Posted on 05/06/2014 1:55:14 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
When the Jansa Family adopted a small rescue cat, Pretty Pippa, from the RSPCA in Kent, UK, they never dreamed the kitty would save the life of the familys 8-year-old daughter, Mia over and over again.
Mia has type-one diabetes, which requires her to constantly monitor her blood sugar levels.
Incredibly, the little black and white rescue cat has a special ability: Pippa can detect when Mias blood sugar drops and the girl goes into a hypoglycemic episode.
According to the RSPCA, Pippa first demonstrated her gift when she woke Mia up in the middle of night as she was suffering from a hypoglycemic episode. Nighttime can be particularly dangerous because Mia is asleep and doesnt realize her blood sugar is dropping.
At first, the family thought the cats intervention was simply good timing. But one night, Mias door was shut, so Pippa went into her parents room, meowing loudly and walking on them to wake them up. They went to check on Mia and realized the cat had been trying to alert them that Mia was in danger.
Since then, Mias mom Laura says Pippa has alerted them to the girls nighttime blood sugar level drops at least 20 times.
Beth Hixson, manager at the RSPCA, says Pippa was abandoned outside a shop and the staff realized quickly how sweet-natured the cat is. But I couldnt believe it when I heard how she is helping Mia. I got goosebumps, its so amazing.
The family is working with Mias doctors to stop her night episodes but in the meantime, Pippa gives Mia and her family great peace of mind.
I sleep a bit easier knowing that Pippa is around. It is so nice to have the back-up, its really reassuring and certainly a bonus we were not expecting.
Mia calls her my special cat, my little protector and shes got a soft spot for her, Laura says.
You could Google it, but as Catherine pointed out, donuts-to-dollars there’s already a long line.
What you say is true, that patients in diabetic ketoacidosis produce acetone, which has a characteristic odor. But ketoacidosis is almost always associated with HIGH blood sugars (HYPERglycemia). However, the article talks about the cat detecting HYPOglycemia - too low a blood sugar level for the girl. The possible mechanism is that the girl might be having seizures, which are often associated with hypoglycemia, perhaps even seizures not dectected all that readily by the naked human eye, but nonetheless detectable by the cat's sense of movement or vibration of the girl's bed.
Interesting point. Over my pay grade though to determine what the kittie is actually sensing.
You are absolutely correct about DKA and hyperglycemia. My mistake - brain tired.
IIRC, hypoglycemia leads to lactic acidosis as cells denied insulin metabolize glucose anaerobically. Perhaps Pippa is smelling some metabolite produced by this process? (I’m harping on smell because cats have a very acute sense of smell, and are very scent-oriented.)
P.S. Brain still tired - I meant that they generate glucose from protein, and Pippa may be smelling a product of that process.
The punk is lucky this country is a nation of laws...........I’m all in favor of a sub-culture of internet vigilantes..............
I’ve been hypoglycemic most of my life (since the age of 10, or younger) and know when I need food. I often wake up in the middle of the night and have to get something eat. I have no doubt that a cat (or dog) could detect this anomaly from my normal odors.
Kudos to the kitteh!
Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.
On the bright side, Anonymous *really* dislikes people who abuse cats.
“Some people are alive only because its illegal to kill them.”
Some people are alive only because its illegal to kill them after they’re born.
Sorry, you’re wrong-—that is something that
occurs w/ a HIGH blood sugar
Yeah, I know - I was thinking of how the body cannibalizes itself when blood sugar gets too low.
Anonymous would certainly like to have the perpetrators of animal abuse in his geographic location so as to exact justice...............
That makes sense, I think you might be right :-)
I think I was mixing up diabetic ketoacidosis and lactic acidosis, but I’m reasonably sure that hyperglycemia could alter a patient’s scent.
An Update: Did watch “Hannity” last night, and he did do a report on that perp that kicked the cat and from what I have heard, she was rescued and she is doing okay, but she must have been traumatized mental-wise as a cat. She WILL NEED A LOT OF TLC .
Thank-you for the update, the REAL UPDATE!
Read the article posted, that the cat is a boy, a stray by the name of King and that the North Shore Animal League rescued him. Hope he gets a great home. The organization is legendary in the animal rescue movement. :) =^..^=
THANK-YOU in shoutout for posting cat/human interest stories and helping to do your job in regards to animal rescue.
A friend of mine is diabetic and her cat does the same thing.
G-d bless all guardian kitties.
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