The world was well and truly blown away when they feasted their eyes on Patches the cat.
The friendly looking feline weighed in at a whopping 40.3 pounds (18.3 kilograms) when he was picked up by Virginia's Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC).
They believed he was 'the largest cat anyone has ever seen' and they wouldn't be wrong.
According to WebMD for pets, most domestic cats should weigh about 10 pounds, or 4.5 kilograms, though size can vary depending on breed and frame of the animal.
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So Patches is well above average.
Kay Ford adopted the cat from the RACC and has decided to put the four-year-old on a diet to try and get the animal back in to a healthy range.
This was her pitch to adopt Patches (via The Telegraph): “I am very flexible, retired, home a lot, and I’m willing to dedicate the time and resources to help Patches achieve the goal that you all set.
“Patches actually could be a wonderful inspiration for me.
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"Perhaps we can do the weight-loss journey together.
“I’m not unhealthily overweight, but I gained 20 pounds over the pandemic that I would love to shed.”
After just a few weeks, Patches has already shed two pounds, so it looks like the new lifestyle is doing him well.
RACC director Christie Chipps Peters revealed Patches and his gigantic belly came to the shelter at his current size.
"We don’t know how he got so big," she said.
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Chipps Peters added: "The new owner is lovely and has a plan in place to help him lose weight slowly and safely."
While chonky animals with bountiful booties might be adorable, Patches' massive weight puts his health at serious risk.
In fact, Guinness World Records actually discontinued the category of 'heaviest cat' in 1998 to deter people from over-feeding their pets just to appear in their annual records book.
The last cat listed by Guinness as the heaviest was Himmy, who came in at a massive 46 pounds, or 21.3 kilograms.
He died in 1986.
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Rest in peace, you giant, giant boy.
Topics: Animals
Stewart Perrie