Porky feline pair shed kilos in weight loss competition

By David O’Leary
Published on 04/10/2012 12:11

CURIOSITY killed the cat, but in the case of one pair of monstrous moggies it was baker’s cream, fish and four square meals a day that very nearly did them in.

Maverick – described by vets as the biggest cat vets at the PDSA had ever seen – and serial food thief Casper have both now slimmed down thanks to a strict diet.

As a result, the pair have been named runners-up in the vet charity’s annual pet slimming contest, Pet Fit Club.

Blue longhair Maverick, from Pitt Street, was already overweight when he first arrived at owner Dee Doyle’s home as a stray before ballooning to 10.2kg – 85 per cent above his ideal weight.

Now, thanks to Dee’s efforts in sticking to a weight loss plan set out by PDSA vets and nurses at the PetAid hospital in Gorgie, he’s a slimmer 8.98kg.

Dee, 26, said: “Maverick would eat between three or four cat food pouches a day and whatever other treats were on offer. He loves fresh fish and the cream out of cakes but he doesn’t get any of that these days.”

Not to be outdone, sneak thief Casper, from West Brougham Street, who would pinch food from owner Christine Collins’ other cats and dogs, lost an impressive 19 per cent of his body weight during the competition – originally weighing in at a whopping 8.6kg, he is now a much slimmer 6.96kg.

Christine, 54, said: “He could no longer squeeze under the fence or get on the sofa, and his belly actually touched the floor. He would steal food from my other cat, Cracker, and Jack Russell Pimmi. Once he got in to the room where I keep their food and I found him sitting in the food bucket – I’m sure he was grinning.”

Andrew Hogg, senior veterinary surgeon at Edinburgh PDSA PetAid hospital, said: “We’re all really happy with the progress that’s been made by both Casper and Maverick. It’s also testament to the effort and commitment shown by Christine and Dee to help their pets lose weight and ensure a healthier future for them.

“Weight loss in cats has to be achieved very slowly and under close veterinary supervision as too rapid a weight loss can be dangerous. Casper and Maverick have done incredibly well.”