julia Child, you'll be even more so by the book's end.  And come to think of it, a birthdate of August 15th made Julia an astrological Leo -- and apparently all cats are regal and playful Leos, no matter what month they're born in.