View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Gallery
View Video
View Video
Meow the 39-Pound Cat Has Passed Away
the daily dish
Meow, the 39-pound cat from the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society, has passed away. After appearing in national news and on the shelter's Facebook page, Meow captured the hearts of thousands. With his unforgettably cute face and easy-going demeanor, Meow was more than just an adorable cat; he was a messenger about the dangers of pet obesity. His quest to lose weight and find a home encouraged animal lovers to help their own overweight pets and consider adoption.RELATED: Overweight Shelter Cat Weighs Almost 40 Pounds
Mary Martin of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter released this death announcement to Meow's fans on Facebook:
Dear Friends,
I am devastated to share with you that the respiratory distress that Meow was experiencing last week (the reason we did not do his weigh-in) took his life at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. The Shelter staff - along with all those who met Meow during his short time with us – mourn his passing. As many of you are aware, Meow began wheezing last Thursday in his foster home, Dr. Jen began trying to sort out the problem, at first considering the possibility of asthma associated with his weight. She started treatment immediately to ease his breathing and, when Meow didn't improve, she sought additional help for him from our emergency specialty hospital and an additional private veterinary hospital. Although four different veterinarians worked with Meow, we were unable to stop the progression of what turned out to be pulmonary failure. Meow had been doing so well in his foster home; walking up stairs and seeking affection - that it is so very hard to believe he is gone. We will forever be grateful for the attention Meow's size brought to pet obesity and to animal shelters across the country. We are especially grateful to all of you who fell in love with this charming cat - as we did – and were so very interested in his progress and success.
With gratitude,
Mary Martin
Go to the next page for more pictures and video of Meow.
-
AP Photo/Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Ben Swan1 of 16
-
AP Photo/Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Ben Swan2 of 16
-
Alamy3 of 16
-
Alamy4 of 16
-
Alamy5 of 16
-
Alamy6 of 16
-
Alamy7 of 16
-
Alamy8 of 16
-
Alamy9 of 16
-
Alamy10 of 16
-
Alamy11 of 16
-
-Tripp-/Flickr12 of 16
-
Becky E/Flickr13 of 16
-
brokinhrt2/Flickr14 of 16
-
danperry.com/Flickr15 of 16
-
Troy B. Thompson/Flickr16 of 16
RELATED: Anderson Cooper and Kristen Johnston meet Meow, the 39-pound cat.
You Say.…?
- button.wow
- button.lol
- button.aww
- button.poop
Related Videos
-
Your Life as a Dog
From night vision to amount of calories required per pound, your dog is a lot more different from you than thought.
-
Florida Teen Takes a Ride on a Whale Shark's Fin
Do you think this teen's choice to ride on the fin of a giant whale shark is cool or cruel? Watch the video and decide.
-
Baby Wrestles Cat
Here is the most patient cat in the world.
-
Dog Saves Wheelchair-Bound Man in Flood
A brave dog pushes his wheelchair-bound owner through the submerged streets of his flooded city.
Add a Comment
131 Comments
It would be different if the cat ate itself to this size, but the fact is the owner didn't provide a healthy diet . I mean hot dogs aren't healthy for anyone, including humans, when eaten in large quantities on a regular basis). This obviously caused the cat's death. Because of this fact, the owner should be prosecuted for animal abuse.
May 16 2012 at 9:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDid you not listen to the video? The woman was in her 80's, she probably had problems of her own and was most likely not eating properly herself. It is sad what has happened to Meow, but I do not believe that the owner should be prosecuted in this case. Meow might have been a stray taken in by the woman, and strays are notorious for over-eating.
May 17 2012 at 2:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyRest in Peace Meow!
May 08 2012 at 1:03 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyFor those of you cracking jokes, maybe Meow was a cat, but it was still a life. ; (
yeah can make the mittens for the 3 little kittens that lost theirs out of all that fur!!
May 08 2012 at 9:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywell im sure a lot of violin strings can be made from that huge cat gut MEOW one less ***** to pet
May 08 2012 at 9:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGuess ******* r NOT suppose 2 b plump
May 08 2012 at 8:45 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis is heartbreaking...poor Meow. How very sad this happened just as he had a chance to get healthy and find a loving home. Bless his heart. Rest in peace, sweet boy...many of us fell in love with you and won't forget you.
May 08 2012 at 3:44 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis is heartbreaking...poor Meow. This is just so very sad just when he had a chance to get healthy and find a loving home. Rest in peace, sweet boy, many of us sure fell in love with you.
May 08 2012 at 3:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWow. She'll make a monster set of fur lined mittens. Good for Mother's Day I suppose.
May 08 2012 at 3:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt’s the most effective site in the world to meet millionaires, who are searching for their special someone! It’s worth a try!
May 08 2012 at 2:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI've been following this story from the beginning and I'm also a Santa Fean. So sad to hear of his passing, his 15 minutes of fame did not last long enough, I was hoping he'd live a long life! He touched us all! Best wishes to the shelter and to the foster home!
Very saddened.
May 08 2012 at 2:35 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply