Dog saves family from blaze started by cat

Plucky pet comes to the rescue, grabbing homeowner by the arm

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updated 2:01 p.m. ET Oct. 11, 2007

GREENVILLE, Maine — Thumper, a black Labrador retriever, is getting credit for saving a man when a fire swept through his home in the south-central part of the state.

Roland Cote said his wife and their 7-year-old grandson were away when the blaze started early Sunday in a converted two-story garage.

He said Thumper grabbed him by the arm to wake him, leaving just enough time for him to dial 911 before fleeing the fast-moving fire.

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While the dog is the hero, a cat is the bad guy in this story.

Cat's fur burned
Cote said the fire marshal investigator believes the blaze was started when Princess, the family cat, tipped over a kerosene lantern.

Cote says he and his pets escaped safely, but he says Princess did get her tail singed by the flames.