Abandoned cat ‘Big Bertha’ found dumped in a Birmingham park weighing three times a normal cat

An enormous cat which weighed almost two stone when it was dumped in a sports bag and left in a park has lost a third of its body weight - after being put on a strict fitness regime.

The huge puss, nicknamed ‘Big Bertha’ by rescuers, was found abandoned in Calthorpe Park in Birmingham last October. The two-year-old’s fur was so matted she could barely stand up and she tipped the scales at 11.8kg (1.86st) – almost three times the weight of normal cats.

Big Bertha was taken in by the RSPCA but she was so big she couldn’t fit through a cat flap in the rescue centre. A vet clipped her fur and she was put on a strict diet and exercise regime. After four months, Big Bertha has lost 3.82kg – the equivalent of a large adult cat. The charity now hopes she will find her forever home.

Emma Finnimore, a cattery supervisor at Birmingham Animal Centre, said: “This is the largest cat I have seen in my 22 years working for the RSPCA.

“When she arrived she was 11.8kg. A vet carefully clipped away her matting but she still weighed 11.5kg and was too large to live in a cat pod as she wouldn’t have been able to use the cat flap. We had to adapt a cat run for her until she went to a foster home.”

Bertha was put on a feline-equivalent of Slimming World and underwent weekly weigh-ins to ensure she trimmed down to a healthy weight. Foster carer Emma Cureton, who is currently looking after Big Bertha in her home, said: “The weight has gradually come off and she’s already lost an amazing 3.82kg - which is a third of her body weight.

“She’s still got a little way to go but she’ll get there and will soon be ready to find a new home. She was in such a sorry state when she arrived at the rescue centre with her matting pulling on her skin.

“We don’t know how she got so large as she is only a young cat. We think maybe someone had been constantly feeding her as she was so large she was left unable to groom herself.”

The RSPCA has highlighted Bertha’s story to remind pet owners that obesity in cats can cause joint problems, high blood pressure and diabetes. The RSPCA has seen a 25 per cent rise in the number of animals which are abandoned, with 13,159 recorded last year, compared with 10,519 in 2021. The charity has launched a Cost of Living Hub online with tips and advice for anyone who might be finding it hard to afford to care for their pets.