'Ring-a-Ding:' How a Cat Saved an Army Veteran's Life

Ron Williams of Sturgis, Michigan is an 84-year-old Army veteran who lived alone until he adopted a cat named Fluffy a few months back. He had no idea that his new pet would one day save his life.

"I looked at him and hey, I just fell in love with him," Williams told FOX17 News in Michigan.

Now, most dog people will try to tell you that talking to cats is a big waste of time. Canines are man's best friend, they say, but felines merely tolerate humans because they serve dinner.

Williams spent a lot of time talking to Fluffy and developed a routine whenever his cellphone rang. "The phone would ring, and I would say 'ring-a-ding,'" said Ron. "And I didn't know he'd pick up on it."

In late June, Williams slipped and fell as he was exiting the shower. His Life Alert was charging in the next room and he couldn't use it to call for help. He slipped at 8 a.m. and spent the next 16 hours on the floor wondering if he'd survive this accident.

Fortunately, Fluffy had followed Ron into the bathroom, which should be a lesson for everyone who thinks it's weird when pets insist on joining their owners in this most private space.

Williams eventually realized that his cell phone was on the bathroom counter, just out of his reach. He came up with a plan that surely seemed like a longshot.

"So I said 'ring-a-ding Fluffy. You're my only hope,'" Ron said. "And he was. It wasn't even five minutes later I felt something hit my hand. And I'm here because of it... I relive it a million times. What if he wouldn't have been in there with me? I'd be dead today."

Williams, who served with the U.S. Army in Korea, survived the trauma with a few bruises and gives all the credit to Fluffy for swatting his phone to the floor.

"He's my hero, and he always will be," said Williams. "He'll never be away from me until the day I die."

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