ROTORUA, New Zealand: Have cats replaced dogs as man's best friend?

The light-hearted debate over who is man's truest best friend - felines or canines - has raged for time eternal. While dogs are said to be loyal and heroic, cats, with their independent nature, are said to be more aloof and self-centered.

However things may be starting to swing the cat's way. Meet Sylvester, a ginger, part-persian stray adopted by New Zealand woman Patricia Kerr. Those that know Sylvester have always considered him a little odd and anti-social. Neighbors Shirley and Monte Mason told the New Zealand Herald that this feline usually does not want to be touched by anyone but his owner.

However an out-of-character cry for attention by the reclusive pussycat (in the form of a sudden and unusual visit to the Mason's doorstep) instantly told the couple that there was something wrong with Sylvester's owner.

"The cat came over and started meowing loudly at our doorstep," Shirley Mason told the Herald. "He seemed hungry."

The Masons phoned Sylvester's owner Patricia to let her now that her cat was outside but got a busy signal. Thinking that nothing was amiss, the couple set off to attend a funeral. Upon returning, they phoned her again and still, the phone was engaged. Now worried, they went over to their neighbor's house and called out to her. When they got no response, they immediately called the police.

The police found Patricia unconscious in her bathtub, suffering from hypothermia. She was taken to the hospital immediately. Happily, she is now on the road to recovery.

Without Sylvester's attention-seeking behavior and frantic meowing, Patricia would not have been around today to care for her feline saviour.

According to about.com, cats resort to excessive vocalization to express their emotions, whether that is wanting to be fed or wanting to be let out. Meowing is your cat's way of communicating with humans. When cats are happy and content, they emit a low meow, the tone of which rises then goes back down again. This emotion is accompanied by purring. When cats are angry, the meowing becomes high-pitched and extremely intense. A frightened cat hisses and spits.

However a distressed cat's call for help is a loud and frantic meow, often becoming repetitive and panicky. Sylvester was said to be anti-social, yet his insistent meowing caught the attention of the Masons. Surprisingly enough, humans, even non-cat lovers, have the uncanny ability to somehow understand a cat's meow.

However, one question still looms. Aloof as they may seem, can these fuzzy felines be heroes in the same way that dogs are regarded as faithful protectors of their human owners? Reportedly there are accounts which prove that cats are indeed loyal and jump to the call of duty when danger strikes. Shadow the cat saved her family from a death from carbon monoxide poisoning. Sosa attacked a poisonous snake and held it off from her own, being bitten herself in the process.

Back in 2002, a cat was reported to have saved a young girl from sexual assault. In 2006, another cat was said to awaken a family in the middle of the night, giving them enough time to escape from a burning house. One smart feline, Tommy, was even reported to have called 911 when his owner fell from a wheelchair due to a stroke.

These are just but a few heroic deeds that cats have done to save their human friends. Sylvester is just one of the many cats who proved that cats can indeed be man's best friend. Perhaps dogs aren't such a clear favourite in the 'man's best friend' stakes after all.