Cat protects family from snake that crawled under bed in Taytay, Rizal

A family in Taytay, Rizal had a frightening encounter with a snake that slithered into their home while they were asleep, but their pet cat was quick to respond.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, CCTV footage showed a mother and her child peacefully sleeping inside their home when a snake suddenly crawled out from underneath their bed.

While the two remained unaware of the danger nearby, their cat, Orange, approached the snake and appeared to keep watch over it, preventing it from getting away.

The snake eventually tried to strike the cat, but Orange quickly dodged the attack.

The commotion woke up the mother and child, who immediately ran away from the area.

According to Nel Ivan Arenas, the husband of the woman seen in the footage, he was away when the incident happened.

He said their child heard the cat making noise and got up to check what was happening.

“My child heard the cat making some noise, so he got up,” Nel said in Filipino.

When the child saw the snake, they became frightened and immediately woke their mother.

“When the snake reached the kitchen, he got my child out. Then he called a neighbor,” he added.

Nel said he was grateful that although he was away when the snake entered their home, Orange stayed close to his family and appeared to protect them. No one in the family was hurt.

“I’m so proud of my cat. I sort of think of him as a hero,” Nel said.

Meanwhile, the snake that entered Nel's home was reportedly caught by one of their neighbors.

According to Kuya Kim, cats are naturally curious animals. When they encounter something unfamiliar or moving, their instinct is often to observe and approach it.

Their remarkable reflexes also allow them to react quickly when faced with potential danger. Cats can rapidly dodge or evade an attack when necessary.

One example is the righting reflex, an innate ability that allows cats to orient themselves and land on their feet when falling or jumping. Studies have found that this reflex begins developing when kittens are only around 20 days old.

Research has also highlighted the role of cats' whiskers and forelegs in helping them sense and navigate their surroundings. These sensory abilities allow cats to better detect what is happening around them.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News