You may recall some fairly strong evidence that indicated cats are jerks, but it seems that may have been an over-generalization.

At least one cat is doing his best to restore faith in the feline species. His name is Meatball and he saved nearly a dozen people from a house fire in South France.

Alexandra Marlin, Meatball's owner, told Mother Nature News that her smoke alarm didn't wake her up, but Meatball's fevered scratching did. Once Marlin realized there was smoke coming from the attic, she rushed to wake the 10 other people staying in the house.

In the chaos that followed, Marlin managed to call the fire department but lost track of Meatball. It wasn't until hours later that the cat showed up, but it's a good thing he did because Marlin's grateful neighbors have promised Meatball a year's worth of cat treats as a token of their appreciation.

Good on you, Meatball. You might be really fat a year from now, but you'll always be a hero.

(H/T Fark)

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