Move over, Patches, there’s a new chonk in town, and this cat is a bit Frosty!
Our followers may recall Patches, a 42-pound colossus of a cat surrendered to the Richmond Animal Care and Control. He could hardly move his heft at the time, but he gained worldwide attention and found the best home. His weight-loss journey and message of ‘Pawsitivity’ continue to inspire thousands.
Patches from Facebook/Patches’ Journey
Patches’ story brought international interest to the shelter and its team, known for clever creativity, laugh-out-loud names, and honest storytelling. Now, the same team is seeing heavy interest in another oversized feline.
Keep in mind that cats are generally no more than 12 pounds, depending on the breed. So, these two cats really shook everything up when they arrived at the shelter.
Richmond Animal Care and Control first shared the story of Patches in Spring, 2023.
Frosty Has ‘the Best Belly in Town’
Meet Frosty! At 28.5 pounds, the big kitty is still quite the chonk, with a cattitude to match.
Frosty appears on the news via YouTube
Frosty’s weight is not far off from what Patches weighs at the time of this writing. But it took many months of gradual, carefully monitored weight loss.
Note: Cats need to lose weight very slowly to avoid serious and life-threatening health risks. Please consult a vet to plan out a healthy weight loss regimen if you are considering it.
Video by 12 On Your Side about Frosty:
One Frosty Too Many
Along with Frosty’s extra pounds came some extra cranky behavior. But the staff were sure, given time to gradually slim down, Frosty wouldn’t be a sourpuss anymore.
“You KNOW we love a cat with a belly, and lord almighty this one has the best belly in town. Meet One Frosty Too Many. 🤣💜🤣 He’s 28.5lbs of pudge with a side of crankiness. As long as you let him do what he wants, when he wants, everything is fine; still, we recommend you proceed with caution. ⚠️” shared Richmond Animal Care and Control.
Richmond Animal Care and Control shares the story of Frosty.
While Patches was surrendered, someone found Frosty, age 2, wandering about outdoors in Richmond. How he was so heavy and surviving out there at his weight is a heartbreaking mystery.
As you can imagine, when he arrived at the shelter, he immediately reminded everyone of Patches. And like that epic boy, he needed his own room since he didn’t fit in any cage. In that case, an empty kitten room contained him.
“We put him on a strict low-calorie diet, and he wasn’t too happy about that,” said shelter director Christie Peters. “Because he was cranky, we just kept telling him he’ll feel a lot better when he loses weight.”
Frosty gets his own room at the shelter because he won’t fit in any cage.
Frosty Wasn’t Cranky with New Mom
After seeing the Facebook post, professional pet sitter Maggie Thompson from Stafford inquired and adopted him, dubbing him Gus, aka ‘Commander Chonk.’
Right away, Gus lavished her with praise when she arrived to meet him with no signs of frostiness. Yes, she was definitely the chosen one.
“He got on my lap and started purring,” she told the Post. “With animals, they pick you. You just know when it’s right, and they do, too.”
Maggie Thompson from Stafford meets Frosty and gets a nose boop.
After the wonderfully warm greeting, she took him home to meet his new family in a dog crate. Once again, he was agreeable and responded quickly to his new name, Gus or Gussie.
Like Patches, Gus will begin a serious journey, one day losing half his weight. Many of Patches’ followers are excitedly waiting to follow and support his journey on a future page, which may be called ‘Gus-aka Commander Chonk.’
Congratulations to Gus and his new family!
Richmond Animal Care and Control has never seen two cats bigger than Patches and Gus. But they’re ‘drowning’ in abandoned animals. You can help by sharing this article and following and supporting them on Facebook and Instagram.
