Throughout the animal kingdom, there are several instances of motherly instincts that are universal and occur in every species. As many other stories demonstrate, this one is no exception.

Firefighters in Brooklyn were sent to a blazing garage when the incident began. The brave mother cat was seen carrying a kitten out of the blazing building with her in her jaws as the rescuers arrived. Astonished firemen dropped the kitten outside before rushing back into the raging inferno to rescue the mother cat’s other kittens. Following her successful rescue, the mother cat rubbed each of her kittens’ noses to make sure they were all still breathing. As soon as Scarlette had made sure that all of her kittens were okay, she passed out from tiredness.

Firefighter David Giannelli, who observed the incident, subsequently informed the public on the status of the feline and posted on his Imgur account:

“Scarlett had been badly burnt while trying to save her kittens from the raging inferno. Her ears and paws were burned, and her coat was blackened from the intense heat. Her whole beard had been charred to a crisp. As the blisters on her eyes stopped her from seeing the kittens, she was observed to touch each of them with her nose to make sure they were still alive. She then passed out.”

Firefighters were able to put out the blaze and rescue Scarlett and her pets from the building. It was unfortunate that one of her kittens did not survive and eventually died. The remainder, fortunately, were adopted into wonderful families.

Many people around the world were moved by Scarlett’s story once it went viral. When “Scarlett Saves her Family” and “The Bravest Cat” were written about her incident, it became more well known. The North Shore Animal League, which cared for her and her kittens after the fire, even named an award in her honor. Heroic deeds by animals are recognized with this honor.

Scarlett was adopted by a loving Brooklyn family after the tragedy and lived there for 12 years until passing away in 2008.

Share this story to inspire your friends and family, and keep Scarlett’s heroic spirit alive