Cat Slimmer

Took me a while to find this story again, as I had sent to to a friend and then deleted it ! Worryingly, it's not the only overweight cat story out there, but it is still rather sweet :

Tubby tabby slims to collar prize (BBC News 13/11/2006)

A tubby Aberdeenshire cat has shed about a third of her weight to be named Scotland's best pet slimmer.
Buttons, who lives with the Jamieson family in Mintlaw, managed to lose more than 2kg, about 30% of her 8kg frame.

Her owners had been advised by a vet that she was at risk of developing diabetes if her weight was not lowered.

Four-year-old Buttons has now been named Hill's Pet Nutrition's Scottish pet slimmer of the year, and goes forward to the UK finals.

Buttons dropped normal cat food and went on a special prescription diet, slimming down to her target weight of 5.5kg.

Owner Donna Jamieson said: "This is a great achievement for Buttons. When she was overweight she was so lethargic and couldn't even manage to go for a walk. She was going to be ill.

"She was happy on the diet and now she is fit and back to an active lifestyle, she seems much younger.

"This has made a huge difference - we can lift her now."

Linsey McKeown, the veterinary nurse who ran the weight management programme Buttons attended, said: "I'm so proud of Buttons.

"She and her owner were really motivated to get her weight down and their results have been fantastic.

"Everyone at the Mintlaw Veterinary Surgery will be rooting for her throughout the national finals - we're sure she'll come home with the trophy."

8 kilos ?! That's 8 bags of sugar !!! I just can't imagine a cat that is so heavy it can't be lifted ! At least it has a happy ending - well done and good luck Buttons !

Original article here : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6136762.stm<