When we think of a protective animal, our minds may immediately go to dogs. After all, man’s best friend has proven their worth time-and-time again. Cats may come off as being aloof and “uncaring,” which doesn’t mean they won’t protect the ones they love the most. Read on below to see what amazing protection services some cats can offer their owners.
Cats as Their Owners Protectors
More than one story has made the rounds on social media of cats protecting their caretakers.
- One cat began pawing at her owner’s sliding glass door to warn of a prowler on her porch.
- Another cat licked his human awake after she’d passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning.
- And yet another pair of felines refused to let their human into her kitchen until they killed a couple of copperhead snakes that had slithered their way into the room.
Although these examples show the cat’s ability to care for its owners, the feline species have other subtler ways of showing their true colors.
How Cats Can Protect Their Owners
Here are 5 ways cats protect their owners:
1. Getting Rid of the Vermin
Cats are born hunters. They are equipped with speed, agility, and sharp claws to damage anything that slithers, crawls, or flies within their reach. Cats protect their humans by getting rid of every manner of vermin. From poisonous (or nonpoisonous) snakes to disease-carrying rats, mice, and bats, cats protect us by keeping our living spaces clear of these pesky intruders. And if your little hunter wants to drop his prize at your feet, then you can feel all the more special that he thought of you first.
2. Predicting the Weather
According to naturalist Konrad Lorenz, cats “see the surface (of the earth) covered with an energy net made by geomagnetic fields.” This makes them naturals for tracking storms, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Experts believe a good part of this trait may be due to the cat’s superior hearing.
One cat named Dervish practiced this ability every time there was a thunderstorm approaching. According to his pet parents, this skittish kitty would take refuge behind the washing machine well before the thunder-boomers would hit, giving his caretakers plenty of time to close up the windows.
3. Feline Intuition
Cats have been known to save lives by detecting severe illnesses. In 2009, a cat named Tiger kept climbing into Lionel Adams’s bed and dragging his paw along his guardian’s left side.
As it turned out, the man had stage-one lung cancer and surgeons removed part of that organ, saving his life. Adams said;
“I think if he hadn’t done the pawing part, it could have gone on for another five or six months undetected.”
Another cat continuously pounced on her human after she had fallen into a diabetic coma. The women awoke long enough to call out to her son. The cat also jumped on the son until he awoke to help his mother.
4. Stealthy Fighters
If you have ever observed a cat in hunting-mode, then you have most likely witnessed a stealthy machine in action. Cats move with deliberate and precise movements when they are on the prowl. Every action and reaction is timed down to the exact moment of the attack.
This isn’t only remarkable when the feline is hunting prey, but when they are on the attack in the protection of a human.
In May of 2014, a cat fought off a dog who was attacking a 4-year-old boy. According to an animal behaviorist, Nicholas Dodman;
“People have noted that cats can be protective of another individual, whether it’s…a dog or a cat or a person.”
5. Provide Comfort and Warmth
Cats instinctively like to curl up with their human companions. But for one stray cat, this gesture may have saved a young boy’s life.
As the story goes, Masha wrapped herself around an abandoned baby boy, keeping him from freezing to death in the sub-zero temperatures. This hero kitty even followed the ambulance worker who picked up the little boy, all the while pitifully meowing.
Cats Can Protect and Save Your Life
Never sell the feline species short. They may not always show it, but deep down, cats love us and want to protect their special people from harm. Pay attention to what your cat is trying to tell you; it might just save your life.