Lifesaving cat among finalists for national award

Void has saved Laura Welch's life on multiple occasions by alerting her when she is about to have a medical episode

A cat from Surrey who has saved her owner's life on multiple occasions is a finalist in this year's National Cat Awards.

The event, organised by charity Cats Protection, highlights the impact cats have on people's lives.

Four-year-old Void is one of three contenders in the Incredible Cats category which recognises those who have raised the alarm in an emergency or prevented a catastrophe.

He is able to alert owner Laura Welch when she is about to have a medical episode linked to her heart condition, Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia.

Ms Welch, from Staines, said: "The cardiac episodes can flare up multiple times a week – I get a lot of pain, a really high heart rate and get dizzy like I'm going to pass out.

"I don't know where he learnt it but Void knows to alert me before it happens. He sprints over at full speed and gently taps me over and over again until he sees that I'm listening."

She recalls one occasion when she was in bed and Void "sprinted up the stairs at full speed" to alert her to an episode.

"I woke up 10 minutes later and he was sat right by my head and I realised I'd had a seizure. I trust him, I really do," Ms Welch added.

Voting for the National Cat Awards is open and will run until 31 July.

Category winners and the overall National Cat of the Year will be announced during a ceremony in London on 24 September.

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