How Two Pet Cats Rescued An Entire Family During The Bhopal Gas Tragedy

On the night of December 2-3, one of the world’s worst industrial disasters hit the city of Bhopal, India. The Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal developed a leak. Over 5,00,000 people were exposed to highly toxic Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas over the course of the night. Thousands died immediately after exposure to the gas in their sleep, while thousands more suffered slow deaths.?

Reuters/A network of pipes rust at the abandoned former Union Carbide pesticide plant

Amidst this tragedy, two pet cats emerged heroes and the owner lives to tell the tale. Fahmida Sayeed was sleeping alongside her daughter and her five-month old cat, Polly, on a double bed. Their home is in Ameer Ganj, about 6-km from the now abandoned Union Carbide Plant.

According to The Times of India, when the toxic leak turned the areas around the plant - including Ameer Ganj - into a gas chamber, Polly started to get restless.

Picture For Representation

Speaking to the publication, Fahmida says, “On that fateful night, my daughter Faiza and I, and our five-month old cat Polly slept cozily under blankets. It was rather cold so fortunately, I had closed all doors and windows, leaving one ajar near my head for fresh air. Had I left them open, it could have been certain death for all of us.”

It was at the time that strange hoarse cries from Polly woke her up from her deep sleep. In the dimly lit room, the cat started jumping on the bed, growling, coughing and foaming at the mouth.

Reuters/A child holds a poster during a protest demanding rehabilitation measures for the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy and legal action against Dow and Union Carbide

Sayeed, who has a poor vision, as a result of the tragedy, says, “It was suffocating in the room. When I looked up, I saw thick white clouds curling inside the room through a window I kept ajar. By this time, Faiza also got up coughing. Polly woke both of us and suddenly dived under a thick lehaaf (blanket). This was indication that we must do the same as animals have strange instinct of self-preservation. Faiza followed suit and hid herself under the blanket and slept.”

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Fahmida too should have done the same, but the gut-wrenching cries of people from outside, running across the streets, coughing and hastily moving cars, pushed her to do otherwise.

“It appeared as if the Day of Requital had dawned. I opened the door leading into a drawing room with the intention of opening the front door to look around. I was not able to breathe and thought my last moment had come. Was it a case of clear atmosphere or poisonous cloud dissipated? As I was on verge of collapse, a strange thing happened. I heard a sound of someone scratching at my bedroom door. In a flash, there was ‘meow meow’.”

Reuters/Bhopal gas victims y in a demonstration during the hearing of the Bhopal gas tragedy

While she thought it was Polly yet again, she was confused as to how the cat got out in the thick smoke. She rushed to the door to open it. And there was a gush of fresh cool breeze that revived her from the verge of collapse. It wasn’t Polly though.

“I saw my sister’s cat Shanu looking up at me. She had saved my life. My sister Farida aapa told me afterwards the cat woke them up in time. Shanu was jumping, coughing and frothing at the mouth just like Polly,” she told TOI.

Faiza, Fahmida and Farida continue to remember the furry heroes who saved their lives,

Also Read: 33 Years On, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Survivors Challenge Union Carbide's Meager Compensation In SC