Cat’s Meow Doesn't Wake Sleeping Family in Apt. Fire

VENICE, CA — Devon and Madeline Sutton died in an apartment fire Thursday, despite the cries of a three-year-old tabby cat who meowed vigorously.

According to the police report, Bootsie was aware of the blaze moments after it started, but instead of doing everything in its power to awaken the Suttons, it chose to “sit on their window sill, staring curiously at the burning embers, while emitting a series of high-pitched sounds from its vocal box.”

The two Sutton children, who were hospitalized with second-degree burns, criticized the orange and white feline for not doing more. “That stupid cat always makes the same stupid sound no matter what the situation,” noted Jimmy Sutton, 16. “You’d think this one time he could have added a sense of urgency to his voice, you know, increase the volume, bark like a dog, shove his ass on my dad’s face — something.”

His older brother doubts the cat will feel even the “slightest bit of remorse” for what he did. “I know this cat,” said Todd Sutton, 17. “He’ll go on about his life, scratching furniture, pissing in his box and playing with that stupid rubber mouse, as if nothing ever happened.”

Todd cried as he held onto a picture of his parents. “If only Bootsie had been more aggressive in alerting my mom and dad, they would still be with us, today.”

The Suttons adopted the cat from a local animal shelter three years ago, according to Jimmy. “We gave him a good home in a safe, loving environment,” he said. “I guess he had us all fooled.”

“I knew we should have gotten a dog,” added Todd. “Or a smoke detector.”