Pumpkin the Norwich cat rushed into vets after eating 5p

A cat who ate a 5p piece had to have surgery costing its owner £3,000.

Millie Farrow, from Norwich, could not understand why her pet ginger tabby, Pumpkin, had stopped eating several weeks ago. 

She noticed that he had become lethargic, had gone off his food and was so skinny his spine was poking through his fur, but couldn't figure out why.

"I know how dangerous it can be for cats to stop eating and I didn't want his organs to start shutting down," Millie said.

Pumpkin accidentally ate a five-pence coin and became very sick (Image: Millie Farrow)

"He was ill for weeks and sleeping all the time."

Millie booked Pumpkin in for an emergency appointment with the vet where he underwent blood tests and an x-ray.

She was then shocked to find that the moggy had eaten a five-pence coin which was stuck in his stomach.

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The worried woman does not know how Pumpkin ate the coin but "blessed his heart" and hoped there were no complications when it was removed in an operation. 

But now Millie is struggling to find the nearly £3,000 for the vet bill and has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help raise the cash.

"I have tried my absolute best to scrape together everything I possibly can," she said.

Pumpkin's surgery cost nearly £3,000 (Image: Millie Farrow)

"I did have insurance but because I had to get to the hospital for an emergency I spent some of the money on a bus so it lapsed. 

"I hate asking for help but he is my baby boy. It has been a hard few weeks."

£470 has so far been raised of a £3,000 target.