- My partner Leonie, 74, and I immediately fell in love with our Maine Coon cat, Queenie, after we spotted her at an animal shelter this year.
- At first Queenie was shy and timid, but soon she began to rule over our house.
- Six months after adopting our furry girl, we found out her super-powered nose could save lives!
Snuggling up to my partner Leonie, 74, on our lounge, our cat Queenie purred lovingly in our laps.
‘We are so lucky to have you,’ I smiled, petting her soft tortie-coloured coat.
It was September this year and as we shared a cuddle with our Maine Coon, we reminisced over the first time Queenie walked into our lives and made us feel complete.
Our daughter, Jen, then aged 40, had spotted a post on Facebook in around April 2022. A local animal shelter was trying to find Queenie a new home.
Phoning me, Jen insisted we go and meet the cat right away.
Having lost our sweet Jack Russells, Rosie and Alfie, just a year prior to old age, we weren’t sure if we were ready to welcome another pet just yet.
However, the second I saw the photo of Queenie, I fell in love with her.
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We rushed to meet her the next day and, when Leonie picked up Queenie out of her cage, the soft furball crawled right into our embrace, making her mark on my heart instantly.
Within those first special moments with Queenie that day, Leonie and I knew she was the one for us.
Staff at the shelter estimated she was aged around eight and could no longer breed, so she’d been surrendered by her owners. But she was purrfect for us.
Back home, Queenie was timid, quiet, and anxious in her new surroundings.
But as she grew more comfortable each day, she soon lived up to her very bold name. Before we knew it, Queenie was ruling over our humble home, meowing loudly and demanding food or a pat.
Six months after adopting our furry girl, we discovered that Queenie wasn’t just a pawsome pet, but a first responder too!
Having a highly developed sense of smell, Queenie can recognise when Leonie, who lives with type 1 diabetes, is having a hypoglycaemic episode just by smelling her breath and skin.
We noticed our kitty’s hidden talent when Leonie’s blood sugar dropped one day and Queenie rushed to me, scratching my chest and pawing my face.
I immediately thought Queenie might be alerting me to some kind of danger, so I ran to check on Leonie and found her unconscious in our room.
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Panicked, I gave her an glucose injection which thankfully woke her up and brought her blood sugar under control.
‘Our cat can sniff out your diabetes!’ I said, amazed at our kitty’s super-powered nose.
Whenever Queenie senses Leonie’s levels beginning to drop, she’ll rush to me and start scratching my face, tugging at my clothes or chomping on my hair to alert me that Leonie needs help.
Now 11, Queenie certainly rules the roost in our home.
Waking up from her slumber each morning, she’s given an early breakfast, before taking a leisurely stroll through our much-cherished garden where she lazily naps in the sunshine.
Whether I’m cooking a meal in the kitchen, or Leonie is reading a book on the lounge, we know Queenie isn’t far away.
We may have rescued her, but there’s no doubt she saved us too.
She’s our su-paw-hero.
