Cat Detects Owner’s Brain Aneurysm

In an interview with The Northern Virginia Daily, Janet Batten says, "He constantly smelled my head on the right side, in the front, and in my eye and in my nose. Sometimes he would really push to get into my head. He began to make this sound I had never heard before. I began to get suspicious.”

At about the same time, Janet began to experience vision problems which led her to an appointment with her primary care physician and an ophthalmologist.  But neither of these doctor’s examinations discovered any problems. 

However a clean bill of health did not deter Noah from continuing his bizarre behavior. Thankfully Janet had a fearless feline hot on the case.

Several months later, Janet suffered a mini-stroke and an irregular heartbeat. A CAT scan was then ordered.  The furless, high-tech metallic diagnostic machine revealed that Janet was suffering with a life- threatening brain aneurysm.

Even though Noah had absolutely no medical training, his intuition concerning Janet’s dangerous aneurysm was right on the money. The type of scan that Noah administered for sure is not generally part of the equipment found in imaging centers, and it is certainly not covered by health insurance.

Fortunately Janet's aneurysm has since been treated. It goes without saying she will be eternally grateful to her cat for letting her know that something was seriously wrong.

Dr. Bruce Coston, Noah's veterinarian, nominated Noah for the “Animal Hero” award at the Virginia Veterinary Conference this year. And he won. "Because Noah the cat had been alerting his mom that something was wrong, she was aggressive in seeking treatment,” says Coston.

And while Noah never had the opportunity of strolling down the red carpet on prime time television for his outstanding CAT scan contribution, this omission in no way diminishes his momentous achievement.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if our two kitties start behaving in a similar manner toward me or my husband, their medical advice will be taken very seriously.

Do you think that pets can “pick up” on their guardian’s medical conditions? Let us know in a comment.