Fur alarm: Pepper, who has learned to open windows and lets himself out (pictured above), alerted neighbours that his owners' house was burning because they could see smoke billowing out.

 阅读难度：

A clever cat has been hailed a hero after he prevented his owners' home from burning down - by opening a window.

Five-year-old Pepper has learned to open windows and lets himself out every night by hopping on to a kitchen worktop and using his paws to turn the latch.

So when a fire broke while his owners were Christmas shopping, the quick-thinking puss leapt into action and opened the window to allow the acrid smoke to escape. ...

（点击《每日邮报》查看原文）

会开窗户的猫咪成为“救火英雄”

       猫咪一直被认为是非常聪明而且具有灵性的动物，它们上蹿下跳，行动敏捷，而且号称都有“九条命”。

       不过，接下来介绍的这只来自英国的猫咪可另有绝招，它居然会自己打开窗户；而且正是因为这一本领，它还成了“救火英雄”。

       上周六下午，居住在德文郡的怀特夫妇外出去商场，准备买一些圣诞节需要的东西。但他们离家的时候，却忘记了关上厨房里的微波炉，导致这个被设定了10分钟的微波炉在他们走后不久便着火了。

       正在这个危机时刻，聪明的猫猫爬上厨房的灶台，用爪子把窗户的把手扳下，爬出了厨房。

       它的这一举动使得家里的浓烟飘到了窗外，引起了周围邻居们的注意，他们连忙叫来了火警，才避免了一场大火。

       据怀特夫妇介绍，他们第一次发现猫咪会自己打开窗户，是在一次家庭聚会上。刚开始，它只是每天晚上打开窗户，偷偷溜出去逛一会。但最近几个月来，它的这一“爱好”越来越频繁，也越来越娴熟。

       怀特夫妇说，幸亏他们的猫咪有这一绝招，才让邻居们注意到了浓烟，从而挽救了他们价值35万英镑的房子。