Meet Wilford—an 8-year-old big boy with a big personality
“Wilford came into foster with us in late December after being surrendered by his former owner to a shelter in rural Virginia,” Jen, Wilford’s current caretaker told Cat Crazy community. When he arrived at his foster parents’ house, Wilford was struggling to eat as he was stressed out and overall overwhelmed by the changes happening in his life. “In addition to being a dangerously overweight cat, he was also severely matted and his entire coat was in rough shape. He was shaved down, which is why he looks a bit unkempt in a lot of his photos,” Jen added.
He was brought to a shelter after his owner could no longer care for him and the transition wasn’t easy
In addition to his obesity, Wilford had several other medical issues
When Wilford’s foster parents brought him to the vet, they discovered that the cute cat was suffering from asthma as well as a mild upper respiratory infection. He was in and out of the vet several times for treatments until his health was finally stabilized. “While Wilford obviously needs to lose weight, cats, especially severely obese ones, need to do it slowly or they can run into problems with hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). In his first week, we really struggled to get Wilford to adjust to his new healthy diet and eat. He was so stressed out that he barely touched his food. We took him to the vet twice within the first 2 weeks for blood work, x-rays, appetite stimulants, anti-nausea meds, etc.,” Wilford’s foster mom Jen added to Cat Crazy community
Luckily, he was nursed back to health and was put on a diet
Once Wilford got better, his caretakers Jen and Ian started tackling the big boy’s weight. “Wilford is currently weighing in at 28 pounds. He should be about 14 pounds, so he will eventually need to lose half of his body weight. For now, though, we are still trying to help him feel comfortable and safe. He is an absolute delight and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with him,” they wrote on Instagram. “It took several weeks (and trying approximately 15 different types of cat food) to get him eating regularly. We’ve had to deal with several other health issues along the way, but he is finally stable, slowly losing weight, and doing really well,” Jen told us.
He’s currently at 28 pounds, but his caretakers are hoping for him to lose half his body weight
Apparently, the large fluff not only has a big belly but a big personality, too. “He’s playful!” the foster caretakers wrote on their Instagram. “He doesn’t have much range of movement, but he’s super interested in the feather wand and can be enticed to swat at it. This will help us get him some exercise.”
His foster family says that he’s a very loving and playful cat
After having spent more than a month with his foster family, Wilford has finally started losing weight. He is eating consistently, having his baths, sticking to his exercise program, and playing with toys. “He needs regular baths because he is incapable of grooming himself. While he doesn’t love them, he is a really great sport about them and doesn’t even mind them as long as you give him lots of neck scratches and back rubs while soaping him up,” Jen from Pokey Pot Pie told Cat Crazy community. “Wilford also has asthma, so he needs to get medication, administered through an inhaler, twice a day. He’s very good about it!” she added.
And in a few weeks time, Wilford will be ready to look for a new forever home
“He’s walking around more, playing more, and acting much more self-assured around our resident cats. I’m so proud of him!” Wilford’s foster family writes. In a couple of weeks, they are hoping to find Wilford a new loving family where he can be safe, healthy, and happy—his caretakers are currently interviewing possible candidates. “There are a lot of people who are interested in the idea of adopting a giant, fluffy, adorably grumpy looking cat, but far fewer people who are still interested when they get a clearer picture of the work that’s actually involved in caring for a severely obese cat. He needs a family that understands his special needs, is dedicated to his weight loss goals, and is willing/able to bathe him several times a week, as he can’t manage to groom himself. He’s an absolutely wonderful cat and to know Wilford is to love Wilford, but he does require a lot of work and needs a home where his people will gladly take that on and love him all the more for it,” Wilford’s caretaker revealed to Cat Crazy community. Fingers crossed, Wilford will be able to find a new loving home in no time!
