Firefighters have been known to rescue cats stranded in the tops of trees or telephone poles. However, firefighters often rescue people and pets from house fires as well.

That’s what happened in Russia where a cat got trapped in a house fire. Firefighters rescued the cat but it suffered from smoke inhalation. That’s when a quick thinking firefighter put an oxygen mask over the orange cat’s mouth and saved it.

The next time you see a firefighter, thank him or her for their service. The next life they might save could be your cat’s.