We love our pets, but is it possible they might have an even deeper understanding of us than we realize? In other words, are they able to suspect or detect or just have a sixth sense about our well-being? A recent story out of the U.K. is enough to convince you that our animal companions can be eerily intuitive.
A mother of two named Wendy Humphrys has a cat named Fidge who was just 10 months old when it began jumping on her breast and continued to do so for weeks on end. Without really making a connection, Humphrys started wondering about her breast, which she says was bruised and painful. She went to her doc, and as it turned out, she had a malignant tumor in her breast about the size of a pea that could have metastasized if it hadn't been discovered early enough. Now, she's set to have her breast removed after undergoing chemo.
Now, Wendy credits her feline friend with saving her life.
Incredible, right? She told The Daily Mail:
She saved my life, definitely. No hesitation at all. I was told that if I hadn't been diagnosed when I was I could have died because of the hormones in menopause. I am the first one in my family to have breast cancer. I'm so glad I got [Fidge].
Awww!
Something else I found interesting was that Wendy was surprised, because she thought only dogs were able to "play doctor." German researchers did discover that dogs could "sniff out" lung cancer from breath samples of sufferers. And experts think cancer produces volatile chemicals that dogs can be trained to smell. But judging from this story, it looks like there's potential for cats, too!
So intriguing. And since it's something that could lead to early diagnosis of the disease, we should be all for it! Now, excuse me while I go make a really strong case to my fiance for getting a loving, brilliant pet ...
Do you believe animals can detect illness, specifically cancer?
Image via Tomas Aleksiejunas/Flickr
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Comments 15
Yes, I do believe animals can pick up on certain things. My dog starts(shes in the house) barking before someone even starts walking into our walkway .
Animals can heal us emotionally.
yes, I believe and they know when you're stressed or sad and they try to help by being cute and sweet and affectionate. :')
Yes, they do I trully believe that pets are good for a well being
This is the 2nd story I've come across in a week of a cat detecting health problems in its owner!! So cool. Kittys are the best!!!
Susie19 - totally agree. My cats always seem to know when I need to cuddle :)
My chihuahua took care of me while I had bronquitis, 2 times, last year. He would sit on my chest and keep it warm, wich felt so good. if I was on my side, he would lay back to back .He does the same when I am having my period, he is the perfect heat therapy cushion.
He started trying to sit on my boobs a couply weeks back, so I have scheduled a mamogram.
My bonded by hearts cat, Stinkie helped me. When I had a skull fracture! She knew I had a migraine coming beforeI did! She'd sit/lay gently on the side where a mammogram didn't see a pigeon egg sized lump. When I got Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She'd lay on the bathroom floor with me, give me her empathy & every day make my "throw up" sounds during Chemo! Since I couldn'tafford my good meds. Since I had no income! My cats wear all a part of my healing and my best medicine! I miss them So! Cancer is so Brutal! How I wish for Cancer Prevention, a Cure & Quality of Life After Cancer!! I had 14 cats and now just 8! Did they take away my Cancer!? My husband swears to it! I miss them so! NO one will sit or sleep on Stinkie's pillow next to my head I miss my Siamese & Munchkins SO Bad. I hope to one day get a Siamese Munchkin. But we have zero income in our household. So my Husband & I are officially living on Love! Missing our Cats!! Animals are great healers!!