Cats, like any other animal, can get overweight due to overfeeding, lack of exercise, or simply genetics. It can shorten a cat’s lifespan and increases the risk of developing diseases.
Patches came into the care of Richmond Animal Care and Control with a staggering weight of 40.3 pounds. Less than a day after his arrival, the shelter posted a photo of this adorable cat on Facebook. Soon after, Patches was matched with a new owner, who is committed to giving him a regimen of special diet and exercise. To carry Patches’ cage out of the building, his new mom, Kay Ford, had to have a second person help her.
Ford promised to give Patches a social media account so that his fans can keep up with his weight loss journey, so if you are interested, follow Patches’ Journey.
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Meet Patches, a 40.3-pound cat who was in search of a new home
Image credits: RACC shelter
Bored Panda got in touch with Kay, the current owner, to learn more about this story from their perspective. We were wondering how Kay came across Patches. She shared: “My daughter sent me a text with the RACC post about Patches. I moved quickly, knowing there would be tremendous interest in him. My email received a response about an hour later inviting me to a meet and greet. I sat down with him and knew if they chose me, I could help and give him the best home ever! Then they said yes! However, I had 2 concerns, would my other cat Wellesley be OK with this – he was after a few days, and would I be chosen – I was!”
Patches had been residing at the Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter in Virginia
Image credits: RACC shelter
Fortunately, after a photo of Patches went viral, he was soon adopted
Patches is now living with two other pets in the household, another cat and a dog. We wanted to know how Patches was welcomed into the family. Kay wrote: “Bella, a 13-year-old Yorkie, was unfazed and happy to welcome a new life form. She loves everyone and everything! Wellesley hissed and kept his distance for a few days, then started to warm up, then accepted, and now they’re friends!”
While we all adore a “chonky” cat, it’s important to note that Patches’ excess weight was not healthy for him
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Since Patches needs to lose excess weight, we asked Kay to share his weight loss plan. “**DISCLAIMER: Patches’ plan is most likely not the same plan your vet would recommend for your fur baby. Consult with your vet on your pet’s specific needs, and do not use the Patches plan without consulting with your veterinarian,” highlighted Kay.
As a result, he has been placed on a special diet and exercise regimen to help him shed those extra pounds
Kay wrote a detailed plan for Patches: “Food: To my surprise, Dr. Meaghan (Wellesley Animal Hospital) did not put Patches on prescription food. That may change depending on how successful we are with regular food. I did receive a list of 4 brands and varieties of good high-quality canned food from which to choose to integrate into his diet. We are going for an all-wet food diet. No gravy (if humans ate gravy with every meal we’d not be in very good shape collectively – the same goes for cats). The broth is ok, no gravy. At RACC he enjoyed the shreds but not pate. I am integrating a tiny bit at a time of pate with his shreds and reducing the shreds as I increase the pate. Cats are notorious for not getting enough hydration from their water bowl alone, so wet food is a must. He does love his kibble, so I am reducing that amount and have been approved, as we reduced the amount of kibble, to get to a point where he just has a bit sprinkled on his wet food. I will not be sharing or disclosing brands as we have not landed on the one yet that he has fully taken to. He is NOT a voracious eater. No vacuum cleaner eater is Patches! So he eats a little bit at a time several times throughout the day.”
“Exercise: Patches is a cat, and no cat I know is going to embrace an exercise ‘routine’. We play… dedicated play for 10 minutes at a time about 4 times a day minimum. More? All the better. Walking is a strain on his joints. We want him to walk, but I’m not forcing it. He moves around and plays with Wellesley (who provides a great source of exercise through play) a lot more at night, my ‘little’ night owl. A wonderful Facebook follower has donated a cat wheel. We are thrilled. He won’t be up to it for a while, but in the meantime, I bet Wellesley will be a master at it, as his zoomies are legendary! Another wonderful Facebook follower sent a great inclined cat scratcher, complete with catnip that had Patches’ full attention at 3:30 am this morning. We are so, so grateful for the generosity.”
“I will go into more detail about the following later, but a company reached out to offer Patches a cat scale and the support of an app for electronic monitoring of his weight and nutrition. A blessing so that Patches won’t experience the stress of going back and forth across Richmond every week for a weigh-in. I can’t wait to go into more detail about this once everything is set up and in place.”
“So, there you have it… That’s our plan. It could change, but it’s the starting line. I will, of course, be disclosing his weight every week.”
If you’re interested in tracking Patches’ progress, his new owner, Kay Ford, has created a Facebook page that you can follow
Kay decided to share Patches’ weight loss journey with others by creating a Facebook page. We asked Kay what inspired her to do so. She shared: “People needed to be informed of his progress. I knew they would be grateful to know he was ok. It has blossomed into so much more.”
Image credits: Patches’ JourneyImage
We wish Patches all the best in his weight loss journey and hope that he continues to receive the love and care he deserves
And lastly, Kay added: “I ask you to support your local animal shelter in any way you can. They need our support. The beautiful creatures they nurture and protect need our support. They only know how to love unconditionally. I don’t know anywhere else you can find THAT precious gift!”
May his story serve as a reminder to all pet owners to prioritize their pets’ health and well-being
