Heaviest Cat Ever To Be Dropped Off at NY Animal Shelter Weighs In at Whopping 41 Pounds
There are a staggering number of food options available today for pet owners. Dog and cat owners can go to stores with aisles of different brands of kibble, wet food, supplements and treats.
With all that’s available, sometimes owners get a little overzealous. Others see how much their critters enjoy food and either give them more than they know they should have or don’t realize they’re feeding their pet too much.
Barsik is one of those cats who has thoroughly enjoyed his noms. A little too much, perhaps, as the cat’s gluttony has caught up with him and is causing him a multitude of health problems.
When Barsik’s family moved, they left the 41-pound cat with the Manhattan Animal Care Center of New York, and the staff was astounded. This was the heaviest cat they’d ever received.
Most cats should weigh 6 to 11 pounds, which means Barsik is the weight of several cats. He has difficulty moving, and the Animal Care Center had to make a pen for him in the office because a normal cat cage wasn’t going to work.
Thankfully, a rescue noticed him and took him in, along with another cat he was with. Anjellicle Cats Rescue was about to offer Barsik a new lease on life.
“We pulled Barsik 59244 and his adorable housemate Sukie 59243,” Anjellicle Cats Rescue, Inc. wrote on April 8. “This super-sized and super-sweet duo were left at ACC on April 5 because their family was moving and couldn’t take them with.”
“We will be getting Barsik checked out by a vet this week and then he’ll begin his safe weight loss journey under supervision. ❤️ And Sukie will be available for adoption soon! Please click on the following links to honor your pledges or contribute towards their care. Thank you for your continued support.”
From there, Angelique Iuzzolino, a volunteer fosterer, took over Barsik’s care.
“He was very scared when he first arrived and tried to hide, which was quite a feat for a 41-pound cat to squeeze between our bed and nightstand,” she told the Daily Mail. “He quickly realized we weren’t going to harm him and now lets us pet him and will come across the room when we offer attention to him.”
“He’s eating and using the litter box, the two best signs you can get from a newly arrived foster cat.”
The weight loss issue is a tricky one, though, as it’s not as simple as cutting his food intake and seeing immediate results.
“While I do have a basic understanding of a weight loss plan for cats, which is ultimately the same as for humans (eat less, move more) you have to be very careful that cats don’t lose weight too quickly or they can develop a condition called hepatic lipidosis, or ‘fatty liver disease,'” Iuzzolino cautioned. “So it’s not just a matter of cutting their food portions.”
“Due to his size, he will need to be under the very strict care of a veterinarian to determine the amount of calories he’ll need to lose weight but also still get enough nourishment for his systems to function properly.”
“Right now, he is allowed to eat as much as he wants to avoid any drastic loss, and he will be seeing our vet in a few days to get his baseline testing done and put a plan in place,” Luzzolino explained.
Barsik has a long, time-consuming journey ahead of him, but he’s in the hands of kind people who will make sure he’s taken care of. Once he loses weight and is cleared, he might be available for adoption — but for now, he’s safe and loved.
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