My friend found an old newspaper article from 1898.. She finds these little snippets of history so intriguing! It is interesting to read about people’s daily lives back then and relate those events with how we live today.
This article that a friend came across was from the Ann Arbor Argus-Democrat and it was published on December 16, 1898. The caption read: “Cat Saves Baby’s Life”
A pet cat saved the life of an infant near Hooker Glen, NY, the other day by killing a large rattlesnake which was approaching the baby. The mother, Mrs. Robert Snow, had taken the child a short distance from her home and seated it on the grass while she picked berries. A large pet cat accompanied them, and the mother of the babe, alarmed at the rattle of the snake, turned around just in time to see the cat seize the reptile as it was about to attack the babe. The cat killed the snake instantly within two feet of where the child was sitting.
Though this article was written a long time ago, it is certainly not the first time one of our feline companions as put themselves in danger to save someone we love.
In January of 2013, an Australian woman was woken by her hissing cat to find a python wrapped around the arm of her 2-year-old daughter.
The mother, Tess Guthrie, thought she was having a nightmare when the hissing sound began. The toddler was sleeping in bed with Tess at that time. Tess said she awoke to find the 6-foot python wrapped three times around her daughter’s arm. Tess moved to pry the snake off her arm but, before she could, the nonvenomous python bit the toddler three times on her left hand.
Her daughter, Zara, was screaming and there was blood everywhere from the bite wounds. The cat continued to hiss and crouched low in front of the snake; in an “attack” position. The cat and python seemed to “square off” with the cat hissing continually.
Tess called for help and waited for someone to arrive. Not once during that time did their loyal family cat leave Zara’s side. Only after help arrived and the toddler was extracted from the python’s grip, did the cat finally stop hissing.
Zara was taken to the local hospital where she was treated and released. The coastal python (or “carper snake”) was captured by local wildlife officials and eventually released back in to the wild.
Snake invasions are nothing new down under, but Tess will never forget the terrifying events of that night. It was a shocking way to wake up from a deep sleep. Tess is so thankful that her cat was there to alert her of the danger her child was in and take the protective stance it did toward the snake. She is convinced her cat was protecting her child in the best way it knew how.
Our feline friends offer such love and companionship but it is a whole other gift when they protect us with their lives as well.