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READING, Pa., June 16 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania woman credits the 10-year-old cat she adopted two years ago with convincing her to seek life-saving medical attention.
Claire Nelson, 66, of Reading, said she was experiencing chest pains June 8 but she did not think it was as serious as her cat, Rusty, seemed to, WFMZ-TV, Reading, reported Wednesday.
"Rusty kept following me around, no matter where I was standing or sitting, and jumping up on me with his front paws, letting out these guttural meows," Nelson said.
"Finally, I said, 'Oh darn. Maybe this cat knows something I don't,'" Nelson said.
Nelson said she decided to take a bus to see her doctor, but the pains worsened while she was at a downtown terminal and she called 911 for an ambulance ride to the hospital. She said doctors determined she was having a heart attack and she received prompt surgical attention.
"After the whole thing was over, I found out my right coronary artery was completely occluded. They also had to put two stents in," she said.
Nelson credited Rusty's actions with saving her life.
"I thought I was rescuing him," Nelson said. "I didn't know that he would be rescuing me in the long run."