For most young households, buying a home is high on the priority list.
Dominique Deloach, 29, married her long-term partner, Evan, in December 2020, and baby boy, Luke, followed two years later.
But instead of using her savings to set up home, Dominique spent it on her rescue cat.
Her nest egg of £15,000 has instead gone on pet essentials for Ivy, a one-eyed feline she adopted six years ago.
But while it looks like Dominique and Evan may have to start saving for a little while longer – she wouldn’t change a thing.
Dominique, from California, USA, said: ‘I don’t regret spending any amount of money on her.
‘For me, having her in my life carries far more value than I could ever put a price on.’
Dominique felt a connection to Ivy the cat from the minute she saw her.
She said: ‘When we first met, I called her name and she ran straight over to me meowing and jumped onto my lap. That’s when I knew I couldn’t leave without her.
‘She was so thin all you could feel when you touched her was bone. I could tell she had been through some hard times, and even though she was comfortable immediately with me, she was still very nervous in general.’
A large chunk of Dominique’s cash has gone on outfits for her pet. She started dressing Ivy in clothes, in the hope that it would ease her anxiety.
‘I thought some kind of shirt would make her feel a little more secure, and as soon as I put one on, she seemed much calmer,’ she said.
Ivy has a now amassed an amazing collection of at least 30 clothes and accessories including fancy hats and festive jumpers.
‘Generally, people think she’s pretty cute in all her outfits. I think that a lot of times you can tell when an animal doesn’t like wearing outfits, and it’s very easy to see that she enjoys wearing them and knows she looks gorgeous.’
And just two months into owning Ivy, Dominique had to pay a £5,000 vet bill, due to a cancer scare.
But over the years, Dominique estimates she’s spent $13,000 on vet fees, $4,300 on food and treats, $1,200 on litter, $500 for boarding and $1,500 for toys, clothes and other extras.
With so much love for Ivy, the mother from California, USA, is convinced that no amount of money is too much money to spend on her pet – but admits if Ivy wasn’t around, her living situation would be different.
‘If I didn’t have her in my life and just had an extra $20,000 at my disposal, I certainly would have used it to put up extra money for a down payment on a house.’
Dominique shares Ivy’s adventures on a dedicated Instagram page, however not everyone seems to be supportive.
‘While most people think she’s cute as will be, I’ve had a pair not-too-nice feedback over the years about how she appears to be like,’ mentioned Dominique.
‘I have had people tell me she’s ugly, or ask why I might need a cat that appears like her.
‘But to those people, I always tell them I think she’s the prettiest cat on this planet, and that the issues that make us distinctive are what make us all stunning.’
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