Massive cat weighing over 40 pounds adopted in Virginia

Patches, a massive cat weighing in at 40.3 pounds, has been adopted, the Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter in Virginia said Wednesday on Facebook.

The fluffy white cat with gray spots and a gray tail had been looking for a new owner who could help maintain his special diet and get him to a healthy weight, the shelter said. A post describing Patches and his needs quickly garnered thousands of reactions and comments.

While Patches was described by the shelter as “gloriously gluttoness” [sic], he is not the fattest cat in history. According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest cat on record was Himmy, who in 1986 weighed 46 lbs and had to be transported by wheelbarrow. The record-keeping institution no longer keeps track of the category to avoid encouraging pet owners to keep their animals at unhealthy weights.

While it is difficult to put a definitive range on what an average healthy cat’s weight should be, as it varies between breeds and depends on the sex of the cat, Purina said there are some criteria you can use to determine whether or not your cat is at a healthy weight. For example, a pet owner should be able to feel their feline’s ribs, and the cat’s abdomen should appear tucked behind the ribs.

Richmond Animal Care and Control posted a photo of Patches with his new owner, as well as a video showing the cat being transported in a kennel.

“Patches is adopted and leaving RACC!,” the shelter wrote alongside its video post. “40 lbs of LOVE right there!”