It’s widely accepted that pets can tremendously help their owners. 42-year-old Sam Felstead would certainly not contradict this assertion. Her house feline woke her up from a heart attack happening while she was sleeping.
When people think about guardian angels, they imagine an ethereal human-like creature with mandatory wings or a departed relative. Yet, Sam Felstead’s guardian angel is no winged supernatural creature.
Instead, he is very much alive and has whiskers!
Sam is a receptionist in Nottingham, England. When she’s not working, the Englishwoman spends time at home with her mother Karen and cat Billy in Stapleford, a suburb of Nottingham.
On August 7, 2022, Sam returned home after a long day. She finished her daily chores before going to bed.
In an interview with the British tabloid Metro, the woman revealed she was startled awake at 4:30 a.m. by her cat’s meowing.
” I woke up in the early hours covered in sweat and couldn’t move. Billy was on my chest and was meowing loudly in my ear hole,” she said.
This behavior was unusual for the lazy cat, who typically spent hours sleeping. At the same moment, Sam discovered something else was wrong.
Lying down on her mattress, the receptionist was unable to move. Moreover, she felt searing pain and heaviness on her side.
After calling for help, Sam and her mom learned that the ambulance wouldn’t arrive for at least two hours. So, the women drove to the hospital.
At the Queen’s hospital, the doctors made a worrying diagnosis. Sam was indeed experiencing a minor heart attack due to a blocked artery that night.
Billy the cat sensed the heart attack
Sam Felstead assured me that she felt fine before bedtime. She had no discomfort, sweat, or anything else.
Without Billy, she would have never suspected anything.
“I owe him a debt of gratitude because without him, I probably wouldn’t have awakened. For all I know, he may have prevented my death, “she adds.
According to cat behaviorist Lucy Hoile, Billy could have felt his owner’s physical changes. It’s common knowledge that cats and other animals have an acute sense of smell.
Similarly, when our health is compromised, our body odor may alter. Referring to Billy’s reaction, Lucy Hoile explained:
“He may be anxious, as evidenced by his jumping on her and meowing. He probably saved her life by getting her to the hospital in time”
The specialist doesn’t think the cat did it on purpose. He was just reacting to the circumstances.
Funnily enough, Billy was back to business as usual following the incident. Sam said that when she returned to her house after recovering, the puss paid her no attention.
He probably felt like he had already done more than enough. Thanks, Billy!