There's a very good reason that Bob Barker has always encouraged us to help control the pet population: Not every pet has a loving home, and too many of our furry friends struggle to find their forever families.
According to the ASPCA in 2019, 3.3 million dogs and 3.2 million cats enter shelters in the United States each year. Of those animals, 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats are euthanized. The numbers of household pets being sheltered and euthanized are thankfully declining. Still, there's a lot of work to be done. That's why it's so important to spread the word when an animal is in need of a home. Barsik the 41-pound cat is one of those animals.
In 2019, Barsik was a 5-year-old cat weighing a whopping 41 pounds. His full figure helped him get a lot of attention on social media, but he turned to a healthier lifestyle as he looked for a family to call his own. Barsik's foster mom has set up an Instagram so that prospective families could get a closer look at the sweet boy.
This sweet kitty has gotten a lot of attention on social media because of his full figure. Barsik currently weighs 41 pounds.
Barsik was surrendered to New York City Animal Care Centers earlier this month along with his housemate, Sukie. They were left behind by a family who couldn't take them when they moved.
A volunteer with Anjellicle Cats Rescue saw pictures of Barsik on Facebook. She decided to take on the task of getting this sweet boy healthy.
The volunteer is currently fostering Barsik and Sukie. It seems as though the two cats don't get along that well.
Getting Barsik healthy isn't an easy task. His foster mom explained the risks associated with obese cats losing weight too quickly.
Sudden changes in diet can put a cat at risk for hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease. This can lead to decreased liver function or liver failure.
Barsik had already shed a few pounds by the time he saw the vet. They did a number of tests and discussed some possible metabolic issues that could be causing him to stay so big.
All of the test results came back normal. Barsik is a healthy kitty, but maybe a little too healthy (if you know what I mean).
They put together a diet plan for the cat, who they believe should weigh between 15 and 20 pounds. It'll be a slow process to get him there.
Barsik's foster mom will need to watch what he eats carefully to determine how many calories he's taking in now. They hope to wean him off dry food and keep him on a wet food diet that has fewer calories but as much volume as the dry food.
Barsik experienced a little setback after catching a virus from his time at the shelter. Thankfully, he's already on the mend.
Barsik's foster mom and the vet are working together to figure out the best moves for him. So far, he seems pretty content with the way things are going.
It will take some time and work before Barsik can be made available for adoption. From all the attention he's got, we're sure a lot of people will be lined up to give him a forever home.
Anjellicle Cats is paying the vet bills for Barsik's care. The shelter is accepting donations and even running a raffle right now to raise money for all the animals it cares for.
