As parents, we know that we would do anything to keep our children safe; our desire to keep them safe takes precedence over our own safety and well-being.
When she rescued her kittens from a burning building, one mother cat put herself in danger.
When firefighters arrived at the Brooklyn garage fire, they saw a brave cat carrying her kittens out of the blazing structure one by one.
She returned to the burning building five times to save her children, and after carrying them to safety, she touched each of their noses to ensure they were still alive.
After her heroic rescue, the cat, later named Scarlett, collapsed.
According to an imgur account, firefighter David Giannelli saw the brave cat saving her kittens.
“Scarlett herself had been severely burned in the process of pulling her kittens from the fire. Her eyes were blistered shut, her ears and paws burned, and her coat highly singed,” the post read.
“The majority of her facial hair had been burnt away. After saving the kittens she was seen to touch each of her kittens with her nose to ensure they were all there and alive, as the blisters on her eyes kept her from being able to see them, and then she collapsed unconscious.”
Scarlett and her babies received medical attention after Brooklyn firefighters extinguished the fire. Unfortunately, one of her babies died, but the others were treated and placed in loving homes.
Adopted by family in Brooklyn
Her story drew international attention, and she became the subject of several books, including “Scarlett Saves Her Family” and “The Bravest Cat.”
Scarlett was adopted by a Brooklyn family and lived 12 happy years with them before passing away in 2008.
The North Shore Animal League, which treated Scarlett and her kittens, even named an award after her to honor other heroic animals.