UPDATE: June 20 ― Chubbs the cat has been adopted by a couple in Monrovia, California, according to a Pasadena Humane Society statement sent to HuffPost. The couple, Yvette and Ruben Viola, lost their 14-year-old cat to cancer three months ago.
Chubbs was initially slated to go up for adoption Sunday, but the shelter postponed the date to investigate the claims of several people who said Chubbs was their cat. When the shelter found none of the claims to be credible, Chubbs went up for adoption on Wednesday. Yvette Viola, who had already visited Chubbs in the shelter, was first in line, according to the Los Angeles Times.
PREVIOUSLY:
A California animal shelter is trying to find the owners — or, if they can’t be found, a new home — for an extra-large, fluffy cat who was found wandering the streets.
“HUGE CAT ALERT,” wrote The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA on Twitter Thursday. The accompanying photo of the big, blue-eyed cat staring into the camera has since gone viral.
“As millions of Americans hit the gym on the quest for the perfect summer body, a 29lb cat began an exercise regimen of his own,” the organization wrote on Facebook. “Earlier this week, the 10-year-old Himalayan mix took himself for an afternoon walk down a busy Altadena street. Luckily, he was found by a good Samaritan who lugged him to the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA for care.”
The cat, now being called “Chubbs,” didn’t have any ID. If an owner doesn’t come forward by 11 a.m. Sunday, Chubbs will be put up for adoption. Because he’s too big to comfortably fit inside a kennel, he’s currently residing in a staff office.
Though Chubbs is adorable, it’s not cute for cats to be so overweight. Excess weight can lead to a slew of serious health problems for animals, and pet obesity is a big issue in the United States.
“We need to get some weight off of him, and whoever adopts him is hopefully going to have a little bit of fun exercising him,” Pasadena Humane Society president Julie Banks told local news station KTLA.
When Chubbs came in, he had matted fur so severe it appeared to be causing him pain, likely because he’s too big to groom himself properly. That’s why, in the video above, much of Chubbs’ fur appears to have been shaved or cut off.
Despite his physical struggles, Chubbs’ sweet nature is shining through.
“He is 29 pounds of love,” Banks said.
Of course, even if you aren’t able to adopt Chubbs, there are still a ton of other cats available for adoption, both at the Pasadena Humane Society and at local shelters around the country.
