By Susan F. O’Donnell-Burke
Earlier this year, I almost died. But I’m here to tell the tale
because of my cat, Missy. She saved my life.
Dogs aren’t the only pets who are capable of
saving their people.
I adopted Missy 7 years ago from a shelter where she was
scheduled to be euthanized the next day. Now I believe we
were meant to be together.
The black kitten was in rough shape at the local shelter and
the volunteer staff couldn’t seem to get her better. She was
the last of a litter of ten that needed to find a loving home.
I couldn’t let her die.
We are now closely bonded and she looks after me, much to
my surprise initially, because, like many people, I didn’t know she
had it in her. Cats do love us when we care for them with
our love. Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t care. Missy proved
that to me.
I was driving my car along
a coastal highway in California that had signs to “watch for
falling rocks.” Well, a very large “rock” (more like a boulder)
landed on top of my car and punched its way through to the
road, leaving a gaping hole in the back seat area. It stopped
me, of course, and I needed help getting out of the car.
A passing motorist stopped to help and transported
me to a local hospital. But I soon opted to go home to my beloved
cats and called a friend to come get me.
Miraculously, I escaped what could have happened. Had the
boulder crashed into the front seat instead, where I was seated, I would
not be telling this story.
But there was another issue that still threatened my survival.
For several days I could not sleep. Then, on the third night, I fell
asleep as if to never awaken again. My breathing was shallow and
intermittent.
Suddenly, I was awakened by sharp “needles” raking my chest.
It was Missy. I pushed her away and told her to “stop that!”
But this pattern repeated itself many times throughout the night as she
kept waking me up, causing me to resume breathing.
I’m sure I would not have survived the night without my sweet Missy cat
reminding me to breathe! I saved her life 7 years ago and this time, she
saved mine!
