A CAT has been given an award by a pet charity for warning his owner about a fire in his house.

Kenny, a five-year-old Maine coon cat, was downstairs in his owner’s Greenstead home when part of the cooker caught light after another cat accidentally turned it on.

Instead of fleeing through the back door as the kitchen began to fill with smoke, he ran upstairs and jumped on sleeping owner Chris Oakley, who was the only person in the house.

When Chris, 31, still didn’t wake up, Kenny kept on jumping on him, wailing loudly to warn him of the danger.

When his owner eventually awoke, Kenny led him downstairs and into the kitchen – in time for Chris put out the fire out before it could spread to the rest of the house, in Pickford Walk, Greenstead.

Chris, who works in Gala Bingo, in Osborne Street, Colchester, lives with parents Colin, 59, and Gill, 60.

His dad, Colin Oakley, said: “He really saved the day.

“Kenny has always been an interested and curious cat and he just wouldn’t let it go – and thank God he didn’t.

“He just jumped up and down on him.

“He really wanted to make sure Chris got up and down to the kitchen.”

Mr Oakley said the first he knew of the lucky escape was when he got home from work – also at Gala Bingo – to find a strong smell of smoke in the house.

Kenny’s actions have now earned him a commendation from the pet charity PDSA.

He is one of four cats – all Maine coons – who live with the Oakleys.

The others are Izzy and Eric, both five, and Moggy George, three.

Maine coon cats are bred in Maine, USA, and are among the biggest breeds of domestic cat, growing to weigh as much as 25lbs and measure 4ft from nose to tail.