By Derek Schlennstedt
Can cats be good bois to?
The question lends itself to the popular interweb obsession of calling dogs, good bois, but I argue that cats, who I admit are grumpy teenagers in furry bodies can also be good bois.
Sandy the carrot coloured cat is definitely deserving of the ‘good boi’ title and became this year’s winner of the Advocate People’s Rescue Story in the national Jetpets Companion Animal Rescue Awards.
Sally Gaunt from Boronia said the bittersweet tangerine titan saved her son Beau in 2011 when he suffered a seizure while sleeping.
“It was Good Friday and Sandy woke me – pawing and biting my hair,” Ms Gaunt said.
“I thought he wanted feeding so ignored him, but he kept on biting me.
“I woke to find Beau unconscious in bed twitching, making clicking noises and drooling a great deal.
Ms Gaunt said that even when medics arrived, Sandy didn’t leave Beau’s side and tried to sit under the stretcher in the ambulance.
“They got him to the ambulance, and were working on Beau to help him breathe with a tube and airbag.”
“I was so upset, but noticed Sandy sitting under the stretcher.”
“The hospital advised Beau was very lucky to have Sandy as he would have passed away if we hadn’t found him … we are eternally grateful to still have Sandy in our lives.”
The cat has been a big part of the family’s life since 2009 when they were living in Ferntree Gully.
At the time they were looking for a four-legged family member and came across several kittens in an adoption pen.
Since then the two have been inseparable.
“Sandy just jumped up into his lap and immediately snuggled into Beau,” Ms Gaunt said.
“The volunteer at the RSPCA got her camera as she said she had never seen this bond so quickly and wanted to show her co workers. It was instant so we took him home.”
While beau now has a video monitor to alert the family when he has a seizure, Sandy still keeps a watchful eye over him.
“Beau still has epilepsy. He is doing well now. His epilepsy was generally nocturnal so for years we had to sleep with a video monitor on to ensure we could be alerted.”
“Of course Sandy is always with him at night.”
There it is. There is no doubt in my mind that Sandy is definitely deserving of good boi status.
