Cat Opens Window – Saves Home From Fire

Five year old Pepper the cat lets himself out every night by opening a small window in his owners kitchen. However one evening, while the home owners were out Christmas shopping the house set ablaze. Pepper using his trick for leaving the house at night opened the window and escaped, but through the now open window the smoke billowing out alerted neighbours and gave them time to call the fire services. It was thanks to this that the fire was caught before too much damage could be done, before the owner of Pepper, Mr and Mrs. White returned from their shopping trip.

Fire crews admit it was the clever cat’s actions that prevented the flames spreading throughout the rest of the £350,000 house in Totnes, Devon.

Pepper had learned to open the kitchen window by pushing against the metal latch with his paws. Mrs. White says

“He first opened the window at a dinner party and everyone was applauding him. I think it spurred him on, and he can climb back in through the window by jumping diagonally onto the ledge as well, so he really does come and go as he pleases.”

Pepper was adopted by Mrs. White and partner Phil four years ago when a neighbour could no longer take care of him. The cat developed a “fierce independent streak” and would often leave the house for days on end, eventually learning to let himself out.

But it was at 4pm on Saturday when the microwave caught fire that Pepper was in and his actions saved the house. Mrs. White’s sister-in-law had called the couple about 2 hours into their shopping trip to inform them of the smoke and fire brigade around their home. Luckily the only damage as a result of the cat was some smoke damage in the kitchen.

Fire crew have said that “If Pepper hadn’t opened the window the fire would have developed quite a lot.”

Source: The Daily Mail - 14th December 2010