Undoubtedly, internet cat enthusiasts have a soft spot for chubby cats. Another feline trait that many people adore is cow-patterned fur! When these two beloved characteristics merge, you get an irresistible combination. Meet Keith, a charming British spotted cat with a heart full of love and kindness. At just six months old, Keith was rescued from the streets while gravely ill with Feline Herpesvirus and digestive issues. Despite his health problems, Keith’s vibrant and fun-loving personality quickly won over his owners’ hearts. His loyalty to the owner’s daughter, who has autism, is particularly noteworthy – the two quickly became inseparable. After speaking with his owner, I discovered more about Keith’s remarkable story, which I’m thrilled to share on this platform. Get ready to fall in love with this exceptional feline, who is sure to warm your heart.
Can you tell me the story of how Keith became a part of your family? Well, it all started in 2013 when my daughter and I were volunteering at a local cat rescue center. One day, we came across a weak kitten suffering from cat flu and gastrointestinal problems. Despite receiving medical attention for a month, his health was not improving. The kitten began following my daughter around and even climbed onto her shoulders, creating a special bond between them. Worried about the kitten’s health, I decided to take him home, but had to keep him away from my other cats due to his contagious illness. I secretly took him to the vet for further tests without my daughter’s knowledge. The next day, which also happened to be my daughter Charlie’s tenth birthday, we surprised her by bringing home the six-month-old kitten from the vet. She initially named him Spartacus because she believed he was a brave warrior, but later decided to rename him Keith after the comedian Keith Lemon because of his playful and humorous personality.
I’ve noticed that Keith has lost weight recently, and I’m curious about how he did it. Keith has always struggled with his weight, even when he was a young cat. By the time he was one year old, he weighed 5.5kg and had to go on a special diet prescribed by the vet. However, it seemed like he was always hungry and couldn’t stop eating, even when we tried to limit his food intake. This often led to him becoming stressed and getting sick with flu symptoms.
To make things worse, Keith liked to go outside and would eat from bins or other sources of food, which made him even more unwell. Despite our attempts to regulate his feeding through a special feeder, his weight continued to increase. Moving house and making him an indoor cat didn’t seem to help much either.
We have spent a lot of money trying to figure out why Keith is gaining weight, and even the vet thinks he may have a pituitary gland issue. But we decided against an expensive MRI since there’s not much we could do about it even if we found out for sure.
Our main goal now is to prevent Keith from gaining any more weight. He’s quite the food thief, so we’re currently trying different methods to keep food away from him and slow down his eating. Despite his weight problems, Keith is still a lively and active cat, which is unusual for a cat of his size.
