Meet Mischa!
She’s been struggling terribly with her weight for some years. In fact, she weighs as much as a french bulldog.
And in an attempt to try and help her get her size under control, she’s started swimming lessons.
The nine-year-old cat was rescued by a protection centre after being severely overfed by her previous owner, and staff at the centre have put her on a hydrotherapy course in hopes to get her to lose half of her weight.
‘We have never had a cat as big as Mischa,’ states Leanne, a welfare officer at Burnley and Pendle Cats Protection.
‘The ideal weight for her breed of cat is around 4.5kg and she was 10kg when we got her. In seven years that I have been at the centre we have never thought about using hydro-therapy but this was a unique case.’
But don’t cats hate water?
‘Cats don’t usually like water at all but Mischa loves swimming,’ explains Leanne.
‘We can’t believe how much she enjoys the water.’
Mischa has a total of two 20 minute hydro-therapy sessions a week, as well as being put on a special biscuit diet by the vet.
Leanne is currently fostering Mischa as she loses some of the weight.
‘We will stick to her diet and my house is the best place for her, I’m not tempted to give her extra food even if she is cute.’
Up to now, she’s lost two kilos but still has four to go – with vets estimating the weight loss to take between six and eight months.
Prior to all of this, Mischa was on daily painkillers due to her size putting pressure on the joints.
‘Since she has been swimming, she has got a bit more energy back and has started to play with us,’ Leanne goes on to explain.
‘When she is in the water there must be so much relief to her joints and it must feel so great to her.
‘I’m so grateful to Amy Shorrock at My Vet Hydro for letting her do all the swimming sessions for free. She really relaxes and looks so happy, she is relaxed for days after being in the pool.’
Photo credits: SWNS │ via: metro.co.uk
