 Queenie. 16 Nov 2012 - 11 Dec 2022
Queenie arrived here at Pets Niagara with her step-brother, Buster, as permanent residents. Conversations with their lady had started during August, 2018. She knew with the serious medical challenge she was facing that she would need to move into a retirement residence and that she wouldn't be allowed to take her beloved felines with her. But, she loved her kitties so much that she wanted to be absolutely sure that they would be well taken care of for the remainder of their lives. Queenie's lady described her as "shy, quiet, loves to be petted and have her back scratched. Queenie is very nervous but once she trusts you she is very loving. She is spayed with rabies vaccine and blood work up to date. Queenie is about 6 years old. Queenie enjoys going outside, but would be quite docile to stay indoors."
Queenie had been adopted by her lady from the Seaway Mall, Welland outlet for the Niagara Falls and Welland Humane Societies, during 2015. At that time she learned that Queenie's birthday had been assigned as November 16, 2012. So, as of now, Queenie has been in 3 homes certainly through no fault of her own.
On her first visit with her veterinarian on November 18, 2015, her vet recorded on her Pet Health Card that Queenie was "bright and has a health curiosity. She has good body conformation with normal weight and muscle mass for her age and breed. Hydration and body temperature are completely normal. Eyes are bright and clear. Ears appear normal and healthy with no signs of parasites or infection. The heart is strong and healthy. Each heart valve sounds normal. There are no murmurs. The pulse has a normal rate and strength with a regular rhythm. Normal reflexes, perception and mental attitude. No lameness, limping or joint pain. No swelling or abnormalities such as arthritis or muscle wasting. She has a few mats around the back end. No behavioral problems were reported. Overall, your cat is fit, handsome and in excellent health." The reason for her visit was a general exam and dematting of her fur. Queenie is a medium long hair feline with very thick fur. Her coat is beautiful and luxurious. Her fur needs regular brushing to keep the mats away, but while she was with her lady she was routinely groomed by her veterinarian.
Queenie's one bug-a-boo are her teeth. She has been through several dental surgeries and overall has had 7 teeth removed over the years.
Queenie and Buster arrived with a bag of Purina Pro Plan dry food, which I was successful in using to transition them both to wet food. They both have covered cozy beds and while Queenie prefers snuggling into my bed, Buster really likes his covered bed. They are both purring, so I take that as a good sign. It was necessary to also integrate Queenie and Buster into the space with two other residents, Lily and Teddy. Teddy wasn't up for the challenge so he moved upstairs with Bunny and Alexandros. Buster and Queenie, though, from the moment they arrived were wonderful! They were both doing very well, were very happy and settling in well. Lily, even today (2022), is tolerant of them but not what I had hoped for and become a playmate for them.
Before Queenie came to Pets Niagara she also had weight fluctuations from 14 pounds to 16 pounds and back down again. She wasn't able to run and certainly wasn't able to jump up onto the furniture or the cat tree. Once she settled in, here, I started her on a slow weight reduction plan and over the course of the first year was able to trim her down to 10 pounds. She was able to start running and most happily of all for her, she was able to independently get up and down from the furniture and the cat tree. Her place while I am in my office is to sit on the top level of the cat tree by my desk. Her normal weight has revealed that Queenie is a very petite feline with a very shapely little head like a Burmese. She is of a small bone structure and stands 8-9 inches high.
Queenie truly is a lovely little soul. Quiet. Peaceful and such a very good girl.
While Queenie was with us we were successful in slowly shrinking her weight to a place where she was down to 12 pounds and could jump up on furniture and even do the stairs to pay little visits to the upstairs kitties. She could run and play with her toys without difficulty. What a happy little feline she was.
That all changed overnight! There was no indication that Queenie was having any breathing difficulties. But, one day on her way up the stairs she had to stop half-way, breathing heavily. This was not right and I immediately made an appointment with her veterinarian. X-rays were taken and shockingly revealed that both of her lungs were filled with small white nodules. The x-rays were sent out for reading by a radiologist. Sadly, his opinion was that this was some form of lung cancer, possibly aggressive. But, without a biopsy there was no way to provide a full diagnosis. There was also no way of determining just how long Queenie would live. So, we took one day at a time and monitored her closely. She was back at her vet's office on 5 December 2022 for another check up and to have her pain and appetite medications refilled. She was holding her own but wasn't as good as she had been at her appointment two weeks earlier. We could see that her time was getting shorter. Queenie's condition deteriorated rapidly that week and despite intensive nursing she was not going to make it to her appointment on December 12. I took her into the veterinary emergency centre at midnight on the 11th for her final goodbye. She was such a wonderful little pet and precious little soul and I just couldn't ask her to wait a few hours more. She deserved relief and freedom from her pain and ill health.
Thank you, Queenie, for the amazing 3 years that we had with you. Oh, how we wish it could have been longer. How I had hoped that you would live to celebrate your 15th birthday. It's just not fair that you only had 10 years on this earth plane. You were such a loving soul and always by my side. I miss you dearly and I think only you and me and your final veterinarian knew your secret - that you wore a sweet little white fur bikini bottom, only visible when you were lying on your back and not something that you showed to anyone. We will remember you every day and will honour your life and memory in having your photo, paw and nose prints and fur clipping take pride of place in our Much-Loved Pets gallery.
We want to thank all of Wilson's Animal Hospital staff and Queenie's veterinarian for all the care that they provided to Queenie during her time with Pets Niagara.
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