Sheffield: Fundraising target hit to pay vet bill for pitch invasion cat

Players tried to catch the cat, which brought the game to halt

A cat owner whose injured pet was seen running on to a football pitch in a viral video has raised more than £10,000 to pay for vet fees.

Alison Jubb's cat Topsey had been missing for months and presumed dead after escaping last year but reappeared during a Sheffield Wednesday game.

The match was halted to allow players to remove the injured animal, which Ms Jubb later revealed needed surgery.

A £10,000 fundraising target has been hit to pay for Topsey's treatment.

Topsey had a broken vertebrae which was pushing on to her spinal cord and affecting her walking, Ms Jubb said.

"She's very comfy and she's doing really well", Ms Jubb told BBC Radio Sheffield.

It is thought she may have been attacked by a bigger animal, like a dog or a fox.

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Topsey has been recovering at a local vets while more tests are carried out.

Topsey had escaped while being taken to a cattery in north Sheffield in June 2021.

A local vet called Ms Jubb on Tuesday 8 February after Topsey was caught while on the pitch during the Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan Athletic match.

"I was quite shocked when I found out about the cost [of the surgery]," Ms Jubb said.

The cat owner said she did not have insurance for Topsey as she never expected to see her pet again.

'Thank you'

A crowdfunding campaign was launched to raise money to help pay for vet bills and the subsequent surgery, hitting a £10,000 target in just 48 hours.

"I couldn't believe it. It took just two days, I can't believe it, I'm absolutely amazed," Ms Jubb said.

"Thank you to everybody who has contributed. It's just brilliant, the response. I didn't realise there were so many cat lovers and football people who cared so much, so it's just lovely."

Any additional money raised would go to a charity that helps rescue and rehome animals, Ms Jubb added.