An orange tabby cat in Pennsylvania has been hailed as a hero by his owner, Angelica Sipe, after he took a bullet for her 3-year-old son.
Opie the cat was minding his own business when a stray bullet came through the Sipe home's window, through her sofa , into Opie entering above his eye, out his neck and then reentering Opie's body at his shoulder, back out his armpit and finally into a pillow dangerously close to Sipe's son Daemire, according to Jezebel. Daemire was asleep and missed the whole thing.
"The first thing I did was check on my son and he was sound asleep." Sipe said. "Then I saw my cat on the floor and that's when I realized my cat was shot."
Opie's owner believes that the bullet would've hit her son if the cat wasn't there, according to Global News. However, being a hero has its consequences, as Opie sustained some pretty major injuries.
When Sipe was given the option of euthanizing the injured cat, she said no, wanting to give her son's hero all of the opportunities to get better and come home where he belongs. Doctors have given Opie a good prognosis, despite the muscle damage that he suffered. Opie had surgery for his injuries at an emergency hospital and is now sporting a drainage tube and stitches, according to The Dodo.
The hero has vet bills to date of $1,000, which does not include his follow-up appointment next week. A GoFundMe account has been set up for Opie's mounting vet bills, and Sipe says that any additional funds left over will be donated to the vet hospital in Opie's honor.
