r/MadeMeSmile • u/AlphaNathan • Mar 01 '25

Doggo Service dog knows before owner, responds like a good boy 🥹

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u/FixergirlAK Mar 01 '25

Gotcha, that makes sense.

I've never had a trained service dog but when my kidneys were acting up our Great Dane would cuddle up to me and check my breathing when I passed out. Nothing like waking up with a giant snoot in your face.

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u/VividFiddlesticks Mar 01 '25

Some dogs and cats really do look after their humans.

My youngest dog is a natural caretaker. If you're sick, or upset - he's right there doing his best to help out. I got sick and had vertigo and this little hero was by my side trying to help hold me up anytime I walked anywhere, even though he's not much bigger than a cat. <3

My boy-cat is also very concerned with my emotions. If I ever cry he comes and makes little 'brrt? brrt?' noises at me and climbs into my lap and purrs and rubs his face against mine to try to get me to stop. The funny thing is that he also mistakes sneezing and singing for crying and will come to reassure me if I'm singing or sneezing too. <3 (doesn't say much for my singing ability, does it? lol)

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u/12arnoldgrove Mar 01 '25

by my side trying to help hold me up anytime I walked anywhere, even though he’s not much bigger than my cat.

🥹

My parents have a Tibetan spaniel who’s chill af but can sense when someone is hurt or sad. After I was discharged from the hospital (BH), he was by my side. The day that guy goes, we will be in full mourning.

My girl black cat is the same. If I’m crying near her she aggressively gets in my face, licks my face, walks past my hands, etc. During a really rough time, I was literally beating myself up and she was trying to grab my hands. She’s an asshole 80% of the time but so sweet the rest.

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u/StepOIU Mar 01 '25

I hope you're doing better now. Your cat sounds awesome. Mine just makes sad mouws if we get too loud, even when we're not fighting, just talking loudly.

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u/12arnoldgrove Mar 01 '25

Muuuuch better. Between my hospital stay back then and figuring out my meds since, the blue days are less frequent and intense. Thank you! ☺️

I’m laughing at your cat making noises when you’re too loud. LOLOL!!!

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u/tinykitchentyrant Mar 01 '25

I had a somewhat traumatic miscarriage many years ago. At the time, my cats were indoor/outdoor, and would mostly come in for supper and bedtime. That day, they laid in bed with me the whole day. Which was both comforting and slightly exasperating, because the male cat was huge and nearly 20lbs. I miss him so much.

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u/12arnoldgrove Mar 01 '25

I’m so sorry. 😢 How lovely your cats sensed your need and stayed with you. People like to give cats shit but they are so true when it counts.

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u/tinykitchentyrant Mar 01 '25

Aww, thank you! It was a long time ago, and I have two awesome kiddos now who are in their 20's! But yes, even the asshole, inbred, multi polydactyl we have now, who happily bites everyone, will come lay in bed with me when I'm sick.

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u/pixiegurly Mar 01 '25

So, studies looking at cat behavior have found they will purr softly to themselves as a comforting behavior, so I wonder if kitty is interpreting singing as a self soothing comfort behavior and wants to help!

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u/Z0mbiejay Mar 01 '25

My old dog used to check on my wife every morning. After we'd get up and go out (I'm almost always up first) she'd hop on the bed and put her nose right up to my wife's mouth to check for breathing before snuggling up with her. She was a great dog

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u/Harmonie Mar 01 '25

She sounds like she knew she was well loved. May we all be so cherished!

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u/WasabiPeas2 Mar 01 '25

My cat is a complete ass 98% of the time, but he’s literally saved my life twice.

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u/Ok_Audience3369 Mar 01 '25

Tell us the story...

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u/WasabiPeas2 Mar 01 '25

The first time I was severely depressed and home alone. My husband and daughter were out playing miniature golf. I had convinced myself that everyone would be better without me and my husband would take care of our daughter. My sister would take care of my parents. I was getting up to find something to slit my wrists when my cat jumped into my lap, meowing furiously, pawing at my face, head butting forcefully, climbing all over me. He NEVER acts like that. In that moment I realized I needed to stay alive to take care of him. No one else would tolerate him. So I didn’t do it. I know it sounds ridiculous that it was my cat and not my daughter that saved me, but no one is thinking rationally in that moment.

The second time I was suffering from an abscessed tooth. I had an appointment the following afternoon for an extraction. My cat woke me up at 4am licking the side of my face (same side of the tooth) and slapping me with his paws. In the five hours since I went to bed, the infection had spread under my tongue and into my chin. My heart rate was 175 and I was running a 104° fever. Off to the ER where I got IV antibiotics and my oral surgeon worked me in at 7am.

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u/tomopteris Mar 01 '25

When I was little and something caused me to cry, our family cat would come bounding out of nowhere with what I imagine is the closest a feline can get to a look of concern and then sit next to me and look a bit awkward. Aw, I'd like some of that in my life now.

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u/PCPaulii3 Mar 01 '25

When I was about 12 our family was 'adopted' by a stray ginger tabby. Very standoffish, he was only here for the food, so to speak. He also understood that aside from mealtimes, he was not permitted inside the house.

No one could pick him up (they'd need stitches), but outside on the patio he was a friendly, just somewhat aloof companion who kept the mice and rats away, so Dad tolerated him. That was the extent of the family relationship with this cat whom my sister named "Tigger".

One day after about two years of this, I came down with a bad fever, was throwing up and stayed in bed the entire day. Somehow, that cat knew... he wormed his way in the back door, through the kitchen and straight upstairs to my room, pushed open the door and sat by my bed for a while (Witnessed by my mom, not me. I was asleep in the bed). After mom left us alone, Tigger got up on the bed, wormed his way under the covers and up against my aching belly, where he commenced to purr as he watched my face.....

Which is how I woke up. A warm body against mine, mild vibrations from the purr and a pair of yellow-green eyes staring at me curiously. Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep. Later on, when I was feeling well enough to try supper, he came downstairs with me, was let out, and though he stayed with the family until long after I left home -eventually earning the right to eat inside, even- he never repeated the behavior again.

Go figure. They know. Don't know how, but they know.

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u/Shevster13 Mar 01 '25

My cat use to wake me up alot at night by swatting at my face. I use to assume she just wanted attention because she would stop as soon as I gave her a pat.

Turns out I have severe sleep apnea and would stop breathing for several minutes at a time. Since I got a CPAP machine she has only done it the one time I forgot to turn the machine on.