Cats have a reputation for being aloof and even a little naughty, but one particular feline in the UK is defying these preconceptions. Zebby, a 2-year-old black and white cat, supports his deaf owner by alerting her of noises. If the phone or the doorbell rings, Zebby taps his human to let her know. Now, this commendable behavior has earned him the Cats Protection's National Cat of the Year award.
Genevieve Moss, Zebby's human, told the BBC she “can't imagine life without Zebby” and is “over the moon” with this distinction. “I am so proud of Zebby for showing the world how intuitive and caring cats can be, and what a positive effect they can have on people's lives,” the woman said. “Without my hearing aid, I can't hear anything, but now I have Zebby to help me.”
The 66-year-old woman explained further what Zebby does for her. “He'll come and tap me when the phone is ringing, and then I can pop my hearing aid and speaker on and take the call. In the night, if there's an unusual noise, he will bat me on my head to wake me up and let me know.”
Surprisingly, the cat has not received any special training to support Moss. On top of making her aware of noises, Zebby helps the woman by picking up the mail from the doormat and delivering it to her in his mouth, or bringing in her slippers.
“Zebby is very special, I've never known a cat quite like him,” she explains. “He loves to be around me, wherever I am, he's not far behind. We've got a very close bond and I wouldn't want to cope without him. Living on my own and being deaf means life could be lonely, but not with Zebby around, he's my hero.”
The cat was one of four finalists in the Family Fur-ever category of the award and was voted winner by the public. “From the moment we read his entry form, we knew Zebby was something special,” Ashley Fryer, Cats Protection's National Cat Awards organizer, says. “Zebby is clearly devoted to Genevieve, and their story highlights the powerful bond that exists between people and their cats. He's a shining example of the joy and comfort a cat can bring.”
Zebby, a 2-year-old black and white cat, supports his deaf owner by alerting her of noises and bringing her mail to her.
Now, this commendable behavior has earned him the Cats Protection's National Cat of the Year award.
h/t: [BBC]
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