- A huge tabby cat tried to escape after just one week of his new strict diet
A 17-kilogram (38-pound) cat so fat it could barely walk failed in its daring escape from a pet diet centre after becoming trapped in a shoe rack.
Kroshik, which means ‘crumbs’ in Russian, was found by staff after escaping from his enclosure in Perm, Russia, where he had been following a strict diet and exercise regime for a week.
An unfortunate photo shows the ginger tabby cat trapped between the bars of a shoe rack, with his stomach touching the floor and his face pressed against a plastic surgery clog.
The ginger tabby cat was found by animal rescue workers living in the basement of a hospital, where he was eating a rich menu of biscuits and soup.
But now Kroshik faces a life of dieting and exercise as vets try to get him to a healthier weight.
A week after being subjected to the strict regime, Kroshik gave up and tried to escape.
The huge cat, photographed on September 11, was dwarfed by a shoe rack.
The 17kg cat was found living in a basement before being rescued and put on a diet.
Rehabilitation specialist Ekaterina Bedakova says his escape attempt is actually a sign that he is slowly improving.
She wrote in a Telegram post on Wednesday: ‘Kroshik… He caused a ruckus and escaped today. He is already a very active guy.
“He was very upset when we found him dressed in slippers, but… after a portion of food, he calmed down.”
Vets hope Crumbs’ exercise regime will mean he will lose between 70 and 150 grams each week.
The plan is for the kitten to eventually reach a much healthier weight of 10 pounds.
The fat cat got his nickname from his ability to suck up every morsel of food, but he was so overweight that he couldn’t walk.
Veterinarians at the Matroskin shelter in the city even had difficulty performing an ultrasound on the stray dog because of his thick layers of fat.
They told local media: ‘Kroshik’s story is an extremely rare case where someone loved a cat so much that they fed it to such a state.’
Now, health professionals are desperately trying to help him recover.
Video footage from the care centre shows a clearly fed up and bitter looking boy being subjected to tests on a treadmill.
The plan is for the kitty to eventually reach a much healthier weight of 10 pounds through a strict diet plan.
The ginger tabby cat was named Kroshik (meaning “crumbs” in Russian) for his ability to sniff out food.
Using a water tank to ease the strain its bulk puts on his leg joints, Crumbs is seen reluctantly jogging around the track.
Other images show how her belly has been shaved to make it easier to dry after her exercise sessions.
Tabby cats vary in what can be considered a healthy weight.
Experts say that between four and 4.5 kg is a good “ideal weight for a cat” in general, although this depends on the breed.
Obesity in cats can increase the risk of diabetes and other health problems.
As a general rule, if you can’t feel your cat’s ribs, he or she may be overweight, according to veterinarians. say.
