A house cat saved the day for a rural McLouth family.

Tuesday morning, a blaze consumed Ben Pierron’s split-level home about two miles west of McLouth.

Carl Chalfant, fire chief for McLouth City/Union Township No. 9, said the owner told him smoke alarms in the home weren’t sounding, but the family’s cat woke him up when the fire started.

There were no injuries, although the cat could not be found after the blaze, which started about 4 a.m., Chalfant said. However, the fire chief reported later that the cat had been found in a storm shelter near the home.

The house was a total loss, Chalfant said.

“We’re pretty sure it’s an electric short, but it’s still under investigation at this point,” Chalfant said.

Other agencies that responded to the fire were Oskaloosa, Winchester and Ozawkie city fire departments and Sarcoxie, Fairview and Rural township fire departments.