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A 35 pound cat named Tiger ended up at the shelter when his elderly owner had to give him up, but he quickly found a new home after his story made the news. While his story garnered public interest because of his great size and the issue of pet obesity, Tiger was dealing with the loss of his home and his familiar companion as his life circumstances changed. Hopefully, he will readily adapt to life with the new family who wants to make him happy and healthy, and to give him love.
Tiger made the news earlier this week after he entered the shelter at Cat Depot in Sarasota, Florida. Tiger is a 35 pound cat who had to be wheeled into Cat Depot when his owner had to move into an assisted living facility. He was immediately placed on a carefully monitored diet program with a goal of losing one pound per month. Although he had no health issues, Tiger had difficulty walking due to his tremendous size and could only take a few steps at a time. Tiger awaited his adoption in Cat Depot’s chubby cat suite.
“Tiger may be close to breaking a world record for biggest cat, but this is no laughing matter,” said Shelley Thayer, executive director, Cat Depot. “Health risks of obesity are real. It contributes to medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, heart and lung disease, and high blood pressure.”
Tiger was quickly adopted by a lady from St. Petersburg who saw him on the news. She came to the shelter with her daughter and grandchildren because she wanted to help a special needs cat.
Tiger will continue with his diet plan while enjoying life in his new home.
Tiger’s Story:
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Tiger’s adoption. He leaves the shelter with his new family:
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In this short video taken at the shelter, Tiger gets a bit of excercise as he manages to go in and out to the ‘catio’ through the kitty door, despite his great size.
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A 2011 study by APOP (Association for Pet Obesity Prevention) found that over 50 percent of cats were either obese or overweight. Most domestic cats should weigh between 8 and 10 pounds. Cats are typically overfed their cat food, as well as “over-treated.” An average lazy 10-pound house cat usually needs only 180 and 200 calories each day.
Tips if you think your cat is overweight:
Talk to your vet and get your cat a full medical checkup. Find out what their ideal body
weight is and how many calories they should eat each day, including treats.
Exercise your cat! Play laser tag — something to get your cat moving for at least 20 minutes each day.
Monitor your cat’s progress and stay on track.
Cat Depot, a nonprofit, 501(c)3 no-kill, free-roaming facility, is recognized for its progressive design and commitment to helping homeless, abandoned and injured animals. Open seven days a week, Cat Depot’s mission is to save lives, find loving homes, and provide the resources and education to improve the destiny of homeless cats.
Cat Depot supports more than 130 cats and kittens on any given day.
You can follow Cat Depot at Facebook.
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