Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rescue Cat Watches Over Diabetic Girl
HaloPets.com ^ | Caroline Golon

Posted on 05/06/2014 1:55:14 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows

When the Jansa Family adopted a small rescue cat, Pretty Pippa, from the RSPCA in Kent, UK, they never dreamed the kitty would save the life of the family’s 8-year-old daughter, Mia – over and over again.

Mia has type-one diabetes, which requires her to constantly monitor her blood sugar levels.

Incredibly, the little black and white rescue cat has a special ability: Pippa can detect when Mia’s blood sugar drops and the girl goes into a hypoglycemic episode.

According to the RSPCA, Pippa first demonstrated her gift when she woke Mia up in the middle of night as she was suffering from a hypoglycemic episode. Nighttime can be particularly dangerous because Mia is asleep and doesn’t realize her blood sugar is dropping.

At first, the family thought the cat’s intervention was simply good timing. But one night, Mia’s door was shut, so Pippa went into her parents’ room, meowing loudly and walking on them to wake them up. They went to check on Mia and realized the cat had been trying to alert them that Mia was in danger.

Since then, Mia’s mom Laura says Pippa has alerted them to the girl’s nighttime blood sugar level drops at least 20 times.

Beth Hixson, manager at the RSPCA, says Pippa was abandoned outside a shop and the staff realized quickly how sweet-natured the cat is. “But I couldn’t believe it when I heard how she is helping Mia. I got goosebumps, it’s so amazing.”

The family is working with Mia’s doctors to stop her night episodes but in the meantime, Pippa gives Mia and her family great peace of mind.

“I sleep a bit easier knowing that Pippa is around. It is so nice to have the back-up, it’s really reassuring and certainly a bonus we were not expecting.”

“Mia calls her ‘my special cat, my little protector’ and she’s got a soft spot for her,” Laura says.



TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: diabetes; diabeticcoma; kittyping
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last
To: TheOldLady; CatherineofAragon

You could Google it, but as Catherine pointed out, donuts-to-dollars there’s already a long line.


21 posted on 05/06/2014 3:28:07 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows; Yaelle; Atom Smasher; LucyT; sheik yerbouty; TheOldLady; Cat Lady; ...
Patients in diabetic ketoacidosis often smell of acetone. Donuts to dollars that's what Pippa is detecting.

What you say is true, that patients in diabetic ketoacidosis produce acetone, which has a characteristic odor. But ketoacidosis is almost always associated with HIGH blood sugars (HYPERglycemia). However, the article talks about the cat detecting HYPOglycemia - too low a blood sugar level for the girl. The possible mechanism is that the girl might be having seizures, which are often associated with hypoglycemia, perhaps even seizures not dectected all that readily by the naked human eye, but nonetheless detectable by the cat's sense of movement or vibration of the girl's bed.

22 posted on 05/06/2014 3:31:16 PM PDT by justiceseeker93
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: justiceseeker93

Interesting point. Over my pay grade though to determine what the kittie is actually sensing.


23 posted on 05/06/2014 3:37:53 PM PDT by MUDDOG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: justiceseeker93

You are absolutely correct about DKA and hyperglycemia. My mistake - brain tired.

IIRC, hypoglycemia leads to lactic acidosis as cells denied insulin metabolize glucose anaerobically. Perhaps Pippa is smelling some metabolite produced by this process? (I’m harping on smell because cats have a very acute sense of smell, and are very scent-oriented.)


24 posted on 05/06/2014 3:47:40 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: justiceseeker93

P.S. Brain still tired - I meant that they generate glucose from protein, and Pippa may be smelling a product of that process.


25 posted on 05/06/2014 3:50:33 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

The punk is lucky this country is a nation of laws...........I’m all in favor of a sub-culture of internet vigilantes..............


26 posted on 05/06/2014 3:51:20 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Under Reagan spring always arrived on time.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: justiceseeker93; Slings and Arrows

I’ve been hypoglycemic most of my life (since the age of 10, or younger) and know when I need food. I often wake up in the middle of the night and have to get something eat. I have no doubt that a cat (or dog) could detect this anomaly from my normal odors.

Kudos to the kitteh!


27 posted on 05/06/2014 3:52:10 PM PDT by Monkey Face (Thank God we don't look like what we've been through!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco

Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.

On the bright side, Anonymous *really* dislikes people who abuse cats.


28 posted on 05/06/2014 3:53:38 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

“Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.”

Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them after they’re born.


29 posted on 05/06/2014 3:59:39 PM PDT by This I Wonder32460
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

Sorry, you’re wrong-—that is something that
occurs w/ a HIGH blood sugar


30 posted on 05/06/2014 4:03:26 PM PDT by krunkygirl (force multiplier in effect...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: krunkygirl

Yeah, I know - I was thinking of how the body cannibalizes itself when blood sugar gets too low.


31 posted on 05/06/2014 4:05:45 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows
On the bright side, Anonymous *really* dislikes people who abuse cats.

Anonymous would certainly like to have the perpetrators of animal abuse in his geographic location so as to exact justice...............

32 posted on 05/06/2014 4:07:47 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Under Reagan spring always arrived on time.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

That makes sense, I think you might be right :-)


33 posted on 05/06/2014 6:10:10 PM PDT by Bobalu (What cannot be programmed cannot be physics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bobalu

I think I was mixing up diabetic ketoacidosis and lactic acidosis, but I’m reasonably sure that hyperglycemia could alter a patient’s scent.


34 posted on 05/06/2014 9:36:45 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows; All

An Update: Did watch “Hannity” last night, and he did do a report on that perp that kicked the cat and from what I have heard, she was rescued and she is doing okay, but she must have been traumatized mental-wise as a cat. She WILL NEED A LOT OF TLC .


35 posted on 05/07/2014 3:42:53 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

Thank-you for the update, the REAL UPDATE!


36 posted on 05/07/2014 3:44:04 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

Read the article posted, that the cat is a boy, a stray by the name of King and that the North Shore Animal League rescued him. Hope he gets a great home. The organization is legendary in the animal rescue movement. :) =^..^=


37 posted on 05/07/2014 3:55:16 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

THANK-YOU in shoutout for posting cat/human interest stories and helping to do your job in regards to animal rescue.


38 posted on 05/07/2014 3:56:49 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

A friend of mine is diabetic and her cat does the same thing.


39 posted on 05/07/2014 7:23:12 AM PDT by Nea Wood (When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.-Sowell)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nea Wood

G-d bless all guardian kitties.


40 posted on 05/07/2014 8:49:42 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson