Cats Saving Peeps, Peeps Saving Cats

This photo was taken in Misoula, not Parkdale, but it's sooooooooo cute!  Go firefighter!  The kitten was found in a fire, given oxygen and love, and recovered.  The firefighters named her smoky!


The following story is about a life-saving cat, who warned his owner about a house fire, and it happened right by my house!  I wonder if I've seen this Hero-cat around?  


Wednesday February 4, 2009 - Residents of a street in Parkdale have a cat to thank for their lives after a fire broke out in a semi-detached house overnight.

The blaze began at about 4am Wednesday in the Spencer Ave. home near King and Dufferin Sts. and quickly spread to a neighbouring residence. A man called 9-1-1 after his beloved pet woke him up.

"My cat jumped on the bed, believe it or not, and woke me up," Rob noted. "I smelled a bit of smoke, looked outside and a burst of flame came flying from the window next door on the second floor. I grabbed my roommates and said, 'Fire! Fire!' Yelled it, called 9-1-1."

Nearby buildings were also evacuated. Residents and their pets were sheltered in a nearby apartment lobby as fire crews made quick work of the blaze.

Fortunately no one was injured. There's no word yet on what sparked the flames. 


I always knew Parkdale cats were special!

the Lion cut.

Androcles and the Lion, by Aesop. 

A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee, but finding that the lion did not pursue him, he turned back and went up to him. As he came near, the lion put out his paw, which was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a huge thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled out the thorn and bound up the paw of the lion, who was soon able to rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the lion took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meat from which to live. 

But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to the lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several days.

The emperor and all his court came to see the spectacle, and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon the lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles he recognized his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands like a friendly dog.

The emperor, surprised at this, summoned Androcles to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the slave was pardoned and freed, and the lion let loose to his native forest.

Moral:

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.

Toronto Cat Rescue

Every once in a while I get into a vortex of looking at cats on the Toronto Cat Rescue website.  TCR is a really great org made up of cat-loving angels who desperately need our support!  (www.torontocatrescue.ca) I like to look through the kitties trying to choose which one is the cutest.  Here are some stand-outs from today's hour and a half long visit:

This is Fergie!!!  This kit stole my heart. A face so infinitely more expressive and beautiful than Fergie from Black Eyed Peas. 

Oh, Hugo!!  what a piquant little face!  So mischievous.