This astonishing cat alerts his deaf owner to any strange noises around the house, the ringing of the telephone, and knocking on the door - and as an added extra he also fetches the post and slippers! All with no formal training.
The two-year-old black and white cat has become invaluable to 66-year-old Genevieve Moss by “hearing” for her, easily beating out thousands of other entries to win the prestigious title.
Held at the Wilton Music Hall in London last month, the annual event is organised by the country's local charity Cats Protection.
Zebby was honoured in recognition of how he supports Genevive, by alerting her to sounds around the house.
Genevieve, who hails from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, said in a press release: “I am so proud of Zebby for showing the world how intuitive and caring cats can be, and what a positive effect they can have on people’s lives. I can’t imagine life without Zebby and I’m over the moon that he’s been honoured in the National Cat Awards. Living on my own and being deaf means life could be lonely, but not with Zebby around – he’s my hero.
“Without my hearing aid, I can’t hear anything, but now I have Zebby to help me. He’ll come and tap me when the phone is ringing, and then I can pop my hearing aid and speaker on and take the call. In the night, if there’s an unusual noise he will bat me on my head to wake me up and let me know. If someone is at the door, he’ll pace about in front of me until I get the message.
“He is very helpful and likes to bring me things – he’ll get the post from the doormat and pick it up in his mouth before dropping it in the bedroom. He even brings me my slippers if he finds them somewhere other than my feet! Zebby is very special, I’ve never known a cat quite like him. He loves to be around me – wherever I am, he’s not far behind. We’ve got a very close bond and I wouldn’t want to cope without him.”
As the overall winner, Zebby won a trophy and prize package, which included a R5 000 pet store voucher.
Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards organizer Ashley Fryer said: “From the moment we read his entry form, we knew Zebby was something special. Zebby is clearly devoted to Genevieve, and their story highlights the powerful bond that exists between people and their cats. He’s a shining example of the joy and comfort a cat can bring.”
Pictured below: Zebby and a proud Genevieve Moss.
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Watch the clip and be amazed at this incredible feline.
