Move over all you celluloid and comic book super heroes. Here comes Winnie, the feline wonder, who sprang into action and came to her family's rescue as they slept unaware of a deadly carbon monoxide leak.
Winnie The Wonder Cat
Cathy Keesling was lying peacefully beside her husband, Eric, when their frantic, domestic short-haired cat, Winnie, woke her up from a sound sleep. She said: "It was a crazy meow, like she was screaming at us." Her husband was recovering from neck surgery and she couldn't budge him awake. Unbeknownst to her, their 14 year-old son, Michael, was laying in the hall unconscious and close to death. (See: Hero Dog Alerts Family To Gas Leak.)
She managed to get out of bed and call 911 although she was disoriented, dizzy and very nauseous. Barely coherent, she struggled to inform authorities that they desperately needed their help. According to Richard Silcox of the Indiana State Police, "When we got to the door, she was delusional and her son was already passed out." (See: English Setter Saves Owner From Heart Attack.)
Deputy Landon Dean of the Henry County Sheriff's Department concluded: "Even if the cat had waited another five minutes, the outcome would have been horrible. I think it probably would have been a case for the coroner for sure." (See: Freckles The Canine Smoke Detector.)
It is believed that the carbon dioxide leak originated from a broken gas-powered sump pump in the basement. Winnie's owner credits the cat for having saved their lives. She had this to say: "If it wasn't for Winnie screaming and hollering and carrying on, we wouldn't be here today." (See: Cat Named Tink Saves Family from Fire.)
The family was taken from their home in oxygen masks, treated for carbon dioxide poisoning and soon recovered form their life-threatening ordeal. Fourteen year-old Winnie has a new name and purpose within the grateful Keesling household. She is known now throughout the New Castle neighborhood as Winnie The Wonder Cat, and she lacks only the cape to prove it!
According to owner Cathy, she will soon have a cape as this incident marked the second time the cat came through for her family of caretakers. Winnie acted in a similar fashion the summer before when an unexpected hurricane ripped through the area with deadly speed and precision.
She told the press: "I believe cats can sense these kind of things." (See: The Cat Who Dialed 911.)
Way to go, Winnie!
Good kitty!
See also: Bretagne
Source:
