My current cats? Knee jerk guess is Rocket would sit there and watch, Link would hide until it was quiet. Link is my big boy and runs to protect his sister but human strangers are scary. He might surprise me, he does get brave at the vet when I am there, but I'd guess he'd be scared away before he realized I needed help. Rocket might surprise me too, she can be very aggressive about what is hers and she isn't as scared. When it's time to vacuum or mow the lawn, the boys run but Rocket sits at a safe spot and watches daring the offending machine to try something.
My rainbow kitty would have died to protect me. I was a teenager and he would walk me halfway to school everyday and wait at end of our street after school. Neighbors walked their dogs on the other side of the street because if I was outside he would go after any dog/cat/critter that got to close to me. He was a big time fighter and when he passed away had plenty of scars and ear nicks, despite being neutered before he was a year old he was very very territorial. We rarely saw any cats, raccoons or possums near out house while he was alive because he just didn't tolerate intruders. There is no doubt in my mind he would have thrown himself between me and any danger. He passed away way too soon at 10 from a very aggressive cancer. He fought to the end but #cancersucks.
My rainbow kitty would have died to protect me. I was a teenager and he would walk me halfway to school everyday and wait at end of our street after school. Neighbors walked their dogs on the other side of the street because if I was outside he would go after any dog/cat/critter that got to close to me. He was a big time fighter and when he passed away had plenty of scars and ear nicks, despite being neutered before he was a year old he was very very territorial. We rarely saw any cats, raccoons or possums near out house while he was alive because he just didn't tolerate intruders. There is no doubt in my mind he would have thrown himself between me and any danger. He passed away way too soon at 10 from a very aggressive cancer. He fought to the end but #cancersucks.