Topsey, a cat lost for seven months, ran onto the pitch (field) of a football match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. The BBC dubbed her the “pitch invasion cat.”
When she appeared, the cat stopped the game and one player, Jason Kerry, ran to catch her. When he managed to pick her up, the crowd cheered in relief.
Images via Twitter/ PA Media
Then, a vet at the match took Topsey to a veterinarian for serious injuries, possibly due to a dog attack. Fortunately, she was in good hands and would spend the night in the vet’s care.
Jason Kerry saves Topsey via Sky News
Topsey Ran Away in June
The cat’s human Allison Jubb presumed Topsey had died after she went missing in June near Worrall, about 2.5 miles from the football stadium.
“She went missing last June,” Jubb told the BBC. “We were going away, and I was taking her to a cattery and she escaped out of the cat box and we never heard anything again,” she said.
Image from social media
When videos of Topsey went viral, Jubb’s daughter called to tell her, but she didn’t think it could be her cat.
“My daughter-in-law rang me last night as they were watching the match and said there was a cat on the football pitch. I sort of laughed it off.”
Image via Sky News
Then, Ms. Jubb got a call from the veterinarian. They checked the cat’s microchip and called to confirm it was hers. Only then did she realize it was really Topsey.
“She’s got some bites on her neck; it looks like something like a dog may have grabbed her and shook her, so they need to do an x-ray. She’s a bit scared,” said Jubb. “Until they’ve done that, we don’t know [if she’ll make it].”
PA Media via BBC
According to Sam from Spire Vets, Topsey seems to be responding to “strong pain relief and antibiotics.”
“She is stable and staying in a kennel overnight, we gave her some food, and she ate it,” he told the BBC.
Now, many thousands of people are rooting for Topsey to make a full recovery.
Video by 90Soccer:
Another Cat and a Football Match the Same Night
Meanwhile, another game took place between West Ham and Watford the same Tuesday night at London Stadium. This time, fans were chanting about a cat for entirely different reasons.
A cat has run onto the pitch during tonight's Sheffield-West Brom match, in what I can only imagine is a protest at #Zouma's West Ham appearance tonight.#SWFC #WAFC
📷: @PA pic.twitter.com/fcH0fcS0Qn
— Megan Baynes (@megbaynes) February 8, 2022
West Ham French center-back Kurt Zouma, 27, has been in the news after a video emerged showing him kicking his cat across a kitchen on social media.
In the stands, fans for both teams were booing Zouma and chanting, “he kicks his [expletive] cat.” At one point, the player collided with Josh King and fell in pain. Then, the crowd chanted, “that’s how your cat feels.“
Zouma’s club condemned his actions, and the player issued what The Sun called a “grovelling apology.” The player’s brother, who filmed the video as laughter was heard, also apologized.
Despite the public outcry, the team’s manager made a “suprise call” to start Zouma in the game. It was a move that was widely criticized.
“No because he’s one of our better players, but it’s certainly ongoing and the club are dealing with it,” said manager David Moyes.
Following the fallout, a team sponsor withdrew their sponsorship, and the RSPCA took custody of the Zouma’s two cats.
Now, an investigation is ongoing and began before the video went viral online.
“We have recently been made aware that this incident may have taken place in Essex and we are liaising with the RSPCA, and urgent enquiries are ongoing,” stated the Essex Police.
Video by Sky News:
