New Mexico fat cat weighs in at nearly 40 pounds

AP via Newsvine.com ^ | 4/20/12 | Susan Montoya Bryan

[Slings and Arrows]

ALBUQUERQUE — Meow can't help but waddle. He's one super-sized cat.

The 2-year-old orange and white tabby tips the scale at nearly 40 pounds, and the Santa Fe Animal Shelter is on a mission to get the feline back into shape.

Meow's 87-year-old owner could no longer take care of him, so the pet was turned over to a shelter in southeastern New Mexico that called the Santa Fe shelter for help.

"The thing with this cat is when you look at it, certainly it's obese. You see that. But it's a sweet looking cat. His face is very sweet. It's just incredibly fat," shelter spokesman Ben Swan said Friday.

Meow has been placed with a foster family. He'll be on a special diet so he can start shedding some pounds. The goal is for him to lose at least 10 pounds so he can be put up for adoption.

The shelter plans to post updates on Meow's weight loss on its Facebook page.

It's not clear how the feline was able to gain so much weight in just two years. Adult cats typically weigh between seven and 12 pounds.

[Slings and Arrows]

He could have untreated thyroid issues, but my money is on too much nom noms.

[BlackElk]

Check out the second link @17

[USARightSide]

Pillow Pets - yes!
Similar ‘last one’ story at our daughter’s, but don’t remember now which animal.
Young granddaughters have such dramatic ‘last one’ stories!
This particular g-daughter (9) just won the mile in her division at a huge track meet . . .
(Worked that in pretty good - LOL)!

[I Drive Too Fast]

Well rounded cat, but not well rounded diet.

[MacMattico]

Well congratulations to your granddaughter! My older daughter just pitched her first softball game at the JV high school level and won! She's only in jr high. She also batted .667!

[USARightSide]

“She also batted .667.”

Wow - congrats to your daughter!

A couple of happy young ladies!

[CT Hillbilly]

My kitty weighs 20 lbs and ONLY eats 1/2 cup of IAMS Weight Control Crunchies daily...that’s it.

He’s just a big boy...I can’t pick him up anymore because he’s so round and soft,he is hard to hold onto!
Should have come with a handle on his back-like luggage!

The Mrs-I love my Bibby Boy!

[Slings and Arrows]

As the owner of the 14 lb Deimos, I salute you.

[CT Hillbilly]

I’d salute you back, but my Ginormous Bibby is hindering any bodily movement except for my fingers; he is laying across me and my arms and I am peeking over him to see the screen of my laptop...

My laptop is on his enemies list...he’s already beaten it up once!

Ouch...gotta go...Bibby has spoken!

[Yardstick]

There was a fat cat named Oscar that lived next door when I was a kid. He’d sort of groan when you picked him up. But he wasn’t as big as this Meow fellow. Oh man he’s chubbeh.

[Slings and Arrows]

*chuckle*

BTDT.

[Slings and Arrows]

He’s proof that Michael Moore...nah, not going there.

[JLLH]

Agreed on that. Obesity in pets is on the rise. Thankfully, more vets are addressing this issue with their clients.

[JLLH]

A lot (as in most) of those “weight control” commercial foods are chock full of fillers and carbs and are anything BUT “weight control”. A lot has been written on this issue by holistic vets who are concerned about the rise of species-inapproriate food prescriptions by traditional vets. Cats are carnivores and have no need or way to deal with a diet made primarily of carbs.

[CedarDave]

Below picture is from SF Animal Shelter Facebook page, NOT AP:

Meow's first weigh-in

[CedarDave]

I've seen quite a few older folks do this with their little dogs. They don't actually walk the dog, only let it outside in a fenced yard to do its business then let it back in. Then they feed the dog too much and too often, sometimes with table food or even specially prepared "people food" which is really not healthy for pets.

The little dogs get so big around they can barely walk, they make noise breathing, snore, and so forth.

The owner doesn't realize that they are just loving the poor little thing literally to death.

I've got a kindly old neighbor lady that does just that with her 7-year old Chihuahua. Except, she has a doggie pad so the dog doesn't even have to go outside to relieve itself! Dog waddles around on its tiny feet and is always having breathing problems. Dog is grossly obese and she takes it to the vet for hip problems. Vet gives her pills for the hip (and probably lectures her on the dog's weight) but she insists on feeding it people food (and the dog food goes untouched). She's a nice lady, but can't see she's killing her dog.

[CedarDave]

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[Slings and Arrows]

Thanks for posting it.

Meow is a pretty kitty, and there’s plenty of him to be pretty!

[Quix]

We lost our favorite dog last night.

Dad got up this morning to find him dead beside his outdoor work bench. Maybe a slight amount of blood in his mouth. Looked like his legs might have scratched 3-4 times in his death throws. No other indication as to how or why.

No bloating. Had been chewing grape vines and plenty of sticks etc. May have gotten a splinter in his gut.

Really sad. Very smart. German Shepherd with rust colored hair. Very beautiful. About a hundred pounds at a year old. Very smart and beautiful disposition.

Sigh. A real loss to all of us.

Sigh.

Thanks for your Friendship.