Belden, Mississippi- Ever heard of a guard cat? Meet the 20-pound calico named Bandit who protected her owner from would-be robbers with tooth and nail!

Speaking with the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 68-year-old Fred Everitt introduced his feline friend: "You hear of guard dogs. This is a guard cat."

Fred adopted Bandit from Tupelo-Lee Humane Society four years ago.

The retired Mississippi man credits Bandit with preventing a robbery at his home in Belden and possibly saving his life in the process.

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What did the cat do? She did everything she could to alert her owner to the dangerous situation.

Between 2:30 and 3:00 AM on July 25, Everitt woke up to Bandit's meows coming from the kitchen. Then the big burly cat raced into his bedroom. She jumped onto his bed and started pulling the comforter off him while clawing at his arms.

"She had never done that before. I went, 'What in the world is wrong with you?'" the retiree said.

He went to see what had caused the animal's unusual behavior and spotted two young men trying to pry his back door open with a crowbar. Fred said one had a handgun.

By the time Fred retrieved his own firearm and returned, the potential robbers had already fled. He told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that he didn't call the police.

According to Fred, Bandit the cat should get the credit for preventing the burglary. "It did not turn into a confrontational situation, thank goodness," he said.

"But I think it’s only because of the cat."