Irish cat up for award after saving six people from a fire

We're all rooting for you Spuds.

Spuds, a cat from Newry, has been recognised for his role in saving six people from a house fire. Brendan Curran's cat is among the felines nominated in the Most Caring Cat category at the National Cat Awards in the UK, which is run by Cats Protection, a UK-based cat charity. Spuds, who actually began life as a stray, is being honoured for his quick-thinking, which saved the lives of his family. His bio reads: "Former stray Spuds may have saved the lives of six people – including a newborn baby – when he raised the alarm as deadly smoke engulfed the family home on Christmas Eve. "The quick-thinking puss repeatedly leapt on owner Brendan’s chest to wake him after dripping fat from the turkey, which had been cooking overnight, created plumes of smoke." The other seriously caring cats in Spuds' category include Archie, who provided comfort to his owner as she went through dialysis, and Misty who aided the recovery of her human. Archie's bio reads: "For 23 years, kidney patient Maddy has needed life-saving dialysis to remove deadly toxins from her body. Five times a week, she connects to a machine for up to seven hours – all under the close watch of her dialysis buddy, Archie. "Archie knows when Maddy needs space to insert needles, before hopping up for a cuddle and to keep her company in the long hours ahead." Misty's profile, meanwhile, credits her with easing her owner's PTSD. It says: "Coral was a teenager when a painful condition left her bedridden and unable to walk. But she always had a loyal friend by her side – Misty. "When Coral learned to walk again, Misty would appear whenever she heard Coral’s crutches – a friendly face to cheer her on. Six years on, and Coral suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, but Misty is there to calm her." The awards take place in London's Savoy Hotel on 4 August. Other categories include Cat Colleagues, Outstanding Rescue Cat and Furr-ever Friends.