Pompom, the giant ball of flab and fur, tips the scales at a hefty 21lb – double the size for a healthy pet cat. His love of eating around the clock has seen him balloon so that he is more than four pounds heavier than Mitzi, the famous weight-shifting pet whose podgy pictures made her a global star. Eight-year-old Pompom is now being put on a diet and exercise regime that could see him hailed as the nation’s super slimming pet later in the year.
Incredible pictures of Pompom show how he has managed to pile on the pounds because of his indolent lifestyle. Rather than scampering around, when he goes outdoors he has to be walked on a lead to keep him safe.
Owner Joanna Klosowska, from Harrow in Middlesex, today explained why Pompom is hardly a cheerleader for healthy living.
She said: “I’ve had Pompom since he was three months old but he put on the weight because my husband was feeding him. He was buying food that was too high in fat from the market and he had access to dry food even at night time.
“Because Pompom is a house cat he also doesn’t get much exercise, but we’re trying to get him more active. Now Pompom is changing his habits. He has to walk for his dry food from one room to the other and I hope it will help him to be slim before spring time.”
Mrs Klosowska put Pompom on a diet after receiving advice from vets at the PDSA. She now hopes he will be given a place in the veterinary charity’s PDSA Pet Fit Club competition, the nation’s biggest slimming challenge for domestic animals.
Over the past 14 years, PDSA Pet Fit Club has helped 85 dogs, 42 cars, eight rabbits and two rats lose a combined 1,050lb with its healthy lifestyle regime. Last year’s joint winners were Sadie the Labrador from Basildon and Borris the Spaniel from Kent, who shed 40lb between them, a quarter of their bodyweights.
Tackling pet weight problems is a priority for the veterinary profession with nearly a half of the nation’s dogs and around a third of all cats and rabbits overweight or obese, posing long term health threats.
Mitzi the moggie became an internet sensation two years ago when Woodside Animal Welfare Trust in Plymouth appealed to find a new home for the 17lb heavyweight. A two-month diet eventually saw her lose more than five pounds.
With Pompom four pound heavier than Mitzi at her podgiest, his owners have begun a new diet regime with regulation portions of appropriate cat food as well as chicken breasts and vegetables.
PDSA vet Dr Olivia Anderson-Nathan said: “Over the years PDSA Pet Fit Club has helped transform some of the UK’s fattest pets into fit and healthy animals. Pets that could barely walk, climb stairs or fit through cat flaps have been given a new lease of life.
“Prevention is always better than cure, but it is never too late to make a change. With the right advice, a good diet, suitable exercise and a bit of willpower owners have the ability to make a real difference to their pet’s lives. We’re urging owners who have overweight pets to enter today.”
Owners can find out more and apply online at pdsa.org.uk/ petfitclub the closing date is Sunday, March 3, 2019.