Tuesday, June 05, 2012

The 40 Pound Cat



Garfield is a 40 pound cat who was dropped off at a no kill shelter last week. Now the staff there is trying to get the cat to lose 20 pounds. First of all, I'm glad the owners dropped him off at a no kill shelter rather than the streets, but who could give up such a cute looking cat. 40 pounds? That is bigger than most dogs. Apparently Garfield is larger than the world record largest cat which died last month in New Mexico.

54 comments:

Anonymous said...

My vet wants my 11 month old kitten to lose 2 pounds. She is 11.5 pounds, and he said she was obese ! If he saw this chubster, he'd go crazy !

Seachica said...

I'm having a bad week, feeling down and missing my family and friends like crazy. Thank you, enty, for posting pics of kitties to pick up my spirits. :)

EmEyeKay said...

@Seachica, cheer up!

rareavis said...

I want him! I need to lose twenty pounds too, sigh...

@Seachica don't be sad Honey. Download 'Don't be Jealous of my Boogie' from RuPaul and dance until you feel better.

cheesegrater15 said...

He's a beautiful kitty. Diet food and laser pointers should be enough. lol

Little Miss Smoke and Mirrors said...

He's adorable! Damn, I thought my 18-pounder was big!

Agent**It said...

Enty !

OT:
Radar is ripping you off claiming an 'exclusive' on Casey Anthony moving to Costa Rica.

I believe that is old news here (May 22nd..)

mikey said...

Seachica, I will dance with you! Hugs!

The cat was certainly wel fed prior to be dropped off. The owners couldn't afford to feet him anymore?

Topper Madison said...

Is he adoptable?

anita_mark said...

Poor kitty. My guess, at that weight, he might not be able to clean himself properly and the owners couldn't take it. That's just my guess. My old kitty used to be overweight and that was her problem.

We used to give her wet food once a day but there was always dry food available. The vet told us to stop with the dry food. We did. It was hard as hell because that cat had nothing else to do all day but whine.

The vet was shocked when we brought her back for a check-up and she had lost a safe amount of weight. The vet was actually more shocked that someone took her advice and didn't just give in to the cat.

Anonymous said...

What a pretty kitty -- and the kitten next to him is adorable! Some cats are just big (my family has had a couple of those), but methinks Garfield is a big-boned boy who has also been putting away too many groceries.

Also, he weighs more than my two dogs and my girl kitty put together.

parissucksliterally said...

My JRT weighs 15 lbs....how anyone could abuse a pet by letting it get this overweight disgusts me. I wonder how fat the former owners are.

SusanB said...

I think it may depend on the cat - I have an 8 year old lilac siamese totall indoor - I leave dry food out all the time and give her wet food at night. She saw the vet a few weeks ago and complimented me that she was at her ideal weight. Wish I could eat all I want and keep an ideal weight!

xoApril said...

I want to schnuggle him!!!!
Figures, owner fattens the cat up and just dumps him at a shelter. How do they sleep at night?

StewMcG said...

Geez, I thought my mom's Maine Coon cat was huge at 20-25 lbs. (yes, that's average for the breed - they're the size of a small dog.)

anita_mark said...

I should add, my cat was a small-boned cat so the weight on her was not good for her. After she lost it, I really should've gotten her a tummy tuck. It killed us to watch her run and see that tummy waddle back and forth.

I miss her :(

MnGddess said...

I have a 18 pounder. He's sitting at my feet right now.

Gtzisshe said...

I love me some big kittehs. Too bad my husband loathes cats. I'm expecting ”find” a cat soon though. I can't help it.

cheesegrater15 said...

Gtzisshe, that's a deal breaker for me. Short of allergies or childhood trauma, I don't understand people that don't like animals.

Btw, did you create your name in the middle of a sneeze? :)

cheesegrater15 said...

Also, according to the linked article, the owner died.

Snapdragon said...

Go out of your way to find cat food that has no grain in it and very little in the way of plants or starches. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means in nature they'd eat nothing but meat. It's difficult to find such cat food commercially, and it's not as cheap as the grain-laden stuff, but it's worth it.

Lalaay said...

This cat is PHAT!.....couldn't resist lol

Lurky Loo said...

It is really difficult to get cats when they are this big and of a certain age to lose weight. It's no joke...I volunteered in a no kill shelter and I would always feel so sad for these kitties because I knew they probably wouldn't lose the weight. If you tackle it when they are young then you won't have as much of a problem down the road.

yawnathon said...

It's nice to see this. Hope Garfield gets a good home. Yesterday I had to put my Maine Coon to sleep after 17 amazing years, 5 states, three engagements...a new baby. He was my best friend, my baby before the baby, and it was so much more awful taking him in then I imagined. I've been a wreck and I'm just heartbroken. My other cat is just now realizing he's not around.

Thanks for letting me vomit on this thread. I'm glad there's so many cat lovers here.

AKM said...

Whoa! People tell me my 12-pounder is a chunky monkey! (For the record, she eats very little. She's just lazy, and I've tried EVERYTHING to get her @$$ movin'. Doesn't wanna. Oof.)

Garfield is a beautiful boy! Probably just big-boned but needs a bit of a diet and movement, like TexShan said.

And I'm with you, Vicki. Someone who doesn't like animals wouldn't be the guy for me. Someone with allergies or phobias wouldn't be the guy for me, either. I know that might sound harsh or picky, but he can just find some other girl who's in the same boat, you know?

Seachica! Happy hugs to you, babe.

AKM said...

Oh, yawnathon, I'm so sorry. They ARE family, and it's heartbreaking. Hugs to you, too.

Agent**It said...

@ yawnathon, I hope you did not have to go alone. Sad for you.

ChasingHeaven said...

Lasagna will do that to you.

MadLyb said...

He's so cute! I hope he's able to shed some pounds safely.

@yawnathon - I'm so sorry about your kitty. I don't care how sick or old your animal is, it is so difficult having to make that decision. Been there. :(

17 years? Sounds like he had a good, long life full of care and love, which is actually more than a lot of people get. You made the right decision, but that in no way makes it easier to do.

amazonblue said...

I lost my beloved Riley, a flame point Siamese, 6 weeks ago due to a heart attack. He was almost 12 years old and about 15 pounds. Last year the vet told me he had a heart murmur, and suggested I put him on a diet. That's quite hard when you've indulged an animal all it's life and they don't understand the sudden change and become frustrated and destructive.

Anyway, I completely agree with Snapdragon. Look into the quality of the food you give your pets. I fed mine the popular supermarket brands and now realize that it was equivalent to giving them a non-stop fast food diet. No wonder our animals are become as obese as we are. Cats in particular are carnivores, corn and grains aren't part of their evolutionary diet, they aren't getting their nutritional needs and eat more. Try and stay away from meat by-products too, that's what they call hot dog ingredients. Perhaps spend a little more now, than later in vet bills.

I've adopted a new 8 month old kitty, Simon, from a rescue and both he and my other kitty are now eating much healthier, both in quality of food and more limited amounts.

Now if I could just join them!

Gtzisshe said...

Lol. Gtz is short for Gutierrez. Is she is obviously me. now that you mentioned the sneeze, I can totally see that. Lol.
When I met my husband, we argued from the beginning about pets. He had a dog that stayed in the backyard allllllll day and my dogs slept in my bed and came with me to work.
I honestly couldn't see myself with my DH due to that fact. But he changed, he saw the way I treated my fur kids and he started interacting more with his. Then one day, his dog was diagnosed with cancerous growths and my hubby spent a substantial amount of money on surgery and Raider lived a better life because of it.
Raider passed away last year due to age, but he died a happier dog. My husband now sees dogs the way I see them. Family.
Cats though, I can't get him to budge. ;)

cheesegrater15 said...

Yawnathon, I'm so sorry. Just think of him up in heaven puking on God's carpet.

mikey said...

yawnathon, so sorry to hear about your news. I like to the think of the Rainbow Bridge and it helps a little.

anita_mark said...

@Yawnathon, I'm sorry to hear that. But 17 is a good long kitty life so you can take some comfort in that. That's the age we put Co down, it was our consolation.

@Amazonblue, I'm sorry for your kitty.

Co was 11 when we cut out her dry food so she'd be considered old. She begged and pleaded for the dry but we held our ground. She got her wet food and was never hungry, or rather, legitimately hungry.

I'm ashamed that we let her get to that size so we took her to the vet and did as we were told. People rarely do.

yawnathon said...

Thanks to all of you. It means so much, really. I'm having a hard time with it. I had adopted him as a kitten from a shelter in college and I always regretted not getting his sister too. Maine Coons are very single person loyal animals and he followed me around everywhere. He was always next to me when I went through the hard shit, and every day and night of a long boring pregnancy on bedrest. He had
kidney problems for awhile and I guess through the pregnancy and new baby time we didn't notice his weight loss; one third of his body weight. Even with the special diet his kidneys were failing, then his pancreas, diagnosed with high risk diabetes. My mom drove 12 hours to help take care of the baby so I could grieve. My husband came with me to the vet and he was sobbing too, even though it was always a standoff between them they'd developed a mutual respect. Only took 4 years.

Vicky, I love your comments anyway but you just made me smile through these tears. I love you so hard now.

RenoBlondee said...

Awww, that cat is so pretty.

I'm so sorry for you all that lost your kitties! I love cats so so much. I've always had a cat since I was a baby. My husband always said he doesn't like cats, but he put up with them for me. We recently got a stray kitten put on us and he is now officially in love with a cat. I am always catching him playing and babying our new kitten. We also have an indoor/outdoor stray we rescued. So both these cats happened on accident and I am so glad!

Anonymous said...

Yawn, GTZ and Amazon, I am so, so sorry for your losses. It is absolutely tragic when a family member dies, and for many of us, our furbabies are family members. I can't imagine not having a pet. I have had (at least) one every day of my life, and right now I have four (all shelter rescues). Like George Carlin said, getting a pet is voluntarily signing up to experience a future tragedy, because they almost always pass away before we do. All we can do is love them and care for them while they are with us and then remember the good times we had with them when they pass. Time (and often another furry friend) can make the hurt less intense.

Gtzisshe said...

Thank you. Losing a furkid is not easy. Even when you know its coming. But like I always tell clients, we are lucky in veterinary medicine to cease suffering. Thank doG for that.
Yawn and Amazon, I like to think animals live such short lives to make room for the next animal in need.
I'm also glad to raise my son loving all animals. I hope it makes him a better compassionate person.

Robert said...

I think most of us have been through it at one time or another, so my condolences go out to any and all here who have lost their pets or had to take them for that last ride.It's difficult to handle...(hugs.)

auntliddy said...

Going by my 11 yr old cat, I dont see how they become overweight. He is an indoor cat, but spends alot of time running back and forth in the house, playing, and only eats when hes in the mood.

Opie said...

My Opie is a 26 lb Maine Coon, he was only 20 lbs at 1 year but has continured to gain a bit as he get's older, he is 13 now and "geriatric" according to the vets. He needs a tummy tuck too but I love to see the waddle go back and fourth when he walks! He too follows me from room to room and is constantly by my side through mens, divorce, surgery's, kids, he is the light of my days when my son is not with me.
Seachicka, you should go to Wine World for free tastings every night, they are such nice people there and wine helps you get over missing your family and friends!

Ingrid Superstar said...

I know it's not healthy for them, but obese cats are adorable!

Sherry said...

@Seachica..Sending you hugs, girl.
@Vicki..Where do you come up with these? You are outrageously hilarious!
@All who've lost their family...My heart goes out to you. My Lucy and Ethel are 17 and Ethel is slowing down. I cannot imagine life without them because they've gone through some rough times with me and have supported me all through it. Lucy has glomed onto the OP and he's gonna be a total mess too when they go to God's carpet to puke. Bless our furry friends.

Laura said...

real life garfield and nermal lolz, btw that is like putting an obese adult next to a baby for comparison

figgy said...

Cats are kinda like people...some are naturally svelte and others are more naturally, um, "fluffy."

I had two cats, one was thin and the other "fluffy." The vet said to get them diet/low calorie dry food so I did. The thin one immediately lost weight, and the fluffier one just ate more and maintained her weight that way.

auntliddy said...

Lol that happened with dogs i had years ago!

DixieTheNoble82 said...

That cat is awesome!

Anotheramy said...

Had a cat that was really fat but the others were not. When he was on a diet, the general admission cat food was on the counter, his private dining was on the floor. When he lost enough weight to jump up on the counter, the diet was over.

hamster party said...

Makes me so sad when I see overweight and obese pets. :( The key to staying healthy is exercise, for all animals. Simply playing with your pet every day for at least 10 minutes burns calories, makes them healthier and happier, and makes your relationship better! But, just as in humans, once you start getting bigger and bigger, it gets harder to start doing something about it. At least it was a no-kill shelter! :)

Robin the Mad Photographer said...

*hugs* to everyone who's lost a furbaby--been there, done that, have the ashes. :-( My Jezebel is 16 now, and I'm hoping I have her around for a few more years--she's been with me since I was living in Georgia (I adopted her after I lost my previous cat, Mojo), and I swear there are moments when she's kept me going over the years.

(Now if I could just get her to stop farting around me...I swear, she can clear a room now! Old animals are just like old people--they get senile, they get cranky, they don't walk so well, and they fart a lot... ;-)

On a totally different, and hopefully happier, note: I had an interview today for a job that I really, really, REALLY want--I think it would work out well for me in terms of the atmosphere plus learning new skills, and I like to think I could be good for them as well--so if you all could pray/think good thoughts/cross your fingers, etc. for me, I'd really appreciate it!

dumbandjaded04 said...

I'm sorry to all of you for your losses, hugs to everyone. My cat Booth is almost 3 and I think about 13 pounds. He's just a bigger cat, but the vet says he could stand to lose 2 or 3 pounds. He eats very little though, and I swear he runs around the house for hours every day. I play with him every day too!

My other cat Miji is almost 10 and in the past year or 2 is finally down to her ideal weight on weight-reducing food. So that's good :)

Lelaina Pierce said...

So sorry, yawnathon, amazonblue! :(

I love hearing the stories about the men who've come to love the cats/animals. My husband "hates" cats, but I totally caught him snuggling/hugging on my chunky kitty yesterday!

Garfield is the cutest thing! I hope they can get him on a diet. I was so sad when that other chunky one died.

@Robin the Mad Photographer -
Best of luck to you! Crossing my fingers you got the job! :)

Robert said...

@Robin: You got it!

Unknown said...

His owner died and somebody took him to the NYC ACC (a VERY high kill "shelter"). North Shore Animal League now has him. Plenty of cats and kittens are killed every day at the ACC. I wish NSAL would take more of those as well as ones they can use for publicity.

Anyway, anyone in the New York area interested in fostering or adopting should check out the NYC Urgent Cats page on Facebook.

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