Richmond's viral cat Patches sheds over half his body weight
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Patches look proud and svelte at weigh-in last week. Image: Courtesy of Kay Ford
Patches — once called "the largest cat anyone has ever seen" when surrendered to Richmond's animal control — has lost more than half his body weight.
Why it matters: The lovable chunkster kitty weighed in at 18.94 pounds last week, surpassing his original goal weight by more than a pound.
State of play: Patches made national news in April 2023 after Richmond Animal Care and Control shared pics of "his gloriously gluttonous body" on Facebook.
- He was 40.3 pounds then, down from 42 pounds after some time in RACC's care.
Zoom in: Kay Ford, a retiree who lives in Mechanicsville, adopted Patches within hours of RACC's post, pledging to help him slim down with a new diet and exercise regimen — and chronicle his journey online.
- He reached his 20-pound goal in July and now has a new, 16-pound target.
Fun fact: Patches showed off his new svelte physique last week to art students at Freeman High School, per WRIC.
- The kids made Patches-inspired art that will soon be available for sale on the Patches' merch store and benefiting local cat rescue Purring Hearts RVA.