A rescue cat had a New York shelter volunteers stunned when they took him in. The five-year-old Big Barsik weighed an imposing forty-one pounds, making him the largest cat ever brought in The Animal Care Centers of New York (ACC).
After dieting, the chonk significantly lost weight and even found a lovely owner.
When he first came to the shelter in 2019, Barsik was about five years old and had the build of a medium-sized dog. The stocky feline was five times heavier than the average weight for his breed.
Barsik didn’t arrive alone at the ACC refuge; he was alongside another smaller cat named Sukie. According to the shelter, the moggies’ previous owners were moving and couldn’t keep the pets.
Despite their best intentions, it became painfully evident to volunteers that the ACC couldn’t adequately care for big Barsik. The puss was too big for the shelter’s regular facilities.
The rescue couldn’t fit in any available kennels (too small). So the shelter improvised him a room in of the offices.
In consequence, Barsik and his friend Sukie left for another New York-based rescue organization called Anjellicle Cats Rescue. However, the transfer was challenging because the pet wasn’t built for a typical carrier.
Anyway, the animals finally reached Anjellicle Cats Rescue. There, Angelique Iuzzolino of Yonkers, New York, a foster mom, agreed to welcome both felines.
Upon his placement, Angelique Iuzzolino was informed that her wards used to eat three times a day. The new caretaker of Barsik thinks the stocky cat probably had unrestricted access to food and didn’t have the same self-control as his slimmer pal Sukie.
Big Barsik gets to start from scratch
In her interview with People, Angelique revealed that caring for such a large kitten was no easy task even though she liked “a special project cat.” She remarked
“This makes for some other challenges, like how to transport him safely for both him and me and a proper litter box that can accommodate his size.”
The foster described her newcomer as a cat who enjoys resting on the couch, being petted, and having his belly rubbed. Initially, Barsik didn’t show much interest in toys.
On top of the rest, Barsik embarked on a veterinarian-approved diet when he moved home with his foster family. Furthermore, Angelique made sure to take a progressive approach because
“Losing weight too quickly is very dangerous for a cat.”
Overall, the cat newly improved lifestyle gave encouraging results. Barsik eventually shed a significant amount of weight.
His journey was chronicled on a dedicated Instagram page. Furthermore, the chonk caught the interest of Meredith Adams, who adopted him.
A year after he arrived at the Anjellicle Cats Rescue, Barsik was a new puss. The black-and-white moggy genuine lost twenty pounds, half his initial weight.
Meredith Adams shared the milestone with New York Post, showing off a slimmed-down Barsik. Nonetheless, she did mention the feline had not yet achieved his ideal weight of sixteen pounds but was close.