Felicity is a 9-year-old domestic short haired black and white cat in care at Cats Protection Wrexham Adoption Centre.

Felicity was admitted into care on the 15th of September 2023 and at her initial health check she weighed in at 8.45kg! A cat’s ideal weight will depend on their individual circumstances, age, gender, and breed, but as a general guide adult cats weigh between 3.6kg – 4.5kg. Felicity is therefore almost double the top end of the general guide for an adult cat’s ideal weight. The vet diagnosed her as obese.

As Felicity is extremely overweight, it increases her risk of certain health conditions, some of which can be life-limiting and require costly care going forward. It could also affect her ability to groom and general movement, both important for her exhibiting natural behaviours. Whilst she is overweight, Felicity is more at risk diabetes, urinary conditions and arthritis.

Overweight cats should never be starved or put on a ‘crash diet’, in care, as any period of no food can very quickly be harmful. A gradual, steady decrease in bodyweight is ideal with the guidance of a vet. Felicity has now started her weight-loss plan, with a special diet in place and a strict ‘no treats’ rule as well. As she settles into care, she will also be introduced to play activities, to get her moving around more and over time feeding enrichment to get her active even at mealtimes. She will also underdo regular vet checks and be weighed regularly to ensure she is going in the right direction, and at the right time scale.

Felicity has a long road ahead of her, as it may take up to a year for a severely overweight cat, like her, to reach her ideal body condition and weight. Of course, by the time she reaches her ideal body weight and condition, she will hopefully be in her new home, but whilst in Cats Protection care we will keep you up to date on her journey.

If you would like to donate towards the cost of care for Felicity and the care of the other cats at the centre that would be incredible. All donations no matter the size will help us to continue to care for cats in the local area.

Thank you for your support.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity. Our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats Protection has simple and clear objectives to help cats:

Homing - Finding good homes for cats in need

Neutering - Supporting and encouraging the neutering of cats

Information - Improving people’s understanding of cats and their care

Achieving this vision is only made possible due to kind cat lovers who support our work. Visit www.cats.org.uk for more information.