Wash. cat saves elderly owner from smoky fire

[March 04, 2009]  BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) -- A Bremerton Fire Department official said an elderly woman has her cat to thank for saving her life in a smoky house fire.

The woman's smoke alarm was going off as smoke billowed through the vents from her home heater but she slept through it. Her cat jumped up on the bed and pawed at her face until she woke up.

Says Fire Lt. Charlie Rinard, "If the cat hadn't woken her up, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have made it."

Rinard said the woman showed signs of smoke inhalation after the fire early Saturday but both she and her cat are OK.

The fire was contained inside the heater and firefighters cleared the smoke from the home.

___

Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.