1. The winter my cat turned five and I forty-nine, I began slipping into a depression both mentally and physically. Throughout the first month, she remained close by me and demonstrated her concern and support. At the beginning of my second month of decline, she began smelling my breath numerous times throughout each day and gently prodded and smelled my body parts with keen interest. One week into the third month of this activity she became singularly focused on my right breast and began pouncing on a specific spot whenever I was in a reclined position or sleeping.

I awoke late one night to find her sitting directly on top of my right breast and staring deep into my eyes, and finally, I understood her warning clearly as if she spoke the words; you have breast cancer and I found it for you. I sat up and began hugging her to show her I finally understood. She remained beside me throughout that dark night until morning light signalled us it was time for me to handle this threat to my life. Forty days later, I underwent surgery for a double mastectomy. Three different forms of breast cancer had been discovered growing inside the milk tubes of both my breast; all stage one cancers with one small tumour that was the beginning efforts of cancer’s spread exactly where she had shown me. – Ginny Monson

2. I have a cat named Ashley. I was broke, I had bought her cat food with my last few rands, and it was 2 days from payday. There was no food in the house. I went to bed hungry, and the next morning I made my cat breakfast, and this beautiful creature looked at me, turned around and went out the window. I was thinking, great abandoned by the cat as well, and then I heard a Muffled Rowl. That sound I know, she came jumping through the window with a pigeon she had just caught and dumped it by my feet. She looked at me and battered her eyes and cleaned herself. It was like she knew I was hungry, so she went and caught me something to eat. – Paul Watson

3. My Siberian husky spent 13 weeks in the hospital with me. Never leaving my side except when a friend came by to walk her and take her to go to the bathroom. She made me laugh all the time and visited others and brought them happiness while we were stuck in the hospital. – Kenneth DePrima

4. The week I brought my first cat Kiwi home, I also got my periods. That month it was nasty. I was not able get out of my bed, stand or do anything. Its was Kiwi’s 3rd or 4th day in our house, and she was still not comfortable with our touch and was getting used to things around the house. 

When Kiwi was in my room, I started to get severe pain and started crying softly. To my surprise, she came near me, sniffed me, and then sat on my lower belly. She stayed there until I fell asleep. She made sure I was comfortable and kept on licking me once in a while. – Aditi Sharma

5. Clyde saved me from being attacked by a German shepherd. Some little kids were left home alone so they let their German shepherds out when they opened the door. One of them charged at me but Clyde met it in the air. The German shepherds were never walked and clearly had hip issues. They were both standing on their hind legs snapping at each other’s faces, both tall enough to look me in the eye. Clyde is a massive husky and walks/runs 5-7 miles a day. His forelegs are thicker than my arms. Clyde sent the German Shepherd running and he didn’t have a scratch on him. – Mousewaterdrinker

6. I was sick with flu and my dog was cuddling with me. She’s never a cuddler. So she could tell I wasn’t feeling well. It felt so great to be loved when I felt so terrible, this was the reason I owe dogs. That unconditional love. How they just know when you don’t feel well. It was an almost poetic moment. (Although that could have been the fever.) Then after a round of coughing, she looked up at me wagged her tail… and promptly threw up all over my blanket. – Avridt

7. I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for 21 years and I’ve been on an insulin pump for 20 of those years. Sometimes at night, I have an issue of not spotting lows when I’m tired. One night, Beasley wouldn’t stop licking my face. He started barking and pawing at me. I woke up and checked my blood sugar; I was low. This has happened a couple of times now with no training. I can sleep through alarms on my pump. Beasley barks at me until I wake up and check on the alarm. He also lays on my pump if I take it off. – vangoghsl3ftear

8. Every second that they’re alive and healthy is the most adorable thing they’ve done. – Madison Magana

Also Read | 14 Valuable Life Lessons We Can Learn From Our Pets