This Sheffield cat could be the fattest you’ve seen – but it’s going on a diet

Podgy puss Bournville, from Sheffield, whose love of muffins has led to him to pile on the pounds, has been selected for the UK’s largest pet slimming competition – PDSA Pet Fit Club.
BournevilleBourneville
Bourneville

The seven-year-old feline has been selected to compete against eight other fat cats and dog from across the UK. Together these hefty pets weigh 197kg (31 stone) and need to lose nearly 80kg (12st 7lb) – the same as a Game of Thrones dire wolf!

 

BournevilleBourneville
Bourneville

Bournville’s story

Weighing in at a whopping 9.55kg (1 stone 7lb), Bournville has eaten and slept his way to become 59% overweight. He needs to lose a colossal 3.55kg (8lb) to reach his ideal weight of 6kg (13 lb).

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“Bournville’s weight gain has made him very lazy”, says owner Carla Wood (52), from Richmond, Sheffield. “He does a lot of sleeping and doesn’t have much energy, which is only making weight loss harder.

“He eats anything and everything. He once stole a chocolate chip muffin and ate the entire thing; the only way I’d known he’d eaten it was because of the empty packet that was scattered on the floor! I was worried as I know chocolate can be poisonous, but luckily he was okay. He’ll always come running if he hears tin foil rustling or smells meat cooking. Sox has a very big appetite, especially compared to my normal-sized cat, Cookie.

“I’m worried about that will happen if I don’t do something now and get his weight down. I want to make sure he lives a long and happy life so I’m determined to slim him down with PDSA’s help.”

Bournville’s six-month Pet Fit Club diet and exercise programme will be specially tailored and overseen by the vets and nurses at Sheffield PDSA Pet Clinic, located on Northern Avenue.

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Nicola Green, the PDSA Vet Nurse who will be helping to oversee Bournville’s diet, said: “Pet obesity is an epidemic that is impacting the lives of millions of pets across the country. As with humans, being overweight can lead to a higher risk of suffering from serious life-limiting and life-threatening conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.”

“It is estimated that up to 40% of UK cats and dogs are overweight or obese. But with the help of PDSA and Pet Fit Club, Bournville and Carla are making the necessary diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to help get Bournville down to a healthier weight. We will support them every step of the way over the next six months to ensure they succeed.

“Pet Fit Club has been helping pets lose weight for 14 years, and is a great example of what can be achieved if owners are dedicated and determined to help their pets live a healthier lifestyle. If owners are worried about their pet’s weight they should seek advice from their vet or vet nurse, who can also make sure pets are on the right type of diet, are being fed the correct amount, and recommend ways to increase exercise levels.”

PDSA Pet Fit Club

Pet Fit Club is a six-month diet and exercise programme. Participating pets are placed on individually-tailored regime, designed for their specific needs and overseen by the vet team at their local PDSA Pet Hospital.

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The national competition has been running since 2005 and is the biggest of its kind in the UK.Since its launch the competition has helped 85 dogs, 42 cats, eight rabbits and two rats lose over 75 stone (476kg)!

Pet Fit Club joint reigning champs are Borris the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from Deal, Kent, and Sadie the Labrador from Basildon, Essex. Both lost an incredible 25% of their bodyweight during last year’s competition.

 

Bournville will be competing against five other dogs and three cats, including Sparkx the cat from Manchester who is double her ideal weight, Percy the Pug from Glasgow whose super-sized waistline has left him struggling to breathe and Missi the Bulldog from Walsall who loves Mr Whippy ice cream cones.

 

To help them with their weight loss, Pet Fit Club participants will receive free weight management pet food from the SPECIFIC™ range for the duration of the competition. SPECIFIC™ pet food contains the exact nutrients appropriate to help keep your pet healthy and support them during their weight loss journey.   The overall Pet Fit Club champ, crowned at the end of 2019, will win a year’s supply of SPECIFIC™ and a pet friendly holiday, courtesy of Sykes Cottages (www.sykescottages.co.uk/pdsa).

 

For more information about this year’s pet finalists and to follow their progress visit www.pdsa.org.uk/petfitclub.

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