A woman who suffers from epilepsy says her cat can detect her seizures- eight hours before they occur.<br /><br />Molly Brooke, 30, can experience up to nine epileptic attacks a week, leaving her body stiff and an "uncontrollable tingling" in her arms and legs.<br /><br />After being diagnosed with the condition aged eight, she has struggled to manage her condition - until her feline friend came along.<br /><br />In September 2023, Molly paid £300 for pedigree Maggie, a four-month-old Persian kitten.<br /><br />Within weeks, Molly, who can't work due to her condition, noticed that Maggie's behaviour would change just before a seizure.<br /><br />Molly, who lives in assisted living, in Birmingham, said: "I got her as a companion but she's turned out to be so much more.<br /><br />"Within the first week of having her, I noticed she'd go into manic mode and become playful by running around working all her energy.<br /><br />"Then she then calmed down completely and went into monitor mode, not leaving my side.<br /><br />"If I got up to leave the room to get a cup of tea, she'd follow me.<br /><br />"When this kept happening, it clicked that she was looking out for me because cats can sense chemical changes in our bodies.<br /><br />"During my seizures, she'll lie on my arm and encourage me to stroke her- like she's trying to distract me.<br /><br />"This is all her choice, she's just acting on instinct. It's so touching that she is looking out for me."<br /><br />After an early diagnosis, Molly struggled with socialising and going out alone due to the severity of her symptoms.<br /><br />Molly, who also has autism, has taken medication clobazam and zomizipide since the age of 18-years-old to help manage her seizures but has since had to increase the dosage after building up a resistance.<br /><br />"Because I have autism as well, it affects how my brain works and in turn how effective the medication is," Molly said.<br /><br />"Being diagnosed with epilepsy so young was a good thing because I never had a typical social life for someone my age.<br /><br />"Things like having a normal line of work, learning how to drive and or going to university were never on the cards for me, so in a way, I'm grateful for my early diagnosis as it's saved me a lot of disappointment.<br /><br />"I think it would've been harder if I had those aspects of freedom taken away from me as an adult."<br /><br />In September 2023, Molly decided to get a fury companion to keep her company and to help alleviate "stress and anxiety", which both trigger her condition.<br /><br />Molly debated getting a mixed-breed cat, but there were certain personality traits that Molly was after, so she researched reputable breeders.<br /><br />"As I was a first-time cat owner and disabled I was after a breed that was geared towards being indoors,'' she said.<br /><br />"When I first clicked onto the site, there was a picture of Maggie front and centre with her litter and she immediately caught my eye.<br /><br />"I messaged the breeder and asked lots of questions about her temperament and they sent me lots of photos and videos of her that confirmed she was the one for me.''<br /><br />After arranging for Maggie to be delivered to her, the cat started picking up on her owner's condition ''almost immediately''.<br /><br />"Cats have around 30 receptors in their nose which means Maggie can pick up on chemical changes in my body,'' Molly said.<br /><br />"This enables her to alert me in her special way. Sometimes she's way ahead of me and knows up to eight hours before my seizure.<br /><br />"When they happen, which is usually in my sleep, she'll put her head up to mine.<br /><br />''Her affection helps take my mind off what's happening to me and is very calming.<br /><br />"But being near or sitting in my lap when having a seizure, she helps stabilise my movement. <br /><br />"When she's not looking after me, she's very laid back but loves a play now and then!<br /><br />"Her favourite treats are freeze-dried shrimps and she's obsessed with plastic bottle lids.<br /><br />"She's always eyeing up my drinks and I, of course, give in every time- she'll bounce the lid around and then carry it off in her mouth.<br /><br />"I've had this condition all my life and it can be a really scary and lonely place but now I feel not so alone.<br /><br />"She's the best cat I could've hoped for and my very best friend."
