Feline Loyalty Can Save The Day

May 1st was Loyalty Day. When it comes to loyalty, I know that dogs have a well-deserved reputation for being very loyal and I wholeheartedly endorse this repute. But cats deserve to be recognized too– after all they are the world’s most popular companion animals! To call them aloof and independent, totally belies the fact that felines thrive on companionship (remember, unlike dogs, they chose to be domesticated 10,000 years ago!)

I believe that beyond straightforward loyalty, cats are also very empathetic creatures and can totally read your thoughts and emotions. Further, I believe that rescued cats (and dogs for that matter), have souls and are eternally grateful when given a second chance at love and a forever home.

How else does one explain the actions of a cat named Pudding, who a couple of months back saved his owner’s life a mere one-and-a-half hours after being adopted from an animal shelter? Pudding’s owner, Amy Jung, has had diabetes since childhood and was asleep when she started to have a seizure. Her newly adopted furry friend jumped onto her chest and started swatting her with his paw and biting her nose to wake her up so that she could take medication.

And while I am handing out feline loyalty badges, there are numerous such stories:

• Dianne Busscher’s cat, Oreo, woke her up alerting her that their house was on fire.
• Gary Rosheisen of Columbus, Ohio tried to teach his orange named Tommy how to dial 911. Rosheisen was never sure whether Tommy had mastered how to use the telephone until three years later, when police responded to a 911 call placed from his home and found that he had fallen out of his wheelchair and was lying helpless on the floor. Tommy was sitting by the telephone.
• A seven-year-old girl in Lansing, Michigan was saved from an attempted sexual assault when her cat attacked her potential rapist. The man had put duct tape over her mouth when the girl’s cat attacked him and she managed to escape and get help.

I had a wonderful calico cat named California (1990 – 2009) who used to get physically ill when I went away on lengthy business trips. It was very worrying because she was well into her late teens and already suffering from diabetes and kidney disease. She was incredibly loyal.

“I don’t understand,” I said to the vet.  “When I am away, my family is there to love and care for her.”

“Yes,” he replied. “She loves them too. It’s just that she loves you more.”

Cats are extremely loyal companions. Please take a moment to appreciate them today. My suggestion: play a game or two with your furry feline. They love laser toys! Or give y0ur kitty a well deserved treat, like DentaFresh chews.