Tiny Tim Faces New Years Resolution

What do you think about when you hear the phrase “fat cat”? You probably think of some rich guy, not a cat in Texas.

There is nothing tiny about this Houston, Texas cat named Tiny Tim, which faces a New Years resolution to lose weight, says his rescuers from before Christmas 2011.

Southside Place Animal Hospital manager Debbie Green told ABCNews.com:

“Because he was so huge, he had trouble walking, he had trouble standing … He has been on a very, very regimented diet — measured meal plans, the whole works and he is at 28.6 pounds. He weighs in twice a week, and he gets meals measured in little bags throughout the whole week, so we know exactly what he’s eating.”

Hmmm, Tiny Tim, meet Garfield.

Tiny, who’s about nine years old, weighed in at 35.2 pounds when he arrived at the animal hospital, though testing showed that Tiny was otherwise healthy. When his owner could not be found, the hospital took him in as a permanent resident — provided he lose weight and exercise.

And so it began, Tiny Tim is being placed on a strict diet.

The tabby rescued from the streets by city animal control workers is down to 32.2 at his weigh-in Monday at Southside Place Animal Clinic. He has lived there since December 27 under the watchful eye of Dr. Alice Frei, staff and volunteers, says the Houston Chronicle.

This body. -Texas Fat Cat Tiny Tim Battles Through Weight Issues with New Year’s Resolution abcn.ws/12UatO5 via @abc

— Christina Ng (@ChristinaNg27) December 28, 2012

Frei stated Tuesday:

“When he came to us, he was 35.5 pounds. He was stuck for a while but that’s common … He’s part of our daily lives and daily routine. I can’t imagine not having him here. He’s got neighborhood kids who come and visit him and give him encouragement. He has more Facebook friends than I do.”

On April 28, Frei took Tiny Tim to Healthy Kids Day at the nearby YMCA, where he got quite popular, she said:

“At first they were like, ‘Oh my god.’ But when they realized he likes to lie there and get petted, they were all over him. He was having the time of his life … He doesn’t get stressed out by environmental changes or the presence of a lot of people.”

Frei concludes:

“He’s a great cat. He really is a good example of what can go wrong and then be turned around and go right.”