A cat owner sold his Taylor Swift memorabilia to pay a £4,000 vet bill after a Nerf bullet became lodged in his pet’s stomach.
Nikos Manesis, a 28-year-old data scientist who lives in north London, realised his cat Socrates, known as Sock, was unwell on New Year’s Eve.
He rushed the four-year-old tabby to the vet and his cat was referred to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals to face emergency surgery.
Sock underwent a scan and then exploratory laparotomy to remove the foreign object on December 31.
The vets removed the foreign object, gave Sock painkillers, and kept him on opioids for pain management.
When picking Sock up, vets handed Nikos a vial with the foreign object which he instantly recognised to be the tip of a Nerf bullet.
Nerf bullets are foamy projectiles which can be fired by the popular gun-like toys.
“His neck was shaved, and his whole belly was exposed, so I had to get him a little jacket because he wouldn’t tolerate a cone. I wasn’t surprised – he’s very bossy by nature and quite opinionated.”
He ended up paying a total of £4,055.84 in vet bills, including £308.89 for the initial consultation, a £2,500 deposit at the hospital, and £1,246.95 in discharge fees.
To cover the expenses, Nikos launched a GoFundMe, raising £550 from loved ones and strangers, which he found “sweet and surprising”.
He also sold Taylor Swift memorabilia, including signed CDs and vinyl records he had collected over the years, raising another £500.
The experience was a wake-up call for Nikos, who now urges other pet owners to get insurance and has become vigilant in keeping his home safe.
Nikos said: “It showed me how deeply I care for Sock and the lengths I will go to, without hesitation, to look after him.
“When we were at the vets, I thought I’ll just sell everything I have, it does not matter, he comes first.
“Being away from him was very painful for me, and I’m sure for him, because my cat is my child.”
Nikos and his housemate have raised Sock and his brother Bob since they were kittens.
Sock has always been “mischievous,” which means he can often be found opening doors, climbing on surfaces, and hunting for small objects to chew on.
