Meet Bronson, The 33-Pound Rescue Cat On A Mission to Lose Weight
Say hello to Bronson, a 3-year-old, 33-pound rescue kitty with mittens who has happily found his forever home. Now this chunky cat is on a quest for a happier, healthier life thanks to his new cat parents!
Mike Wilson and Megan Hanneman were visiting their local Humane Society in Michigan when they happened upon a gentle giant of the feline kind. His name was Bronson, and he tipped the scales at a whopping 33 pounds. And as if this kitty wasn't extra enough, he's even got six toes - this kitten's got mittens in the shape of Michigan!
The shelter didn't know much about Bronson's history besides the fact that his previous owner had passed away. Being that Bronson is only 3 years old, the shelter guessed that his previous owner had been an elderly person who had been feeding him table scraps, leading to his large size.
The first day they met him, the shelter was so backed up they couldn't get into see him in person. "The first day all we saw of him was his backside. He made us wait for the front," writes Wilson. Unable to get the big fella out of their thoughts, the couple went back to the shelter the next day ... and the rest, as they say, is hiss-tory!
The couple knew they had a big task cut out for them, but they were determined to help Bronson get down to a healthy weight. Obesity in cats, especially obesity this severe, is detrimental to the cat and can lead to chronic health issues, such as diabetes and liver disease, and fat deposits in the chest and abdomen area can cause breathing issues.
Having an overweight kitty presents unique challenges, but these cat lovers are more than up to the task to help Bronson on his weight loss journey. For instance, Bronson carries a lot of weight in his chest, so picking him in a way that's comfortable for him is difficult. But his new family found a way to carry him comfortably, and he gets to look like a king in the process: they carry him on a pillow!
Bronson is on a diet of only 375 calories a day, with the goal of losing a pound a month until he is deemed healthy.
Thinking healthy thoughts ...
When it comes to overweight cats and losing weight, it’s critical that they shed it slowly. If they lose weight too quickly, they can develop Fatty Liver Disease, which can be a fatal illness.
"We have adjusted Bronson’s diet three times since we got him, but we think that he’s on track to safely lose this weight," writes Wilson. "Currently, his exercise routine is made up of moving his food dish around the room to promote walking and still playing with toys while he’s laying down."
He might not be ready for the obstacle course, but he's getting there!
Bronson is well on his way to his goal! In fact, today marks Bronson's 100th day home, and Bronson's new family posted a progress photo on his Instagram. He's officially lost 2 pounds, and you can already tell the difference!
Follow Bronson on his weight loss journey on his Instagram and Facebook!
i freaking love this cat
Bronson in one photo looks like a CAT 🐱 turtle 🐢!😊 He is beautiful and so happy he has a family with his health problems in hand, may he live a long happy life and gets a lot of exercise when he’s able!😊 BLESS all of you!😊
That is so bad that whomever had him before let him get that big.
So happy to know someone is finally caring about him.
Thank you so much! We had to do that to our Marshmallow too. She was a shelter cat when we got her. Sweetest cat we ever owned. She was 3 when we got her in 2007. She’s still a large cat. But make her walk a lot and she is a lot healthier. She loves the outdoors and spend most of her day every day with her Papa, (Alpha cat) to her.
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