Overweight cat put on a diet after ballooning to 17kg
This poor rescue cat is so fat it can't walk...
A Russian cat named Kroshik faces a long road to recovery after being rescued from a hospital basement.
The 17kg cat was taken to a pet diet centre, where it was placed on a strict diet. According to the New York Post, he survived on a diet that included cookies and soup before being rescued.
Kroshnik, which means 'Crumbs', reportedly weighs three times more than the average domestic cat.
"He could be one of the top 5 fattest cats in the world, but all he wants is to learn how to walk again. [He] is a defenceless cat that cannot walk under the weight of its weight. They couldn't do an ultrasound for him at the clinic, because of the huge fat layer, the sensors simply don't work," the Matroskin Shelter in Prem wrote on Instagram in Russian.
The ginger cat is on a special programme that will help him lose 70-150 grams a week. He also exercises on a treadmill while submerged in water.
After a week at the facility, Kroshnik reportedly tried to escape from his enclosure. However, his plan was thwarted when he got stuck in a shoe rack.
Staff at the facility are treating the escape as a good sign that he is on his way to recovery.
Kroshnik has already lost some weight. He is down to 15.4kg. Vets hope to be able to get him as low as 4.5kg, which is the weight of an average cat.
"The little one will be happy and healthy thanks to your love. His recovery... is in full swing... Kroshik is an example of hard work to achieve a cherished goal! He's trying his hardest," Matroskin Shelter said.
MORE FROM EAST COAST RADIO
Kroshnik is huge, but he isn't the fattest cat in the world. According to the Guinness World Record, Himmy from Australia was the world's heaviest cat.
He weighed 21.3 kg! Himmy died when he was 10 years old in 1986. The cat was so fat that its owner, Thomas Vyse, had to transport him in a wheelbarrow.
The record for the heaviest cat was discontinued after his death to prevent pet owners from fattening up their cats to beat Himmy's record.
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Main image credit: Instagram/@matroskin_prm