Cat saves family from poisonous fumes

AP ^ | April 6, 2007 | AP

[TimeLord]

NEW CASTLE, Ind. - A cat helped spare a family from death by carbon monoxide poisoning by jumping on the bed and meowing wildly as fumes filled the home, the owners said. Eric and Cathy Keesling said their 14-year-old cat, Winnie, played a crucial role in saving their lives March 24 after a gasoline-powered water pump in their basement caused the odorless but deadly gas to build up. About 1 a.m., the domestic shorthair began nudging Cathy’s ear and meowing loudly. “It was a crazy meow, almost like she was screaming,” said Cathy, who hesitated to get up until Winnie’s caterwauling and jumping persisted. When she finally climbed from bed, she realized she was nauseous and dizzy and couldn’t awaken her husband. Because he had undergone minor neck surgery the previous day, she decided to call 911 but was so disoriented she had trouble dialing. Paramedics found the couple’s 14-year-old son, Michael, unconscious on the floor near his bedroom. The Keeslings were taken from the home in oxygen masks, treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and soon recovered. Cathy Keesling said Winnie acted similarly last summer when tornadoes tore through the area, 45 miles east of Indianapolis. “I really believe cats can sense these kind of things,” she said.

[Fawn]

Wanted to ping you to the fantastic successful night #80.

[Slings and Arrows]

Kitty rescue ping at post #80!

[Fawn]

Thanks...I’m still feeling overjoyed....

[Fawn]

I will post the cats pic tonight. I have him resting in my house until spay/neuter day thursday. :)

[Psalm 73]

"I’ve read other stories about cats saving families...."

The cats motivation, of course, is fear of losing their proxy "opposable thumb"....
(doors, cans, etc....)

[crazy aunt in the attic]

What a great story!

[crazy aunt in the attic]

Please ping me for the photos. Thanks.

[CarryaBigStick]

A gasoline pump...indoors?

Yeah, no kidding. The cat saved them from becoming Darwin award winners...

[CDHart]

"what kind of fool runs an internal combustion engine inside their home?"

My question, too.

Carolyn

[Kaylee Frye]

Can you ping us all when the photos go up? :)

[oprahstheantichrist]

Awwwwww! I love happy endings!

[pbmaltzman]

I don’t care how “selfish” a cat is... if it wakes me up and saves my life in order to save its own hide, it still deserves to have me as its slave for the rest of its days!!

[LiveFree99]

Great news and a very happy ending to your kitty adventure!

[Fawn]

Sorry---I dont' have any more phots except this one of the actual cat .....

[LiveFree99]

Cute little kitty. Looks a bit scared, but that’s understandable considering the circumstances!

[Fawn]

Yeah....(s)he is very scared. Didnt’ eat the first night but ate last night. Tomorrow is spay/neuter day! The people at the community who threw in the towel and gave up on the cat... just before I caught it, are naming it ‘Bindi’. LOL People are so strange....

[Kaylee Frye]

Awwww, cute, thanks for sharing! :)

[Centurion2000]

"You can't die! Who'll FEED ME?!"

Enlightened self interest even works in the animal world .... sometimes.

[Jagman]

That’s pretty catty.

[Trust but Verify]

We are the staff members for two of their close cousins, burmese. I swear by them. Ours wait at the top of the stairs for us to get home so we can go for a walk. That's right, they walk on leashes. They are the just adorable, see for yourself: