Stray cat become obese after gorging on takeaways from passers-by while living on the streets

Homeless Sandy lived on a diet of treats and takeaways and weighed in at a hefty 7.05kg when she was rescued from a park in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire by staff at the Blue Cross rehoming centre.

The five-year-old feline was so huge she was unable to groom herself and was forced to have some of her matted fur shaved off.

Sandy, who was given the biggest cat pen at the centre, is now on a strict diet and exercise regime to help her shift the excess bulk and get down to a target weight of 5kg before she is rehomed.

Laura Coveney, animal welfare supervisor at Blue Cross, said her new owners would need a lot of will power to resist her meows and pleas for food.

She added: “I haven’t seen a cat so overweight in a long time.

“While we don’t know how she became a stray or what she got up to during that time, it is likely she has been surviving on scraps of human food like takeaways.

“Because of her weight she has not been able to carry out normal cat behaviour like grooming and playing but we are aiming to get her back to her proper cat self in no time.”

To find out more about rehoming Sandy or any other homeless pet at Blue Cross, or to make a donation towards their care visit www.bluecross.org.uk