An entire family managed to escape the flames engulfing their Allendale home, thanks to the screaming of the family cat.

Dianne Busscher was woken up at 4:45 a.m. by the cries of the black-and-white cat, Oreo, coming from the garage.

Upon investigating, Busscher saw the smoke and flames, prompting her to grab the cat, rush back inside and wake up Warren, her husband, and their five children.

According to Lt. Michael Keefe, the home's smoke detectors failed to go off, until the entire family was out of the house. He suspected the fire to have been started by an electrical problem in the garage.

According to Wood TV, the fire had destroyed the entire garage, and a bedroom.

"That cat was making a ruckus and, if it didn't, who knows what would have happened," said Keefe.

Jesse Busscher admitted that most of the family was at first not taken by the cat.

"To be honest, most of the family doesn't like cats," the Grand Rapids Press quoted him. "We love it now. This thing is getting some tuna tonight,"

The family is currently staying at a Grandville hotel.

The fire had caused approximately $60,000 in damage.