Convinced my cat thinks he's medically trained...

...any one else get this from their pets?

Normally, he's the most aloof two year old British Shorthair imaginable. Will happily lie down next to you on the sofa / bed / table, but never on you. Usually, he's at least two feet away. Never snuggles, rarely purrs (except when you first come in and feed him!!)

Today and yesterday, when I've been poorly, he's not left my side. I wake up, and he's curled on my legs. As soon as he notices I'm awake, he licks my face, goes back to my legs, puts paws on my chest and purrs for hours. As if he's soothing my lungs and getting me back to sleep (and it bloody works!).

I got up this morning to get something from the cupboard the hoover was in, and he sat in front of the cupboard door as if to say ""you needn't think you're doing any housework, mrs!""

This afternoon, around the time for my inhalers (taking 2 hourly as extra prevention) he meowed at me until I woke up, bashed the inhalers off the bedside cabinet (less helpful) and sat by them, meowing.

The only downside is his tendency to hoard inhaler caps...

Love him to bits, and makes being poorly better!! Any one else got super pets that are amazing when they're poorly sick? Can't work out if he's learned poorly routine, or whether he can smell chemical changes in body / breath / inhalers?

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my cat is like that and we dont know why

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i think this is animals in general. my dogs do this when im ill. they will either not leave my side or spend ages just standing looking at me which can creep me out at times if im only slightly wheezy as i wonder if im missing something lol!

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deffo agree!

I have 2 cats which are loving and are lap cats, but both very individual but when anyone is ill in the house they never leave them alone, follow them around, sleep with them etc... even the more energetic one (they are both 15!!) manages to climb the stairs of my sons high rise bed to be with him when hes ill, and watching a cat climb a ladder is very amusing.

Think they just have a sixth sense, and its the same when their ill, they want a lot of attention.

Snowy

[Annista]

My dog always helped me out when I wasn't well - it's amazing how much better you feel when your pet snuggles up to you in sympathy.

[yaf_user681_30355]

My 2 cats are very focussed on me if i am ever upset or very stressed. One of them sits facing me, pawing my leg and meowing until i give him lots of attention, he will keep repeating that until i feel calmer. A lovely distraction!

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My dog used to do this with me! When I had ill days id crash out on the sofa with the quilt and she would just wedge herself next 2 me and sorta watch!

Pets seem to have that protective instinct

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My dog has not got this intuition - he keeps dumping his huge kong toy by my feet to be thrown for him - he will play this game for hours! He is great company though. He normally lives with the ""olds"" but is staying with me at the moment as I am feeling a little low.

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My cats' (well, they don't live with me now and haven't for a while sadly) idea of 'therapy' is either a 'massage' with claws, or to sit on my neck at 5am demanding breakfast (I didn't have breathing issues then but I defy anyone to breathe properly with a large furry cat on their neck).

None of the cats my family have had ever had the slightest inclination towards being helpful or soothing when ill - they were too busy nicking stuff, though I still liked having them around.

Nature or nurture I wonder?

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Aw sounds just like what you need Jeremykitten2. Not sure it would work somehow but could cats be trained like assistance dogs? Snowy would love to see your cat up a ladder My cat can be like this esp if near her favourite places in the house