RSPCA Searching for Forever Home for ‘Big Bertha’ — The Cat Who Was Too Large for a Cat Flap
An overweight cat cruelly dumped in a sports bag at a Birmingham park has made a remarkable transformation — and is now looking for a loving forever home.
Nicknamed Big Bertha, the two-year-old feline was found abandoned in Calthorpe Park last October. At the time, she weighed a staggering 11.8 kg (almost 2 stone) — nearly three times the healthy weight for a cat. Her fur was so severely matted that she could barely stand.
Rescuers from the RSPCA were shocked at her condition. “When she arrived, a vet carefully clipped away her matting, but she still weighed 11.5 kg and was too large to live in a standard cat pod — she couldn’t even fit through a cat flap,” said an RSPCA spokesperson. Staff had to modify a special cat run for her until she could move to a foster home.
Bertha was placed on a feline version of a strict weight-loss program, complete with a controlled diet and weekly weigh-ins. Over four months, she lost an impressive 3.82 kg — about a third of her original body weight, roughly equivalent to an average-sized adult cat.
“She’s still got a little way to go, but she’ll get there,” said Emma Cureton, Bertha’s foster carer. “When she came to us, she was in a really sorry state — her matted fur was pulling painfully on her skin.”
Despite being only two years old, Bertha’s extreme weight left her unable to groom herself or move around comfortably. “We don’t know how she got so large, but it’s likely someone had been overfeeding her constantly,” Emma added.
Now, thanks to months of dedicated care, Big Bertha is more active, healthier, and ready to begin the next chapter of her life.
The RSPCA is now appealing for potential adopters to come forward and give this sweet, resilient cat the loving home she deserves.