A massive 26-pound black cat was put on a strict diet after animal rescuers in Texas stepped in and took the feline to a shelter.
Tanglewood, a black domestic cat, was at risk of being euthanized if he continued to grow in size, but has now been taken in by the staff at Austin Pets Alive in Austin, which runs programs specifically designed to save at-risk animals.
The fat cat is now in foster care with the shelter’s cat adoption manager, who is looking for a permanent family to care for him long-term.
Tanglewood had been adopted just eight months ago from the same shelter, but was then abandoned this week at Austin Animal Shelter, the city’s municipal shelter.
A massive 26-pound black cat was put on a strict diet after animal rescuers in Texas stepped in and took the feline to a shelter.
Shelter staff noticed he had a broken leg and was originally one of Austin Pets Alive’s cats.
Shelter staff noticed he had a broken leg and was originally one of Austin Pets Alive’s cats.
He was then returned to the organization in poor condition.
“He had a fractured leg when we picked him up and then over the course of a couple of days he started developing some neurological symptoms that resulted in seizures,” explained cat specialist Allie Dono.
‘One of the seizures was so intense that he ended up fracturing his jaw, so we had to put a wire in his jaw.’
“He loves belly scratches. He loves belly rubs. He’s one of those cats where his belly is not a trap. You can get in there and rub it. He loves it,” Dono said.
Staff believe Tanglewood was having seizures so severe that they caused her leg to break.
It is also possible that he was abandoned due to his medical condition and the huge veterinary bills associated with his treatment.
Tanglewood had been adopted just eight months ago, but the high cost of his vet bills may have caused his foster family to give him up.
Pets that are overweight often have to deal with a host of additional health issues due to the increased stress their bodies are put under.
The shelter staff realized it was the same cat that had been adopted just 8 months earlier.
“We are still monitoring him for seizures as we work to determine the cause, but we are focusing on his neurological symptoms and his broken front leg,” Luis Sanchez of Austin Pets Alive told Fox 7.
“When he starts to feel better, we’ll be his cheerleaders to get him on a weight loss plan and get him to shed some pounds,” she explained.
“We are grateful to our team for quickly intervening and are looking for an adoptive home for this adorable and friendly chonk,” Sanchez said.
Domestic cats typically weigh between 8 and 10 pounds and can vary depending on breed.
The ASPCA notes that obesity is a very common problem in pets and can be detrimental to a cat or dog’s health.
Overweight pets often have to deal with a host of additional health issues due to the increased stress their bodies are under.
Overweight cats are also at higher risk for diabetes, liver problems, and joint pain.
“It’s not good for him to be so obese, and I’m sure once we get all the other medical issues sorted out it will work to get him to slowly lose weight, but it’s not the top priority right now,” Dono said. “He’s like a big ball of mush that we dote on.”