A 30lb cat named Meatloaf who was only adopted last month has died.
The kitty became quite the internet sensation with his tiny paws touching the hearts of people across the country.
The King’s Harvest Pet Shelter in Davenport, Iowa posted a picture of the chunky cat on Facebook and it didn’t take long before Meatloaf was adopted.
Steve Gusman and Mary Armstrong of Moline saw him and thought he would be ideal to serve as a therapy cat for Gusman who had returned from the Iraq War post-traumatic stress disorder.
Meatloaf, a 12-year-old, 30-pound cat has died from liver failure and jaundice
Steve Gusman and Mary Armstrong of Moline saw him and thought he would be ideal to serve as a therapy cat for Gusman who had returned from the Iraq War PTSD
But being a bigger cat meant Meatloaf had a few health problems and he ended up dying just weeks later from jaundice and liver failure, which is not uncommon in bigger cats.
The feline reached his supersize due to overfeeding — including human food and despite the cuteness of his extra curves, his weight was unhealthy.
‘They were going to heal each other,’ Rochelle Dougall, assistant director of King’s Harvest Pet Shelter said. ‘We’re grateful they took him in and gave him a loving home, even in his last few weeks.’
Last Saturday afternoon, he was rushed to a vet hospital where he passed away after he had begun ‘acting funny’ and appearing jaundiced.
Gusman is said to be devastated that the cat died so soon after it came to live with the pair
‘It was liver disease from the human food he ate before being adopted,’ Armstrong said to KWQC.
The shelter have sent the couple a condolence card and invited Gusman to return and get another cat for free when he’s ready.
‘I know it took a long time for him to even be ready to adopt a cat after his last cat,’ Dougall said.
Although Meatloaf’s time with his family is short, his story has given homes and lives to other animals at the shelter.
Dougall said that because of the overwhelming amount of attention the shelter received due to Meatloaf, many more people ended up adopting other pets when they came in to take a look.
‘More than I could probably count on both hands,’ Dougall said about the adoptions. ‘We had people come in just to look at him, but leave with dogs and other cats.’
‘He was a majesty just to look at. If you were here and you could have see him, it’s wonderful,’ Dougall said. ‘It’s kind of wild and crazy — how did he get to 30 pounds in the first place?’