23 Stories About Pets Going Above And Beyond That Are Almost Too Pure To Handle

    "I genuinely owe her my life."

    Allie Hayes
    by Allie Hayes

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us stories about a time when their fur baby went above and beyond just being "sweet" or "cute," we asked for a time when their pet genuinely rescued THEM. Here are some of the the most heartwarming response:

    1. This nightmare-fighter:

    emmaw4eafaff03

    My very sweet and affectionate cat always sleeps right next to me. One night, I woke up gasping from a nightmare and she woke up, cuddled as close as physically possible to my face, and started purring. She did that every night for the rest of the week, like she was protecting me from bad dreams.

    —emmaw4eafaff03

    2. This scent-sensor:

    kristinad4ea2b09ab

    I’m Type 1 diabetic and I've had my dog since she was two months old. She caught on VERY quickly to what I assume are the different scents my body secretes when my blood sugar levels are either too high or too low. I’ve been woken up in the middle of the night to fix these problems, and she won’t let me sleep again until she senses that I’m getting better. I genuinely owe her my life.

    —kristinad4ea2b09ab

    3. This bond-mender:

    abbyjanec2

    I had a very strained relationship with my father growing up and would have REFUSED to go to his house, had it not been for Oliver. With Oliver there, I was able to face the anxiety that accompanied my visits and this, ultimately, led to a strong bond eventually developing between my father and I. Oliver now lives with my mom, and most recently accompanied me during a three-day bout of depression that kept me in bed. The only reason I was able to get up was because I realized he hadn't eaten for as long as I had.

    —abbyjanec2

    4. This fuzzy co-pilot:

    amymariet2

    Last year was really hard. I overworked myself during the summer to pay for tuition and then, come the fall semester, everything fell apart. After getting mental health help and being diagnosed with depression, Aspen stayed by my side. On really hard days, I would take her with me and her presence in the car calmed me immensely. If I was stressed, I could pet her as she sat in my passenger seat. One time she reached over and gave me a little kiss out of nowhere and it just brightened my whole day.

    —amymariet2

    5. This frightened protector:

    kelseyh4e8f329ea

    This is Buckeye. Buckeye is scared of nearly everything. However, Buckeye will run to us if he sees us freaking out or being sad. He can be sound asleep on the couch, but if he senses that my wife or I are crying, having a panic attack, or are scared, he will jump up, come over, cuddle with us, and give us this look.

    —kelseyh4e8f329ea

    6. This double take:

    rachbrung

    I have a chronic disease (Crohn’s Disease) and I was having severe abdominal pains where the only thing that helped was to lie on my back and put pressure in the painful areas. My boys, Hunter and Bruno, noticed this and laid down, each on a side, and laid their heads on my stomach! We were like that for probably about 12 hours while we watched Netflix and slept.

    —rachbrung

    7. And this OTHER duo:

    stacic8

    Any time my daughter is sick or crying, my cats will go upstairs into her room, carry a stuffed animal or a sock down to where my daughter is, meow/chirp at her, and leave the presents at her feet.

    —stacic8

    8. This handsome boy:

    hannahm32

    One of my childhood dogs passed away suddenly at the age of 10, only two months after we euthanized my OTHER childhood dog who was 16. I go to school in another state, so when my mother called with the news, I was heartbroken and inconsolable. My cat crawled into my lap and let me use him as a tissue for like an hour while I bawled my eyes out. Afterwards, he was covered in tears and just sort of nipped at me, as if to say, “Hey mom, I’m always here for you.”

    —hannahm32

    9. This shower guard:

    victoriai4e0c2620b

    When my dog and I are home alone and I go to take a shower, she will follow me into the bathroom and sit in front of the shower, staring at the bathroom door. It feels like she’s just there to stand guard and watch my back.

    —victoriai4e0c2620b

    10. This pleasant greeting:

    shortnsweeet3

    I have two pet rats, Nora and Ellie. Back in 2017, I had finally finished treatment for an eating disorder and shortly after, I adopted them. I was moving back out on my own and was anxious about it, but ready to take the leap. I've never truly felt alone since they’ve been by my side! They’re the most interactive pets and will always jump up and be happy to see me when I come in after a long day.

    —shortnsweeet3

    11. This face-smoosher:

    molliep47660cd2c

    I was diagnosed with depression my junior year of college and would often lay in bed at night crying. My cat, who wasn’t much of a cuddler, would just lay on my face like this. It ALWAYS cheered me up and made me laugh. I’m forever thankful for her.

    —molliep47660cd2c

    12. This litter box helper:

    kimw46060ca3b

    Moose (black and white) is almost a year old, but STILL can’t figure out how to cover his business in the litter box. He has the most rancid smelling poops, sometimes to the point where our eyes will water. Julian (orange) will often look at us, make a noise that can only be described as a sigh, get up, and go cover Moose’s mess for him. It feels like he does it so the smell won’t bother us, and that’s the sweetest thing.

    —kimw46060ca3b

    13. This tiny (emotional) rock:

    alexandraconley

    My first baby Sylar has been my rock for seven years. He has gotten me through the death of the woman who raised me and who was my best friend (my grandmother). He comforted me through years of intense endometriosis pain and infertility, and then through IVF and finally a very difficult pregnancy that required months of bed rest. He only left my side to go to the bathroom. We even had to put his food and water on the bed because he didn't want to leave me. He is an incredibly beautiful and loving soul. I honestly believe I couldn't have gotten through these things without him. I will be forever grateful for his love and devotion.

    —alexandraconley

    14. This tantrum stopper:

    lochnessa

    Our rescue pup, Otto, loves my three-year-old so much, he will sit back on his haunches and howl in solidarity every time my son has a tantrum. Every. Single. Time. My kid thinks its so funny that it usually snaps him right out of the tantrum. This dog is saving my sanity.

    —lochnessa

    15. This snuggle-buddy:

    emilyf4ce94e14d

    This past August, my grandma passed away very suddenly from cancer. When she passed, my golden retriever, Libby, didn’t leave my side for weeks because she knew something just wasn’t right. She would lick my face when I cried or nudge her nose into my hands when I buried my face in them. She was right next to me every single night when I couldn’t sleep.

    —emilyf4ce94e14d

    16. This caring kitten:

    kimberlyd41466da3f

    My cat, Smith, is indoor/outdoor (he was a stray who I couldn’t break of the outdoor habit) and, over the years, he’s become quite close to our next-door neighbor.

    On the day my neighbor's mom passed away, Smith went over to her house and cried at her front door until she opened it. He rubbed against her legs and purred. He spent the majority of the following week on her porch. She said it was a great comfort.

    —kimberlyd41466da3f

    17. This beautiful nurse:

    kimc4c9be3189

    My sweet girl, Maya, is the best nurse dog ever. I had a bad case of food poisoning once, and I was in the bathroom A LOT. Maya would get up and stay in the bathroom with me every time I went, then hop back in bed and curl up next to me. She’s usually SUPER hyper and active, but she knew I needed my rest.

    —kimc4c9be3189

    18. This ACTUAL hero:

    colleent49cabee3d

    My dog, Hero, stayed by my side when I got a concussion. The first night, I rolled over and got a HUGE wave of dizziness. He jumped up and ran out to the kitchen to get my mom, who followed him back to my room so she could check on me. He really was my hero!

    —colleent49cabee3d

    19. This weather warrior:

    sarahm486857336

    During Hurricane Harvey, I mostly held it together until the power went out. I finally broke down crying with worry. Little Caoimhe curled up under my arm and began licking me until I stopped crying. She did something similar when my dad was admitted to the doctor with a heart condition.

    —sarahm486857336

    20. This kind companion:

    amyk453e68492

    When I found out I was pregnant with my first baby, I whispered the secret to my kitty, Luna, first (even before my husband, since I had a more elaborate surprise for him later). When I miscarried a few weeks later, Luna never left my side. I had MANY weeks of complications and bedrest, and her love and compassion meant so much in those dark times.

    —amyk453e68492

    21. This understanding babe:

    delilahj49f26b3de

    Meet Frisky. She was my first cat. When I was in second grade, I had to have surgery. After I woke up post-surgery, we discovered that I, like my mom, couldn't handle the anesthetic. I was throwing up for nearly 36 hours. This cat pulled through next to my side for 36 hours of puking. Not only that, but she GOT PUKED ON. Even after puking on her, she came right back to my side.

    —delilahj49f26b3de

    22. This fuzzy angel:

    taylorl441ef1598

    I got my wisdom teeth removed and felt like death for a few days. This little angel didn’t leave my side, stayed glued to my body the whole time, and checked to make sure I was okay. To be honest, he was more attentive than my boyfriend (a running joke we've kept going to this day).

    —taylorl441ef1598

    23. And finally, this ~dashing~ fellow:

    sierrag4709028c8

    Last February, my childhood dog, Ginger, died. She was 16 years old and had been part of my life since I was eight. Needless to say, it was not easy. Before she died, I had already planned to get a new puppy. Two months later, I found myself with Dash.

    One day, I came home from work, just bawling. I let Dash out of his kennel, and instead of running around like a mad-man (as he usually does), he jumped on the bed and put his little face right in my lap. He knew I needed a friend. I like to think Ginger left part of herself behind and brought me Dash.

    —sierrag4709028c8

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    Some entries have been edited for length or clarity.