Woman trains her two cats to alert before unpredictable seizures, making them some of the first doctor-approved service cats: 'They're not some half-trained ESAs'

Just when we thought we'd seen everything, cats and cat people surprise us with something we never thought pawssible - a fully-functioning service cat. And not just one, but two! The curious cat mom below claims to have trained her two cats to work as service animals, alerting her before a seizure and grabbing emergency epilepsy medication in times of crisis. They work 12-hour shifts, both know where the medications are, and both know to remind her at specific times throughout the day to take her daily medications. It sounds purrfectly incredible, and almost too good to be true!

We always knew that cats could be helpful little companions based on how sensitive they are. And, it is true that if you give a cat a treat at a purrticular time every day, they will 100% remember to remind you that they're supposed to get a treat then. We just never thought it was pawssible to reliably train them to purrform tasks like this every day, because as much as we love them, they are pawsitively independent and do enjoy doing their own thing. 

But, there's a first time for everything, and we have to say that we're adorably impressed. The owner answered a whole litter box of interesting questions below, so read through them all and see if you'd trust these kitties to save your life!

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  • 01
    I was born with epilepsy, probably due to lack of oxygen to my brain during birth (which went very, very wrong.) It sucks. My breakthrough seizures (seizures even medicated epileptics still have) are unpredictable and come on with little warning, and I have several different doses of pills to take during the day.
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  • 02

    Schrodinger

    LAINES LONDON * LAINES LO
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  • 03
    Since the epilepsy pretty much fried the part of my brain that works with memory, my mother used to give me my drugs at the right time, and deal with seizures. When I was older, it was a problem - keeping track of how much to take of what at when, how to know when my seizures were coming in time to take my emergency meds... but my landlord forbade dogs. So... cats!
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  • When life gives you lemons, train your cats to become service animals. That's how the old saying goes, right? If this is treally true, then this cat mom must have really lucked out with her incredibly social cats. We can't imagine taking our cat with us everywhere - even though we would love it, we're pretty sure she wouldn't.

  • 04
    And yes, I do actually have an official letter from my doctor to the Housing Association stating that they have observed the cats performing medical assistance tasks and that they should not deduct eligibility points from me for having them. So no, they're not half-a edly trained ESAs.
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  • 05
    Head_Plant442 • 12h ago Intelligence disobedience is such a big thing with cats sometimes. Have you encountered that at all with your cats? Has there been a moment when you thought they were falsely alerting/tasking, just to realize the cats were right? Does having multiple cats. improve consistency in navigating intelligent disobedience? I'm curious how it plays into something as critical as seizure training!
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  • 06
    Alice Morgon OP 11h ago • I trained them to tell who was on and who was off duty with a neon yellow collar. They work shifts -Schrödinger 10am to 10pm, Angelina 10pm to 10am, because I'm still working on training her - she still has some boundaries - and it's generally uneventful. That way they can really relax and be cats and not spend their entire youths catering to me and my needs. The second the collar is on they go into "I am Paramedic Cat yes?" mode immediately, and the rest of the time th
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  • 07

    Angelina

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  • 08
    I refresh their training once a year to reduce the chances of it slipping, and occasionally I'll test them - Schrödinger has to wait patiently in the morning for Angelina to have the collar taken off and then let me set the collar on the bed, because she's so shy. Sometimes, I'll get the treat bag out before I set the collar down, and he still waits.
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  • 09

    Schrodinger

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  • 10
    I'm actually doing this AMA because I did a TIFU yesterday exactly about ignoring my seizure cat alerting because it was 6am and I misunderstood what was going on, and someone said I should write one. I thought the headbutting was Schrödinger demanding food. Then I realised it was Angelina when she started making these panicked screaming meow sounds and pawing at me. This was the first time she had EVER alerted to me physically... and I rewarded her by immediately throwing up all over her, mysel
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  • 11

    Angelina

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  • 12
    Responsible-Tie-2570 12h ago Have you ever had a service dog? If so what are the noticeable differences between cats and dogs in the service industry?
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  • 13
    AliceMorgon OP 11h ago • Yeah, I had a service dog called Cujo. He was a St Bernard. I get treated equally badly because I'm not blind. Literally all Schrödinger does is walk quietly next to me or curl up on my feet under the table. The biggest problem I've had is training him to ignore distractions because everyone is always so amazed and wants to pet him!
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  • To be fair, St. Bernards are extremely pettable. Like, almost irresistible. Even as a cat-lover, we can't stop ourselves from wanting to snuggle with that giant beast of a doggo. 

  • 14
    battlehelmet • 12h ago What tasks do they do and how were they trained to do them?
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  • 15
    Alice Morgon OP. 11h ago Schrödinger is currently my task cat as Angelina is still learning. He fetches and brings my emergency meds (which they can both identify and know where to find, and which Angelina does too) if he senses an oncoming seizure. He fetches and bring different shaped boxes with different scents and colours at the times of day I'm meant to take them (I don't know how the fuck he learned to read a clock or how else he knows what time it is, maybe he takes prompts from my genera
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  • 16

    Schrodinger

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  • 17
    I taught him the same way I taught everything, by turning it into a game. First it was figuring out which box was which so he could bring it on command. Then I set alarms on my phone (which I don't normally do, mobile phone speaker music gives me a migraine) and repeated it at the times of day I'm meant to take my meds and gave him a treat every time. Trust me, after a few days of that, you may forget your meds, but they absolutely WILL NOT.
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  • 18
    Unusual-Luck5686 13h ago . Cats are amazing. That's all.
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  • 19
    • Nyardyn 10h ago Fascinating, I didn't know cats could be helpful in that way too. How do you deal when you're not at home? Hotels, appointments, just going anywhere at all - you can't take the cats, or do you?
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  • 20
    Alice Morgon OP. 9h ago I always call ahead, and I have another letter from my doctor addressed to service establishments explaining that while it is unconventional, they are essentially medical equipment. Schrödinger is the one that goes out Angelina is still way too nervous to - handle Outside - and if the weather is bad or there's a lot of walking or we're going to an appointment, he rides in a black backpack with a big bulging plastic front he can stand in
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  • 21
    and see everything. It has three large (maybe 3cm diameter) holes in the plastic front so the cat can smell and hear everything, and he can work perfectly well from inside (and actually quite likes it in there - he curls up in it when we're home).
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  • 22
    If the weather is good and we're just going out casually on the bus for a short wander round town, or to a cafe that knows us, he's usually on a harness and leash. And that's like when he's living his best life. He doesn't shift, but he absolutely-fucking-lutely LOVES the bus.
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  • 23
    If I'm going on a longer-distance trip, I leave them behind with my friend Danielle as a cat sitter because they are already familiar with her, so the separation is less jarring. Angelina hates all cat sitters for the crime of not being me, but does at least allow Danielle to pet her sometimes now. Schrödinger doesn't care as long as he gets his belly rubbed by someone
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  • 24
    The main problem I have with leaving them behind for even a few days is that they fall out of routine quickly and I have to spend a day doing a quick refresher on timings and so on. I can't ask the cat sitter to spend her time mimicking me with my tablets using mints or something simply because my whole medical process every day takes such a long damn time and the dose schedule controls my day completely. So, one week of zoomies and that's enough for them to need a wee refresher course
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  • 25
    jessriv34 . 11h ago What type of seizures do you have and how often do you have them? What is the "emergency medication" you mentioned? The seizures have never been controlled?
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  • 26
    Alice Morgon OP 11h ago . I have every and any kind of seizure. It is not fun.
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  • 27
    I've been medicated but almost all epileptics suffer breakthrough seizures. It just happens. It's so routine they don't even send an ambulance any more. I also have a kind of drug-resistant epilepsy that means every drug slowly stops working and I have to move to a new one, which leaves me vulnerable to seizures during the switch.
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  • 28
    stalecheez_it . 8h ago my cat is registered as an ESA, which kind of started as a joke to get out of pet fees for my apartment, but it turns out, she's great at alerting me when I'm about to have a seizure or panic attack! how did you realize your cats were able to help you?
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  • 29
    Alice Morgon OP · 8h ago My cats I'd had before always knew and they weren't trained, so it made sense that if they'd naturally alert it might be worth a shot training them to respond properly
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  • 30
    Tasty_Context5263 .7h ago We had a lovely kitty throughout my daughter's childhood from about age two to 25. She could sense when my daughter was going to have a seizure. She could also tell when she was getting sick and would stay absolutely glued to her! She was an angel on Earth. Sending you hugs - Epilepsy sucks! I'm glad you have your two helper cats!
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  • 31
    Alice Morgon OP 7h ago . Epilepsy does suck 10/10 would not recommend. However I do have my helpers and as it is past midnight here Angelina is now watching me closely from the couch.
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