Tee Cee the cat was rescued from a box dumped in a river when he was only a kitten after someone tried to drown him.
Now he has proved invaluable after he revealed he has the power to predict when his owner Michael Edmonds is going to have a fit.
Tee Cee sits close to Mr Edmonds and stares at his face prior to a seizure, his family said.
Mr Edmonds, of Crookes in Sheffield, has complex epilepsy and can suffer seizures without warning.
But now he is warned of an impending fit when Tee Cee sits close to him and stares at his face.
"When he first did it I thought it was a one-off," Mr Edmonds said. "But ever since then he just seems to know."
"We couldn't comprehend it at first," his wife Jean added. "It took us a while to cotton on to it because it was so peculiar."
Now Tee Cee has been shortlisted for the Hero Cat title in the Rescue Cat of the Year awards, organised by feline welfare charity Cats Protection, which take place next month.
Mr Edmonds' stepdaughter, Samantha Laidler, who nominated Tee Cee, said: "Tee Cee has become a lifeline to my stepfather and also my mother.
"My stepfather has complex epilepsy as well as other health problems and is unable to go out on his own as he can have seizures without warning.
"We noticed that Tee Cee began staring at my stepfather prior to a seizure and then ran to my mother to let her know all is not well, acting as an early warning system.
"Once assistance arrives, Tee Cee doesn't leave Michael's side until he regains consciousness and his warnings have proved invaluable to the family.
"Tee Cee is not just a much-loved pet, he is also a carer and a life-saver. He's such an important member of our family and deserves an award."
Tee Cee, who was abandoned with fellow kittens in a box and dumped in a river, was adopted by his owners from a Sheffield rescue centre 10 years ago.