Hero Pet Tiko, the little rescue kitten who survived two emergencies

From a dirt road in Fiji to a loving home in Queensland, Tiko had already been on quite a journey. But this adventurous little kitten had two more frightening ordeals ahead of her, both requiring emergency surgery.

Within just two months, her family faced more than $11,000 in pet insurance claims. Thankfully, with dedicated veterinary care, her family’s love and support from Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance, Tiko has a happy ending to share.

A tiny kitten, a very lucky encounter

Tiko was only around three weeks old when she was found walking along a dirt road in Fiji. The tiny kitten had fleas and needed someone to care for her. What began with a request for help treating those fleas turned into something much bigger: a family adopted her and gave her a new start.

Bringing Tiko home to Australia was quite an undertaking. She spent six months in boarding before she could make the journey, and her family invested considerable time, money and love in getting her home.

Eventually, the little Exotic Shorthair settled into life with Katie and her family on an island off Brisbane. With a home to call her own and Snippet, the family’s Blue Heeler, to befriend, Tiko had plenty of company. But her adventurous streak was about to give her family an enormous scare.

An overnight adventure with a frightening ending

On the night before Good Friday in April 2025, Tiko slipped outside when the family’s young daughter accidentally let her out. When she returned the following morning, something was terribly wrong.

Tiko had been attacked by a dog. She was in severe pain, with multiple puncture wounds, including wounds on her back and injuries around her abdomen. She was so sore that examining her was difficult. Katie, a vet herself, recognised that Tiko needed emergency care.

Living on an island added another challenge: getting help meant taking Tiko by ferry before travelling to an emergency veterinary clinic in Brisbane. There, the team discovered the extent of her injuries. Tiko needed a lengthy operation, followed by three days in intensive care.

It was a frightening ordeal for a little kitten who had already overcome so much.

Safe indoors, but another emergency was coming

After the attack, Tiko’s family took extra precautions to keep her safely inside, including fitting locks higher on the doors. But several weeks later, danger came from something much closer to home.

Some of the children’s foam bath letters had gone missing. Then, early one morning, Tiko began vomiting. She was in pain and reluctant to move. Her owner immediately knew this was another emergency.

Once again, the family rushed Tiko for treatment, this time at a cat clinic in Brisbane. A piece of swallowed foam had passed into her intestine and needed to be removed surgically. Tiko underwent her second emergency operation in just a matter of weeks. Afterwards, she spent six days recovering at the clinic before she could return to her family.

Support when it mattered, twice

Katie had been looking into pet insurance for Snippet, the family’s Blue Heeler, when she considered whether to insure Tiko too. It was a decision she would soon be very thankful for.

“Who would have thought that an indoor cat would have had over $11,000 in claims within two months? I debated whether to get insurance for her, but I am so glad I did,” Katie says.

The two emergencies involved different claiming experiences. For Tiko’s dog attack, her family paid the emergency vet bill upfront. Finding the money was stressful, but Bow Wow Meow prioritised the claim for a speedy reimbursement.

For her second emergency, they were able to use GapOnly^®, paying the difference between the vet’s invoice and the approved claim benefit.

For a family facing two major operations so close together, that support meant an enormous amount. Tiko’s owner says that without insurance, they would have faced the heartbreaking choice between taking on substantial debt and losing their much-loved kitten.

“Our kitten Tiko has had a very eventful start to her life, and I am so grateful that Bow Wow Meow gave us a happy ending to this story…not once but twice!”

The happy outcome ♥

Today, Tiko is back enjoying life with Katie and her family, including her best friend, Snippet. The pair love their morning rough-and-tumble play sessions, a lovely everyday moment after everything Tiko has been through.

From a vulnerable kitten on a dirt road to a much-loved family companion, Tiko has shown remarkable resilience. Her story is also a tribute to the people who adopted her, brought her home and acted quickly when she needed them most.

We’re delighted to celebrate Tiko as a Bow Wow Meow Hero Pet and wish her many more happy mornings with her canine best friend.

Watch Tiko’s story

Meet the little rescue kitten who survived two emergencies and hear what Bow Wow Meow’s support meant to her family.

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Note: Pet Insurance covers a portion of eligible vet bills. Testimonials are based on individual circumstances and varying factors such as cover options, excess, risk ratings and available discounts apply.