28-Pound Fat Cat with 'Flair for the Dramatic' Looking for Home to Help Him Lose Weight

Despite his size, Wilford loves to play with feather toys and get belly rubs

Published on February 11, 2020 05:52 PM

Wilford is affectionate, sweet, loving and a little overweight.

In fact, for a cat, 28-pound Wilford is morbidly obese, but he isn’t letting that stand in the way of him finding love for Valentine’s Day.

According to the DCist, 8-year-old Wilford was surrendered to the Virginia-based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue and was taken in by a foster family around the holidays.

While Wilford waits to find that perfect forever home that is dedicated to carefully using diet and exercise to help him lose weight, he is in good hands.

His foster family contains the cat lovers behind the Instagram account @PokeyPotPie. On this Instagram, which has over 135,000 followers, the foster family documents the happenings of their “Playschool for Wayward Kitties.” Through this playschool, Wilford’s foster parents have cared for and helped find homes for over 100 cats since 2010.

Wilford’s foster family, which includes five permanent kitty residents, is dedicated to finding a new home for this feline, but they don’t want you judging Wilford’s former owners.

“While it’s easy to jump to conclusions about what someone may have done wrong for him, I encourage people to look at the situation with empathy,” the cat’s foster mom told PEOPLE. “Wilford is amazing, and while he definitely requires specialized care, I can’t imagine it was easy for his family to let him go. Rather than focus on how he got like this, I like to focus on the fact that his people asked for help when they needed it and that he’s now on a path towards a healthier life.”

It is clear to his current caretakers that Wilford was well-loved in his former home.

“Wilford is incredibly affectionate and loves being doted on by humans. He’s used to be being pet and was clearly very spoiled,” Wilford’s foster mom shared.

Along with adoring a good belly rub, Wilford also likes catnip, playing with feather wands, and having an eye on everything that goes on around the house. He is not a big fan of baths, and he is still learning to try things out of his comfort zone.

“He likes having a routine and gets a little nervous when we stray from that. For instance, he has his own space, and is very comfortable and confident there, but when we challenge him to come out of that environment, he goes full drama. He’ll roll onto his back, whine, paw at the door to his room, and look up at you like ‘how could you possibly be so cruel!!!!’ It’s adorable, hilarious, and endearing,” Wilford’s foster mom said of the feline’s “flair for the dramatic.”

But even though he likes to put on a show, his foster family says that Wilford is already making strides in expanding his world.

To learn more about the “incredibly affectionate and sweet” Wilford, visit Pokey Pot Pie’s website or Lost Dog and Cat Rescue’s website.