Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

24 Incredible Heroic Cats That Saved Lives

Jordyn Alger

By Jordyn Alger

adorable cat in superhero costume

Dogs often are described as man’s best friend, but they aren’t the only animals that have a huge heart for their humans. Cats are known to be incredibly affectionate and caring for the people they love, even to the point of risking their own safety. There are many instances where cats have saved the lives of humans or other animals, and in this article, we will look at 24 inspiring cats who came to rescue those in need.

hepper cat paw divider

The 24 Heroic Cats That Saved Lives

1. Tom, Who Led Starving British Troops to Food

Tom cat who found food for starving soldiers
Image Credit: The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum Archive . All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

During the Crimean War in 1855, a cat named Tom came to the aid of British troops. The troops were involved in a long siege and had begun to run out of supplies, including food rations. However, after the troop befriended Tom, Tom repaid their friendship by leading them to hidden supplies stashes, thus saving them from starvation. Not only did Tom help fill the soldiers’ bellies, but he also helped lift their spirits as a friendly companion.


2. Charley, Who Alerted Others When Her Owner Collapsed

Charley’s owner, Susan Marsh-Armstrong, collapsed in her home late at night. She had collapsed due to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and fell unconscious. Since her husband was fast asleep, there was no one to help her—that is, no one except Charley.

Charley raced to the couple’s bedroom to wake Marsh-Armstrong’s husband. She pawed at him, licked him, and yowled until she could wake him up. Once awake, Charley led him to Marsh-Armstrong, and he quickly gave his wife a glucose injection. Charley was commended for her actions with the Hero Cat of the Year 2012 award.


3. Slinky Malinky, Who Brought Neighbors to His Owner in Need

Slinky Malinki hero cat
Image Credit: SWNS – All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

Janet Rawlinson was taking morphine to ease her chronic pain, and one day the morphine put her into a coma. Rawlinson slipped in and out of consciousness for several days, unable to call for help. Her cat, Slinky Malinky, began to draw the neighbor’s attention by causing a ruckus.

He would climb their fences, bat at their windows, and agitate their dogs. Eventually, the neighbors realized that they had not seen Rawlinson for a while, and they stopped by her house and found her unconscious. Rawlinson got the help she needed and recovered from the incident.


4. Simon, Who Protected Sailors from Starvation

Simon soldiers hero cat
Image Credit: Wikipedia. All rights reserved to the copyright owners

Simon was brought aboard a ship in the 1940s to catch rats. Not only did he protect sailors from the rats that sought to nibble all of their rations away, but he also boosted morale with his affectionate nature.

Sadly, Simon suffered some injuries due to a mortar blast. He survived the injuries but unfortunately passed a few weeks later from infection. He was buried with military honors and is the only cat awarded the Dickin Award.


5. Rusty, Who Noticed His Owner’s Heart Attack Before She Did

Clair Nelson, a former nurse, had been feeling unwell. She assumed it was indigestion, but her cat Rusty appeared to think something else was the matter. He behaved differently from his usual self, acting clingy with her and clawing at her legs and chest.

The change in behavior was so stark that it spurred Nelson to visit her doctor. Upon her visit, it was revealed that she had suffered a heart attack. Due to Rusty’s keen senses, Nelson received the life-saving treatment she needed.


6. Sally, Who Saved Her Owner from a House Fire

Craig Jeeves was fast asleep when his house caught on fire. It wasn’t until his cat Sally jumped on his head and yowled that he woke up and realized something was amiss. Thankfully, Jeeves and Sally were able to escape the house unharmed. The fire was severe enough to destroy the home and require eight firefighting crews to put it out entirely. If it weren’t for Sally, Jeeves could have been in much more danger.


7. Faith, Who Defended Her Kitten from an Air Raid

In 1936, the St. Augustine Church in London took in a stray cat. The cat was named Faith, and she was permitted to come and go as she pleased. She eventually gave birth to a kitten named Panda. In 1940, Faith inexplicably grew adamant about keeping Panda in the basement. The congregation members would bring Panda back upstairs, but Faith would return her kitten to the basement each time.

Then, one night, an air raid occurred, and the entire upstairs portion of the church was destroyed. However, Faith and Panda were safe, hiding out in the rubble of the basement.


8. Schnautzie, Who Alerted the Owners of a Gas Leak

Only 6 months after Greg and Trudy Guys adopted their cat Schnautzie, he saved their lives. While Greg and Trudy were fast asleep, a gas pipe ruptured in their basement. They were entirely unaware of the danger cropping up around them until Schnautzie woke up Trudy, appearing distressed.

Once Trudy heard hissing in the basement, she realized what was happening. The family evacuated the home and called for emergency services. Once the firefighters inspected the leak, they informed Greg and Trudy that if the water heater or furnace had been turned on, the gas leak would’ve caused an explosion.


9. Blake, Who Helps His Owner Manage Seizures

Glen Schallman, Blake’s owner, has a rare brain disease that causes daily seizures. These seizures can be deadly. During the night, Schallman suffered from one of these seizures while asleep. Blake immediately jumped into action, biting Schallman’s feet to rouse him from sleep. This saved Schallman’s life.

Blake continues to take great care of Schallman, as Schallman cannot sense the seizures coming, but Blake can. Because of Blake’s support, Schallman is among the oldest surviving people with his brain condition.


10. Missy, Who Encouraged Her Owner to Go to the Doctor

Angela Tinning was saved by her cat, Missy. In 2013, Missy began to behave strangely. She would pester Tinning no matter how much Tinning tried to stop her, constantly pawing at her chest. When Tinning finally went to the doctor, they discovered that cancerous cells were developing in her body. The cancer was malignant and could have gotten even worse if not for Missy’s actions. The cancer was removed, and Tinning recovered.


11. Tommy, Who Called Emergency Services to Save His Owner’s Life

Gary Rosheisen struggled with high blood pressure, so he adopted his cat Tommy to help him manage it. He had been training to train Tommy to dial 911 in an emergency, but it didn’t appear that the training was sticking with Tommy. However, when Rosheisen collapsed, emergency services showed up even though he had never called.

It turns out that the police received a call followed by silence. The silence spurred officers to investigate, and when they arrived, they found Tommy sitting by the phone and Rosheisen far from it. Rosheisen believes that Tommy called the police for him and saved his life.


12. Walter, Who Saved His Owner’s Life Over 50 Times

Hazel Parkyn rescued Walter, and Walter has repaid the favor over 50 times. Parkyn struggled with diabetes, and during the night, her blood sugar had been known to drop dangerously low. Whenever her blood sugar dipped low enough to become concerning, Walter would paw at her face to wake her up, causing her to treat her low blood sugar before it became hazardous. Without Walter, Parkyn would struggle to manage and treat her low blood sugar all alone.


13. Tiger, Who Saved Her Elderly Owner from a Dog Attack

A 97-year-old woman named Sophie Thomas was gardening when out of nowhere, she was cornered by four snarling dogs. They kept her surrounded and tried to lunge at her, but a hero rushed onto the scene before they could. Tiger, Thomas’ beloved cat, raced over and caught the dog’s attention. Tiger then darted away, causing the dogs to forget about Thomas in favor of a chase. Thomas escaped inside and cleaned her wounds, and Tiger returned home unscathed.


14. Luna, Who Rescued a Family from Fire

Luna, their outdoor cat, saved the Chappell-Roots family from a housefire. Luna had been known to leave “presents” for the family on occasion, so when the mother was woken up in the middle of the night, she assumed that Luna had left something in the kitchen. She decided to clean it up before morning so the kids wouldn’t be frightened, but when she went out of the bedroom, she discovered a fire growing in the kitchen. Because of Luna, she was able to gather the entire family and escape safely.


15. Dr. Leon Advogato, Who Inspired the Fight for Animal Rights

In Brazil, a stray cat regularly wandered around the Order of Attorneys of Brazil (OAB). Complaints were filed regarding the cat because many people felt that a professional building such as the OAB was no place for a stray cat. However, the OAB instead hired the cat as a lawyer, naming him Dr. Leon Advogato. He was given an employee badge and everything, securing him as a true member of the OAB. Due to Dr. Leon Advogato, the OAB developed plans for an animal rights institute to support abandoned and mistreated animals.


16. Koshka, Who Supported a Soldier Suffering from Suicidal Thoughts

Sgt. Jesse Knott was stationed at a military base that was a popular hangout spot for many stray cats. One of these cats was named Koshka. Koshka and Sgt. Knott began to bond and care for each other. Sgt. Knott would care for Koshka if the cat came to him with injuries, and Koshka provided a much-needed morale boost for Sgt. Knott.

When Sgt. Knott reached the deepest lows of his depression, he planned to take his own life. Thankfully, Koshka approached him before plans could be made, brushing up against the soldier and patting his face with a paw. Sgt. Knott recovered and returned home, and he brought Koskha along with him.


17. Pudding, Who Ran for Help for Her Diabetic Owner

Amy Jung and her son, Ethan, visited a local animal shelter to play with some surrendered cats. Jung hadn’t planned on adopting any cats, but as cats so often do, two stole her heart: Whimsy ad Pudding. So, she took both of them home.

That very same night, Jung suffered a diabetic seizure. Pudding leaped into action, waking Jung. As soon as Jung was awake, she tried calling her son for help, but he couldn’t hear her. Once again, Pudding came to the rescue, racing to Ethan’s room to wake him up. Due to Pudding’s decisive actions, he is now Jung’s official service animal.


18. Homer, Who Attacked a Home Burglar

Gwen Cooper found and rescued Homer, a blind kitten whose eyes had been removed due to a severe infection. One night, Cooper awoke to hear Homer hissing. This struck her as strange because Homer was normally a very relaxed cat.

When she grew more aware of her surroundings, she realized that Homer was hissing at an intruder. Homer lunged at the intruder, attacking the burglar with his teeth and claws. The intruder quickly fled the scene. Inspired by Homer’s bravery, Cooper wrote a memoir about his heroism and life.


19. Bandit, Who Woke a Sleeping Family During a Fire

Fire Fighter carries a cat to their truck
Image Credit: dotshock, Shutterstock

As soon as Bandit noticed the house fire, the cat raced to alert the rest of the household. Out of all of the other pets in the home, including four cats, four kittens, and three dogs, no other animal had reacted as quickly and effectively as Bandit had.

The entire family was woken up, gathered, and safely escorted outside. If it weren’t for Bandit, the entire family likely would’ve perished in the fire. Due to Bandit’s heroism, the local fire brigade offered praise for the cat.


20. Tom, Who Discovered His Owner Had Cancer

Tom discovered owner had cancer
Image Credit: Sue McKenzie – All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

Cats are known to have remarkable senses. In this instance, those impressive senses saved Sue McKenzie’s life.

In 2014, McKenzie’s cat Tom displayed a drastic shift in behavior. McKenzie had known Tom for 20 years, and she had always known him to be aloof. However, he suddenly began to act clingy and agitated. He would consistently tap at her neck. The behavioral change persisted, so McKenzie went to the doctor. The doctor confirmed that she had a cancerous growth in the area, for which she received treatment and recovered from. After this, Tom returned to his usual, aloof self.


21. Tara, Who Protected a Toddler from a Dog Attack

This heroic incident comes with security camera footage, and the video went viral. In the video, a toddler rode a bike when a dog attacked. The dog bit him and dragged him from his bike. Only seconds later, Tara, the boy’s cat, raced to the rescue. She leaped at the dog, tackling him off of the boy. She chased the dog away before returning to the boy to check on him.

The boy needed stitches, but he recovered well. Tara received awards for her heroic actions, and the boy has considered her his hero ever since.


22. Gatubela, Who Steered an Infant Away from a Staircase

Gatubela rushed into action when she noticed baby Samuel wandering too close to a staircase. The infant was crawling towards a flight of stairs, unprotected. Gatubela immediately recognized the danger and hurried to intervene, pouncing on the baby to push him away from the edge. As soon as the baby sat down, no longer interested in going towards the stairs, Gatubela relaxed. Because of Gatubela’s quick thinking, little Samuel is still healthy and happy!


23. Scarlett, Who Endured Severe Injuries to Save Her Kittens

Scarlett hero cat
Image Credit: Karen Wellen – All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

In 1996, an abandoned garage in Brooklyn caught fire. The fire department quickly arrived and put out the flames. Thankfully, no humans were injured. But Scarlett the cat sustained some serious burns.

Scarlett was observed picking up her kittens one by one to rescue them from the growing flames. Due to her heroic act, she suffered serious injuries, including most of her facial hair being burnt away. Her eyes were swollen shut from blisters, but she still took the time to pat each kitten with her nose to ensure that they were healthy and safe.

Scarlett and her kittens all made a great recovery and were soon adopted. Scarlett became a star and even had several books written about her heroic deeds.


24. Masha, Who Watched Over an Abandoned Infant

 

Masha, a community cat in Obninsk, Russia, discovered an abandoned infant in a cardboard box. When she discovered the baby in peril, she climbed into the box to help keep the infant warm. While she protected the baby from the cold, she yowled at people walking by to try and get their attention. Once the baby was discovered, he was quickly taken to a hospital. The baby was in perfect condition. As for Masha, she was praised as a local hero. For her heroic efforts, she was awarded plenty of affection and lots of tasty food.

hepper cat paw divider

Wrapping Up

Cats are incredible and complex creatures, so it’s no surprise that there are many instances where they have come to another’s rescue. Whether they are saving their kittens, their humans, or strangers they have never met before, the tendency for cats to rescue others shows their hearts of gold under their seemingly aloof exteriors.

 

Featured Image Credit: Anton27, Shutterstock

Related Articles

Further Reading

Vet Articles

Latest Vet Answers

The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database