Derek Hough's Family Cat Survives $8,000 Emergency Vet Trip Over the Holidays

Mar. 15, 2025

Derek Hough at day 1 of the 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater on Sept. 7, 2024 in Los Angeles.Photo:JC Olivera/Variety via Getty

JC Olivera/Variety via Getty

Derek Houghhad a hectic holiday with a $8,000 price tag.On Wednesday, Dec. 25, during Christmas, it seems Hough’s family cat, Otis, ate something he wasn’t supposed to, causing a health scare and a rather expensive trip to the vet.Thankfully, the crisis appears to be over, and Otis is in good spirits. On Dec. 26, Hough, 39, shared details about the eventful holiday on Instagram. In the photo accompanying the post, theDancing with the Starsjudge wears striped Christmas pajamas and smiles big as he holds Otis and a bag of unidentified stuff the feline consumed.“Look what I got for Christmas 🎄A plastic bag filled with stuff Otis ate and had to be removed from his stomach costing $8000! Yay! Glad he’s ok 👌🏼 🐈‍⬛,“he posted in the caption.Hough did not detail what Otis ate or how the vet removed it. However, the dancer shared the cheerful side of his holiday, posting anInstagram Storyon Dec. 26 showing all four of his pets wearing matching holiday jammies, the same striped design their owner is wearing in his post with Otis.Hough does not mention his relationship with Otis in his post, but he told PEOPLE that he and his wife,Hayley Erbert, sharefour pets: rescue dogs Romi and Luna and adopted cats Palo and Lily.Luna is currently keeping her owner company on the road during hisDance for the Holidaystour (the tour ends Dec. 29).According to Hough, Luna hasbrought joy to the tour’s audience, performers, and crew.“She’s literally everybody’s support animal,” Hough told PEOPLE in December. “[There’s] big burly men with beards and tattoos and cigarettes, [and] we pull up and, they just turn into… these, like, little kids [when they see Luna],” he adds with a laugh.Hough also revealed that Luna is becoming a fan favorite among audiences, even disappearing for her own tail-wagging meet and greets.“The other day, we were in the middle of a show, and we just finished the first act and came off the stage… I’m like, ‘Wait, where’s Luna?'” he recalled.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“So we were looking for her, and we [went] out onto the stage, and she’s… on the edge of it, just like licking people’s faces in the front row,” he continued. “And literally 3,000 people are just watching this dog in the center of the stage, just saying ‘Hi’ to everybody. She’s wagging her tail. She’s all excited to see everybody.““It was pretty funny,” he added. “The crowd … they absolutely loved that.”

Derek Houghhad a hectic holiday with a $8,000 price tag.

On Wednesday, Dec. 25, during Christmas, it seems Hough’s family cat, Otis, ate something he wasn’t supposed to, causing a health scare and a rather expensive trip to the vet.

Thankfully, the crisis appears to be over, and Otis is in good spirits. On Dec. 26, Hough, 39, shared details about the eventful holiday on Instagram. In the photo accompanying the post, theDancing with the Starsjudge wears striped Christmas pajamas and smiles big as he holds Otis and a bag of unidentified stuff the feline consumed.

“Look what I got for Christmas 🎄A plastic bag filled with stuff Otis ate and had to be removed from his stomach costing $8000! Yay! Glad he’s ok 👌🏼 🐈‍⬛,“he posted in the caption.

Hough did not detail what Otis ate or how the vet removed it. However, the dancer shared the cheerful side of his holiday, posting anInstagram Storyon Dec. 26 showing all four of his pets wearing matching holiday jammies, the same striped design their owner is wearing in his post with Otis.

Hough does not mention his relationship with Otis in his post, but he told PEOPLE that he and his wife,Hayley Erbert, sharefour pets: rescue dogs Romi and Luna and adopted cats Palo and Lily.

Luna is currently keeping her owner company on the road during hisDance for the Holidaystour (the tour ends Dec. 29).

According to Hough, Luna hasbrought joy to the tour’s audience, performers, and crew.

“She’s literally everybody’s support animal,” Hough told PEOPLE in December. “[There’s] big burly men with beards and tattoos and cigarettes, [and] we pull up and, they just turn into… these, like, little kids [when they see Luna],” he adds with a laugh.

Hough also revealed that Luna is becoming a fan favorite among audiences, even disappearing for her own tail-wagging meet and greets.

“The other day, we were in the middle of a show, and we just finished the first act and came off the stage… I’m like, ‘Wait, where’s Luna?'” he recalled.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“So we were looking for her, and we [went] out onto the stage, and she’s… on the edge of it, just like licking people’s faces in the front row,” he continued. “And literally 3,000 people are just watching this dog in the center of the stage, just saying ‘Hi’ to everybody. She’s wagging her tail. She’s all excited to see everybody.”

“It was pretty funny,” he added. “The crowd … they absolutely loved that.”

source: people.com