Pet cat sacrifices life to protect children from venomous snake in Australia

No one noticed the bite.

Karen Lui | February 17, 2021, 11:37 AM

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Unlike dogs, who are known as man's best friend, cats are not commonly associated with heroism and often show their affection for humans in other ways.

A pet cat named Arthur, however, stopped a venomous snake from hurting its owner's children but tragically lost its life in the process.

Four-legged hero

Animal Emergency Service, an emergency veterinary service provider in Brisbane, Australia, shared the news of Arthur's death on Feb. 15 via Facebook.

The male domestic shorthair cat was playing with his human family — including two young children — when an Eastern Brown Snake found its way into the family's backyard.

The Eastern Brown Snake is one of the top ten most dangerous snakes in Australia, according to Australian Geographic.

In addition to its speed and aggression, it is known for its venom, which is ranked as the second most toxic of any land snake in the world.

The venom can cause progressive paralysis, and requires multiple doses of anti-venom to reverse the effects. Human victims may collapse within minutes of being bitten.

Arthur managed to protect the children by killing the snake.

Amid the panic of moving the children out of the danger zone, no one noticed that Arthur had been bitten.

Arthur subsequently collapsed but appeared to recover quickly, as if nothing was wrong.

According to Animal Emergency Service, collapsing is not a well-known symptom of snake bites amongst pet owners.

Arthur collapsed again the next morning, and his inability to stand up sounded the alarm for his owners, who rushed him to the veterinary hospital.

Alas, he succumbed to the venom, leaving behind his bereaved family who are grateful for his heroic act and will remember him fondly.

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Top images by Animal Emergency Service.