Wigan family's plea to help find "seizure cat"

A Wigan mum is desperately appealing for help to find her disabled son's miracle 'seizure cat' who has saved his life on countless occasions.
Scruffy and DScruffy and D
Scruffy and D

Hana Smith, 29, from Whelley is urging members of the public to keep a look out for Scruffy, a black and white long-haired tom cat who has played a vital role helping the family manage her son’s condition and has saved him from more than one life-threatening episode.

Dyl, the oldest of Hana’s two children and who likes to be known as D, has suffered with epilepsy for two years as part of an undiagnosed genetic condition which affects his motor skills and causes intense seizures.

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Hana explained how Scruffy had been scared of everyone when the family first adopted him four years ago, apart from D who she said was quite “loud and impulsive” at the time.

Scruff the seizure catScruff the seizure cat
Scruff the seizure cat

Shortly after adopting Scruffy, Hana heard him howling and ran to find D in the middle of a seizure.

At first she believed that the cat had caused his seizure by scaring him with its howl but just weeks later, Hana and Scruffy were sat on the couch when the super cat let out another howl and ran up the stairs.

Thinking that Scruffy would wake her sleeping son, Hana ran after him to find D in the middle of a seizure with his face buried in the pillow. As she realised he was unresponsive, Hana called 999.

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“If Scruffy hadn’t have told me I would have been watching telly while that happened,” she said. “Since then he has done it every time he has had a seizure.

Scruff the seizure catScruff the seizure cat
Scruff the seizure cat

“He likes to go outside but if D is having a bad day he will always just be on his knee.

“D was fine until he was four then he lost his motor skills.

“He is doing well but he can’t read or write.”

D’s beloved cat has now been missing for more than a week and Hana is hoping that members of the public will be able to reunite him with her heart-broken son.

“D had a really bad seizure on Wednesday,” she added.

“He was asking ‘where’s Scruffy?’ over and over.

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“At the moment I say ‘he’s just playing’ but I need to start thinking about what I am going to tell him.

“Scruffy might be trapped somewhere in someone’s shed or got into a delivery van or just have been chased that bit too far. If anyone knows and they are not saying if something has happened. We won’t be cross at all we just want to know. We just need to know.”

Anyone with any information about Scruffy can contact Hana on '­07480 295723.

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