33-pound shelter cat finds the perfect family to love him
When Mike Wilson and Megan Hanneman visited the Humane Society of West Michigan one day in April, they weren’t planning on getting a new pet. The couple had been considering adding their family with a kitten, but it was love at first sight when they saw Bronson, a large orange cat who was three years old and weighed an enormous 33 pounds. The two were attracted by Bronson’s towering presence among the other cats at the shelter.
We were astounded by his size when we first met him, Wilson said The Dodo. He was so cute and cuddly, like a big stuffed animal, and neither of us had ever seen a cat so big before. Wilson and Hanneman waited in line to be questioned so they could meet Bronson, but they were unable to sit down with the shelter employee before they had to go for work. We immediately went over to look at him from outside his room.
They took a picture of the big cat before leaving, but they couldn’t stop looking at it. On the way to work, Wilson recalled, “We were talking about him constantly and started hating not waiting around for him. As the day went on, the couple’s fear that Bronson may be taken grew, and they hurried back to the shelter as soon as they could. Wilson stated, “We were so drawn to him right away that we started to think he would be adopted right away.
After his elderly owner passed away, Bronson was taken to the humane society. “Fat Kat” was regarded as a bit of a loner who wanted to keep to himself, even though he had previously lived in a family with other pets. It surprised everyone how such a young cat had gained so much weight. Once he was admitted, the staff changed his name, but Wilson felt that the former nickname showed how seriously they were treating his obesity. The most likely explanation was that he was either receiving excessive amounts of food or leftover food from the table.
With his girth, Bronson was more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other health issues. The interviewer informed the couple that Bronson would need to lose weight gradually through diet and exercise from the time he was adopted. Because of the young cat’s large size, which made it difficult for him to properly groom himself, they would need to brush him every day to help keep his behind clean.
When Wilson and Hanneman eventually got to meet Bronson in person, they were shocked by how adorably the feline seemed to be begging for love and affection. The pair decided they had to bring him home even if their hands were slick from touching his bright orange fur. Wilson stated that his size prevented him from properly grooming himself as shown by the fact that he was fairly messy and had a lot of dandruff in his hair. All I wanted to do was bring him home, care for him, and groom him.
Bronson enjoys spending time with his two cat siblings in his new home, due to the fact that he may not have been a social cat in his past life. For their part, Bronson’s buddies have encouraged him to explore the house and play with the toys strewn over each room. Former owners of the cat are delighted to watch him come out of his shell.
Wilson stated, “He kind of did his own thing during the day and stayed in our bedroom as soon as we got him home.” He now waits at the door for us when we get home, joins the other cats in the living room after running into the kitchen when he hears the sound of cans opening.
Even though Bronson hasn’t yet lost a lot of weight, with Wilson and Hanneman’s care, he is well on his way to returning to his former life as an active cat. According to Wilson, “His weight loss journey has been going extremely well, and we can already see a shift in his physique, where he has a lot more definition in his arms and shoulders.” When he leapt from our couch in the past, his front arms would slightly shake. These days, he hops off with no issues.
The couple hopes that one day Bronson will be able to use their wall-mounted furniture, which they create to help indoor cats get more exercise. Wilson stated, “We kind of forgot why we were there, even though we originally wanted a kitten to help us test the furniture ideas with our other two cats. We felt it would be so much fun to work with him to grow healthy and ultimately climb on the furniture after noticing how big he was.
Bronson will join his parents on outdoor walks once he has shed enough weight to be able to take flea and tick medication without risk. In a year, his life will be very different, Wilson continued. Bronson draws attention everywhere he goes, not simply because of his size but also because of his kind, calm attitude. Wilson continued, “Everyone who meets him can’t believe how huge he is and immediately wants to pet him. “Everyone took turns entering our room to greet him when we first brought him to the vet, until there were perhaps five vets and technicians present at once. We are extremely grateful to have him in our lives.
Credit: Dailycat.us