Overweight Cats For Sale At Ohio Animal Shelter

HILLIARD, Ohio (AP) -- A central Ohio animal shelter with an abundance of chubby cats is having a sale on its fattest felines, hoping a discount entices potential owners to take one home.

The Capital Area Humane Society says the fat cats are on sale this summer for $15 each or two for $20, instead of the usual $70 adoption price.

Development manager Mary Hiser says the cats packed on the pounds before arriving at the shelter, and the extra weight can cause them health problems.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that nine of the shelter's 55 cats are overweight. Volunteers keep them in an area that offers extra room to run and burn off calories.

The largest cat is a 6-year-old black-and brown shorthair named Zebe, who weighs 23 pounds.

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file)- A bulky dog lies on the promenade of Chania on Crete, Greece, 15 September 2007. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka (Credit Image: © DPA/ZUMA Press)

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Comments

[jbsasktheape222]

07:45 PM on 06/30/2011

I guess I know what I'll be eating the next time I go to a chinese restaurant.

[Greatest Darthfruit]

02:03 PM on 06/28/2011

I'd sue the former owners for animal abuse

[Casey Code]

11:18 AM on 06/27/2011

Even our pets are morbidly obese in good ol' America. And people complain about starving and food problems in this country!? The dang domestic strays live better than humans in third world countries. This is absolutely appaling evidence for people that should be reading in between the lines. Still can't read it? That's alright, I just spelled it out for you here.

[deckercat]

11:32 PM on 06/25/2011

It' irritating that the nabisco ad covers up the rating and other parts of the page.

[bigfun]

11:12 AM on 06/23/2011

did these critters all sign releases? aren't you normally supposed to show them from behind and from the rump down?

[phoebequeen]

07:30 PM on 06/11/2011

Two things; 1, didn't know Huff Post had a good news section, and 2, those poor animals were being loved to death. Some owners over feed their pets instead of just saying no. Good luck to all of them.

[Marlo Shedlock]

01:26 PM on 06/10/2011

this kitty is in China? Wow I am surprised he is not dinner yet!

[CynicalDog]

02:43 PM on 06/09/2011

It's not a surprise that so many cats in shelters are obese, because the obesity can contribute to unpleasant behavioural problems that owners would rather dump on someone else than take the time to correct. The cat who's "lazy" and "boring" is often painfully arthritic. The cat who's "dirty" is often too fat to clean itself. The cat who suddenly pees over the side of the litter box isn't "spiteful", but it may be too large to fit into the litter box (especially those cramped, covered boxes).

IMO, the creation of cheap and easy dry cat food is the worst thing that ever happened to pet cats. Diabetes, kidney disease, urinary tract disease, obesity, liver disease.... these are all things that are much more prevalent in cats fed a dry diet. At least one vet blogger claims she's never seen urinary blockage in a cat who's fed only canned food; another blogging DVM tells her clients that *any* canned food is better than even the most premium, grain-free dry food. It's a lot harder for someone to overfeed their cat when the food is pre-portioned in the form of a single 5.5 oz. can, too.

I can't leave this topic without mentioning that rapid weight loss can cause liver failure, so there are no safe crash diets for cats! Slow and gradual weight loss over the course of many months will reward you with a happier, healthier, cleaner, more active cat.

[peacekitten]

03:08 AM on 06/12/2011

if you want to take weight off an animal, canned food is the only way.  it works every time, and it' s much healthier.   too many people are too addicted to the convenience of dry and of "free feeding."   my cats eat certified organic canned food and freeze dried meat treats, that is when i don't cook for them myself.  my teenaged cats play like kittens!

[Talea Shontice Gutierrez]

03:58 PM on 06/08/2011

Poor animals

[Awilda VelezRodriguez]

02:59 PM on 06/08/2011

Irresponsible pet owners that allowed their pets to get so overweight.

[jessiquadontlivehere]

10:19 AM on 06/08/2011

Some of these guys should really be tested for Pangeaface. http://www.cutethingsinpaint.com/2011/06/facial-continents-have-not-yet.html

[European1919]

05:22 AM on 06/08/2011

20 bucks each works out at how much per kilo for live dog food?

[cheo]

02:32 AM on 06/08/2011

It is such a shame when owners don't catch their animals before they get so fat. It's no more healthy for animals to be obese than people. I mean the owner IS the one who doles out the food is it not?

We adopted our son's cat, when he moved, who is getting older and less active, and has been gaining weight. We put her on a different food regimen and she is gradually dropping weight, even though she's as lazy as ever. I did at least buy her a tall cat perch to feed her on and look out the window from--so at least she has to jump that far to eat, drink or watch kitty TV.

Some animals I have had can have a bowl of food sitting out; they regulate themselves. But some, like the two terriers we have right now would be lard-butts if we didn't regulate their food and exercise. They would eat every morsel in sight if they could.

Being food-driven helps make training dogs easier but it can sure make weight maintenance an issue.

[Andrew Wojtkowski]

01:58 PM on 06/08/2011

Feeding your cat Meow Mix every day is like an American living on Big Macs.

Cats are obligate carnivores. NOT Omnivores like dogs. If it's not protein, it either is processed as fat or it just goes right through them.

I bet 99% of people who work at shelters don't even know that.

[NMLurker]

03:26 PM on 06/08/2011

Exactly and they can not process corn or corn products any more than we can.

[LouiseM]

06:43 PM on 06/07/2011

Well, now there are some photos of fat pets - but none of them are of the Ohio strays being sold.

If the pets shelter really wants to sell these cats, they should post photos of the, no matter how unprofessional. You'll be swamped with buyers. Fat cats are greatly beloved .... if they are seen!

[wowisdabomb]

03:06 PM on 06/07/2011

please do not sell them to any Koreans,... they eat them.