A fat cat cruelly abandoned in a sports bag has undergone a remarkable transformation having weighed almost two stone.
Named Big Bertha by her rescuers, the two-year-old feline arrived in RSPCA care back in October, after being dumped in Calthorpe Park, Birmingham.
“This is the largest cat I have seen in my 22 years working for the RSPCA,” explained Birmingham Animal Centre cattery supervisor, Emma Finnimore. “When she arrived she was 11.8kg.
“A vet carefully clipped away her matting but she still weighed 11.5kg and was too large to live in a cat pod as she wouldn’t have been able to use the cat flap. We had to adapt a cat run for her until she went to a foster home.”
Bertha underwent a strict diet and exercise regime with weekly weigh-ins and regular vet checks to ensure her weight loss was carefully monitored.
“She was in such a sorry state when she arrived at the rescue centre with her matting pulling on her skin. We don’t know how she got so large as she is only a young cat. We think maybe someone had been constantly feeding her as she was so large she was left unable to groom herself.”
The RSPCA hopes Big Bertha’s story is a reminder that being overweight can lead to serious health issues for pets, including joint problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and problems with the liver, skin and heat tolerance.
Sadly, the RSPCA has seen a shocking 25% rise in the number of abandonment incidents, with 13,159 recorded in the year to October 2022, up from 10,519 in the previous year.
It has also launched a Cost of Living Hub online with tips and advice for anyone who might be finding times hard.