Animal lover: “I sell my knickers to help stray cats!”
Raven Nyx has spent £100k looking after rescue cats – and her unusual way of making cash to care for them is not to be sniffed at!
Sitting on her sofa, surrounded by her five cats – all rescues or strays – 35-year-old Raven Nyx feels justifiably proud of how well cared for they are.
But her day job as a home carer, where she earns around £19,000 a year, couldn’t possibly fund the hundreds of pounds a month it costs to keep her feline companions fed and healthy.
Following a chance encounter in 2017, she set up a lucrative sideline to keep caring for strays – selling her used underwear and socks to men who have a fetish for them.
Raven, who lives alone in Bristol, says, “It started out by accident. I did a bit of glamour modelling for a friend who’s a photographer and had a Facebook page showing off my shots and selling calendars. One of my fans asked me to send him a pair of my worn knickers, and said he’d pay me £50 for them. At first, I was disgusted, but after discussing it with a friend, I thought ‘Why not?’ After that, I started advertising the fact that I was selling underwear and, incredibly, I now have over 100,000 fans.
EASY MONEY
“I find it astonishing how much money I can make
– in my first year, I earned £60,000. But I’m happy to send them. I bulk-buy pants in a supermarket and then all I have to do is wear them and post them off – it’s unbelievably easy.
“And this way, I can afford to help cats – I absolutely love them. I’ve got five who live in my house and I’ve lost count of the amount of strays that come round to be fed.
“I’ve helped hundreds over the years and selling my used undies has raised £100,000 in total for stray cats.
“I’ve got a garden shed that some of the strays hang out in. But it’s not just food on offer; if one doesn’t look well or has been in a fight, I’ll take them to the vets – and the cost of that soon adds up.”
Raven has always loved animals. She was brought up by her grandparents who had rescue cats and she knew when she had her own space that she would do the same.
Four years ago, she got her first, Thomas, from a rescue centre. And since then she’s added to her feline brood with Paisley, Sarge, Missy and Buddy.
TREATMENT COSTS
She says, “They are all older cats who have health problems. Missy has psoriasis and Paisley has a heart condition, and so often needs to go to the vet for treatment.
“I was lucky that the first guy who asked if he could buy my pants did it at the same time I got Thomas, so it all slotted into place – otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford his upkeep.
“My boyfriend Peter doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he finds it hilarious, joking that perhaps he should sell his used boxer shorts!
“I buy my pants from Sainsbury’s – you get eight pairs for £6. Most men just want me to wear them for 24 hours, but some of them ask me to wear them for two days, while others will send special underwear that they want me to wear. I package them up in bubble
❛ MY BOYFRIEND DOESN’T MIND – HE JOKES ABOUT SELLING HIS USED BOXER SHORTS! ❜
wrap to keep them fresh, pop them in a jiffy bag and post them off via recorded delivery.
“I charge depending on what they ask me to do. The minimum is £50 and the most is £250– but that was for a man who wanted me to wear them for a week before sending them. I don’t dwell on what people are doing with my underwear once they receive it. It’s none of my business!”
Used pants aren’t the only thing her loyal fans ask for. Unbelievably, some of them want sweaty socks, which she sells at £20 a pair.
Raven also regularly receives gifts from her fans, including cat food and financial donations – she even has two men who send her a total of £500 every two weeks for no other reason than they like to be financially dominated, known as “money slaves”.
She says, “I never acknowledge the money they send me – they like the humiliation of being ignored.”
As well as Facebook, Raven has pages on Fetlife, a website for fetishes, and an OnlyFans page. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s had to diversify to stay safe and keep making the money to support her furry pals.
She explains, “I don’t worry about the risk of passing on COVID-19 as I’ve had regular tests with my care work.
“I don’t want to go to the post office unless I’m going out to do my shopping too, so I do it all on the same day, once a week. It means my deliveries are delayed, but it’s important to be safe.”
COVID RISK
And Professor Keith Neal, Emeritus Professor of the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, tells Closer there’s “very little risk” in passing on COVID-19 this way. He says, “It’s very unlikely the virus would survive on a surface for that length of time. The risk of transmission is very low.”
But because of the pandemic, Raven has lost some custom. She says, “I think my clients are feeling the pinch financially as there are fewer of them. But I’ve adapted to the situation and added a few more services. I now sell videos and pictures and WhatsApp them to men from my business phone – I can charge up to £200. The videos include some with my partner, but we never have full sex on camera as I need to keep something that’s just for us.
“I make about £4,000 a month now, which more than helps me look after my cats. And if I have any money over, then I give supermarket vouchers to people in need so they can do a weekly shop.
“I’ve been in situations where I don’t know where my next meal is coming from, so I sympathise with others and want to help.
“But the cats are my priority. I have a savings account just for them, with £8,000 in currently, so I know I can always afford to cater to their needs!”