This cat was the last family member to get out of the family’s burning home this morning. His petmom was carried out of the house by her son and then restrained by officers as she persisted in looking for him. Firefighters brought him out later.
When Deana Marie Melendez’ family home in Wesley Chapel FL went up in flames at around 4 o’clock this morning, Deana, her son and her husband all got out safely along with the family’s four dogs and two birds, but the family cat could not be found.
Ms. Melendez was back inside searching in the house for the cat when grown son Kiyon carried her out out of concern that the roof would cave in, which it did. Ms. Melendez is reported to have struggled with the firefighters who would not let her return to the house and then punched a sheriff’s deputy in her efforts to break free. She is said to have been booked on battery over the incident.
The fire was put out by about 5am. A TV news crew was on the scene after the fire was put out, when firefighters found the cat behind the house and returned him to Ms’ Melendez’ husband, who can be seen cradling and nuzzling the wet, sooty and shaken cat in the news footage.
We include two of today’s news videos from ABC Action News. The first shows the house on fire and gives a short version of the reunion with the cat. The second is shot as the cat is handed to his pet dad and shows more from that reunion.
For our update on the story, see Woman Fights Firefighter and Cop Over Cat in Burning Home: The Rest of the Story
Thank you guys! Poor baby. I would do the same for my cats!
I hate to say it…but I would probably do the same thing.
Firefighters and police need to stop interferring! If someone goes in, it’s their decision to save their family!
I’d probably do the same thing.
I love this woman. I would have done the same thing.
God bless that lady…God bless her. This made me cry…
just shows wat lengths ull go 2 4 ur pets id do same 4 all mine
ah….so happy kitty made out alive and is with his family! i hope they take it easy on his momma! clearly she was panicked.
Awww bless her! 100% I wud have punched them all to get bk in and save my pets!!! I’d be fuming if they tried to stop me! Glad kitty is safe and sound 🙂 xoxo
1) That cat is in shock. I certainly hope the very next stop for that family is the vet!
2) I would totally do the same thing!
3) WTH? The woman has been booked for battery? What a load of crap.
I’ve once told my shelter that if there was ever a fire there that they better not stop me from going in…..if it came to having to punch someone out, then I’ll do it but I’m hoping it won’t because it takes too much time away from saving the animals.
Way to go cat mom!! But what are these guys doing standing around?? GET THE DAMN CAT TO A VET!!!
100 % on Mom’s side. Cop can be lifted but should understand. Charges against her should be dropped
I agree would have gone NUTS if my cats were in there and they would not let me find them
I have been in this situation, not nearly as dramatic, and did the same thing! I refused to leave without our two cats, and went back up the steps into the smoke when one of them got away from me! Forget the TVs, the computers, and the jewellery. It’s the furbabies and people that matter most!
Oh what a wonderful ending to a tragic event. I’m so happy for them that all their beloved animals are safe.
Wishing a good recovery for this little cat..good luck to the cattie and the whole family..any animal-lover is OK by me. x
Thank you and well done to the fire-fighters for saving this dear little one..they must be animal-lovers too! x
Poor little kitty. I hope he’ll be okay.
Glad everyone including the babies are out and safe. The cat needs to see the vet as it is in shock, poor thing. Hope they drop the charges against it’s Mum. She was only acting instinctively to save her baby. I think we would all do that. Well done to her son too for saving the other animals, often birds and fish are overlooked
This made momma cry happy tears that they found the kitty and he was o.k. They wouldn’t let momma go back inside to look for me because it wasn’t safe when we had our fire…
Happy ending…
So happy that the firemen were able to find Kitty and reunite the family… it’s great to see firemen go above and beyond for animals. I would definitely try to save all of my kitties in case of fire… personal belongings can be replaced, but not the cats. As for the charges against Mom, they should be dropped immediately. If they aren’t, I hope that the family can get a good lawyer (not a public defender POS, they’re worthless…) I would think that any good lawyer could argue that the Mom was distraught over her missing family member and was not in her right mind. Good for her for clobbering him!
Thank you, Jesus for preserving these precious lives. Please sustain this wonderful family and bless all the fire-fighters too. Amen.
You have to be kidding me with this comment. I understand the love of a pet, but is it worth it to put everyone else at risk? That is what you are doing. When someone goes back in for a pet the firefighters are obligated to go rescue the person who may get trapped. If you want to die for your pet go ahead but these firefighters are someone’s father, son, brother, mother, daughter or sister and they dont need to be risking their lives for someone making a bad decision. Do what the firefighters say and dont question them. They have been trained a person running back in has not been trained.