Our pets have incredible instincts and can often detect dangers before their humans can, and are always looking out for their humans. You never know when your cat or dog will raise the alarm and save your life.

Like one hero cat, who saved her family from a fire before tragically dying from smoke inhalation.

On Sunday, a home fire broke out in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was about 4 am, the homeowners were fast asleep and there were no smoke alarms in their home, which were removed for painting.

But miraculously, they managed to get out of the burning home in time — thanks to their pet cat, Prince.

According to Pete Piringer, spokesperson for the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, the cat kept pawing the sleeping owners to wake them up. Once awake, the family found their home filled with thick smoke.

Unable to get out, they called 911 and alerted a resident of the home’s basement, who grabbed a painter’s ladder and placed it at their window so they could escape.

While all the humans made it out to safety, sadly the cat jumped out of his owner’s arms and ran back into the room, succumbing to smoke inhalation.

While Prince is gone, the family will always remember him as the hero cat who saved their lives. Piringer said the family is “giving full credit” for waking them up and allowing them to get out of the home in time.