Young Diabetic Finds the Purrfect Pet

Everyone knows that pets can increase happiness, but what if your cat was able to let you know when your blood sugar levels drop to critical levels? Well, that’s what Pippa does to alert her owner, Mia Jansa, that her blood sugar is dangerously low. As reported in the Canterbury Times, Pippa was found by the RSPCA after she was dumped outside of a store and left in a box. When the Jansa family adopted her they definitely got more than they bargained for.

Of course she’s full of love, but Pippa can also detect when 8-year old Mia is on the brink of a hypoglycemic episode caused by her diabetes. Canterbury Times reports that the first time the family discovered Pippa’s capabilities was 

in the middle of the night when she came into Mia’s room and woke her up urging her to test her blood sugar levels, which turned out to be extremely low.

The moment Mia’s mother realized that Pippa had this gift was when she couldn’t get into Mia’s room to check on her. “We quickly realized she was warning us. If Mia didn’t wake up, then she would come to my door and meow,” said Mrs. Jansa, “She really makes her presence felt, she won’t take no for an answer. She knows it’s important that I get up and help Mia,” she added. 

Although Pippa is not trained for any of this, she has a sense and can tell when Mia needs her. Mrs. Jansa explained, “We are working with the doctors to stop Mia’s night hypos, but in the meantime I sleep a bit easier knowing that Pippa is around.”

It’s clear that Pippa is one smart cat, and it would be interesting if this special ability sparked some new research in this area. Does your pet have any sensing abilities like Pippa?