Cats and Dogs Protecting Babies

Throughout history there have been many stories of Dogs and Cats protecting babies. Two of them that are particularly interesting we have detailed below.

Saint Guinefort was a 13th-century French dog that received local veneration as a saint after miracles were reported at his grave.

His story is a variation on the well-travelled “faithful hound” motif, similar to the Welsh story of the dog Gelert. Guinefort the greyhound belonged to a knight who lived in a castle near Lyon. One day, the knight went hunting, leaving his infant son in the care of Guinefort. When he returned, he found the nursery in chaos – the cot was overturned, the child was nowhere to be seen and Guinefort greeted his master with bloody jaws. Believing Guinefort to have devoured his son, the knight slew the dog. He then heard a child crying; he turned over the cot and found his son lying there, safe and sound, along with the body of a viper. Guinefort had killed the snake and saved the child. On realizing the mistake the family dropped the dog down a well, covered it with stones and planted trees around it, setting up a shrine for Guinefort. Guinefort became recognised by locals as a saint for the protection of infants. It was alleged by contemporary commentators that for many years thereafter locals would bring their babies to the site to be healed by the dog, St. Guinefort….   Everybody Loves Life!

A similar legend states that when Jesus Christ was born, he would not stop crying no matter what anyone did. What finally calmed him was a tabby cat that jumped into the manger to be with the baby. Its purring lulled Jesus to sleep. The Virgin Mary petted the cat in gratitude, and the “M” on the forehead of the tabby cat is for her name. ………. Everybody Loves Life!

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