Hero Cat!

Ramses was awarded a Medal of Courage by the Governor of Texas for scaring off a wandering tiger which was heading toward 65-year-old Emma Betts, Ramses' owner. During a coffee break from filming a commercial, an animal handler led Sasha, a trained Siberian tiger, into her makeshift holding pen. But the handler forgot to fasten the gate and Sasha sneaked out of the cage — and out of the room — undetected. The 400-pound tiger made her way down a stairwell and dashed out the front doors of the office building as a Fed-Ex man was coming in. The unexpected noise and commotion of downtown Austin caught the cat off guard, and she quickly became spooked and defensive. Emma Betts was walking down the sidewalk with her cat Ramses when without regard for his own safety, Ramses leaped from his owner’s arms and ran straight for the tiger. The two felines squared off amid shocked onlookers, and for some time just stared at one another. Then the tiger roared at the tiny cat and took a swipe with its paw, just missing the quick-moving Ramses. It was a moment when most cats in their right minds would have turned tail and ran. But not Ramses … not on this day. The 10-pound hairless cat drew himself up and “roared” back with all he was worth, baring his teeth while hissing and growling. Much to the dismay of everyone present, Sasha the 400-pound Siberian tiger turned and ran in the other direction — back into the building she had just escaped.