Virginia Woman Adopts A 40-Pound Cat And Starts His Life-Changing Weight-Loss Journey

When my cats wake up in the morning, they have only one mission in mind, begging for as many treats as possible. 

If it were up to them, I’m convinced they’d snack all day long. Today’s story is about Patches, a cat who did exactly that, and it nearly cost him his health.

Patches was surrendered to Richmond Animal Care and Control in Virginia by his previous owners. 

Sadly, they found themselves in a situation where they could no longer care for him. In just two short years, Patches went from a perfectly average cat to a staggering 40-pound fluffball.

The shelter quickly shared his story online, hoping someone would step up to give him a second chance, and a healthier future. 

One woman spotted the post and immediately texted her mom, Kay, about this unusually large cat. The moment Kay saw Patches’ photos, she knew she had to help.

Kay contacted the shelter, and the staff couldn’t have been happier. When she finally met him in person, though, she was stunned, as mentioned in the video:

“I came around the corner, I will tell you, it just took your breath away, how big he was.”

Despite his size, Patches walked straight into her lap and settled down like he’d known her forever. At that moment, Kay knew they were meant for each other.

After the adoption paperwork was finalized, Kay brought Patches home and immediately set up a vet appointment to work out a diet plan tailored for him.

Kay’s home was already filled with love, she had Bella, a joyful little Yorkie, and Wellesley, a sleek cat. Introducing Patches to them was easier than expected, as Kay explained:

“When I brought him in, I put him down on the floor and let Bella, my Yorkie, and Wellesley the cat, accept the fact that there was another living being in the house. He is so huge that he cannot react to anything. So he posed no threat to my animals.”

Bella was thrilled from the start, zipping in circles around her new brother. “Bella was ecstatic. She loves everything. If I brought an amoeba in the house, she’d be excited,” Kay joked.

Wellesley was more skeptical, hissing at the oversized newcomer. But Patches barely reacted, simply rolling onto his back. Before long, Wellesley realized Patches wasn’t a threat, and that was the beginning of an unexpected friendship.

At first, Patches was too exhausted to move much. Even a short walk across the room left him sprawled out on the floor. But Wellesley kept encouraging him, swatting playfully until his big brother began to join in.

With Wellesley motivating him to move more, and his mom sticking carefully to the vet-approved diet plan, Patches slowly began making progress. 

Every milestone felt like a victory: climbing stairs, jumping onto the ottoman, standing up to eat, and even grooming himself again.

“Every little milestone that he has accomplished, going upstairs, going downstairs, jumping up on the ottoman, standing up to eat, that was a big milestone. Being able to lick his fur, all of those things have been extremely moving to me.”

After nearly a year, Patches had shed more than 20 pounds. Even more encouraging, his bloodwork came back perfect.

“His blood work was absolutely perfect, no thyroid issues, no diabetes, so far so good.”

Though Patches is still working on losing the last bit of belly fat, his journey has already been incredible. His mom documents his progress on Instagram, where fans cheer him on as he continues his transformation.

Thanks to Kay’s devotion, Bella’s excitement, and Wellesley’s playful encouragement, Patches has not only lost weight, he’s gained the loving forever home every cat deserves.