MANHATTAN, New York — An extremely well-fed cat needs a "fur-ever" home.
Barsik, a 41-pound feline, may be the fattest cat alive today, at least according to the New York Post.
Fox News reports the 5-year-old black-and-white kitty was dropped off at a Manhattan shelter on Saturday by his owners who were leaving town. He was too big for one of the shelter's cages and ended up temporarily living in a staff office.
This week, a shelter worker told 10News he was moved to a foster home associated with New York City-based Anjellicle Cats Rescue, which is a no-kill nonprofit group. His foster parent told us he isn't available for adoption just yet. He has a veterinary appointment on Friday to see if he has any other medical concerns that need to be addressed. And, the veterinarian will help develop a weight loss plan.
"Once we have any medical issues sorted out and he's steadily losing at a safe pace, we will make him available," foster care provider Angelique Iuzzolino told 10News.
Barsik may be the biggest cat around now, but he isn't the fattest cat ever, according to the Guinness World Records book. That title still belongs to an obese Australian cat named Himmy, who tipped the scales at 46 pounds in 1986, The Post says.
If you're interested in adopting Barsik, here's what you need to know:
- Anjellicle Cats Rescue is not accepting any pre-applications, but they're going to announce on Instagram when Barsik is available for adoption. Click here to follow the cat on Instagram.
- The rescue website, which explains the adoption process, can be found by clicking here.
- The organization does not plan to allow him to be adopted long-distance. So, they're looking for someone who lives in the tristate area: New York, New Jersey or Connecticut.
- Any potential adopter must be 100 percent committed to Barsik's weight loss plan and comply with his prescribed regimen. The goal right now is to keep him eating to avoid any liver issues that can happen when cats lose weight too quickly.
To learn more about Anjellicle Cats rescue, call 1-646-457-2130 or email info@anjelliclecats.com.
What other people are reading right now:
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
