[Faline]

This huge cat is called Meatball and he weighs more than a three year-old CHILD.

The morbidly obese feline from Phoenix, Arizona, who weighs a whopping two-and-a-half stone, was taken in by the Maricopa County animal shelter in Mesa.

Meatball has been passed from home to home and it is thought one of his owners fed him human food, which resulted in his super-sized appearance.

On Tuesday, Meatballs latest owners surrendered him to the animal shelter because they could not care for him.

His massive weight means he struggles to move with the agility of a healthy cat and his owners said he kept having "accidents".

Shelter worker Melissa Gable said Meatball was the "biggest cat I have ever seen".

Meatball is just four years-old and is so big he had to be weighed on a scale for dogs.

He tipped the scales at 36 pounds, which is four times the weight of an average cat at that age.

To try and shed the pounds, Meatball has been put on a strict low-calorie diet, but he is not interested in the meals being provided for him.

The shelter says Meatball is very friendly but because of his health and troubling size he will not be put up for adoption.

[Faline]

[Sharon]

[Karma]

That's tantamount to animal cruelty. Overfeeding it to that degree. I mean, come on…when don't you think 'maybe Meatball is looking more like a football". Poor cat. He is gorgeous. Wish I could have him.

[Shakey]

His shits are 3 feet long.

[Mr. Coprophilia]

I've had a cat that weighed 25lbs but he was a just a huge kitty and carried it well, that feller is truly a "meatball".
I noticed he's blind in one eye as well.

[William May]

My vet always gives the pets a treat after she is all done.......she gave my dog a little dog cookie, and he spit it back out......he looked at her like "I get great treats at home, what IS this S***?!?!?" It cracked me up. He was just a normal sized dog, but I have to say he was pretty spoiled.

[William May]

Also.........is a "stone" some kind of Great British speak for "fat cat"? That is, if someone weighs "8 stone" are they the same as 4 times this cat's weight? or what? I have a hard time with the metric system, but this is REALLY difficult. My head hurts now!.

[Esamorenasexi]

dude . . . that cat looks so uncomfortable. miserable, even. why would the previous owners have done that to an animal? i mean letting him get into that condition must've taken quite some time.

[Kelseecat65]

Pisses me off that people are that cruel. Poor kitty.