Undeniably, the online community of cat enthusiasts has a soft spot for plump felines. Another trait that many people find adorable in cats is their cow-patterned fur! When these two lovable features come together, it creates an absolutely irresistible combination. Meet Keith, a British spotted cat who not only has an endearing personality but also a heart filled with love and kindness. At the age of nine, Keith’s owner shared on Instagram that they rescued him when he was only six months old and struggling with Feline Herpesvirus and digestive problems while wandering the streets. Despite his health issues, Keith’s lively and affectionate nature won over his owner’s hearts. Most notably, he became a loyal companion to the owner’s daughter, who has autism, and the two quickly became inseparable. After speaking with Keith’s owner, I discovered more about his remarkable journey, which I am excited to share on this platform. Let’s get to know this exceptional feline that is sure to warm our hearts.
Can you share with us the story of how Keith became a member of your family? It all started in 2013 when my daughter and I volunteered at a local cat rescue center. One day, a fragile kitten struggling with cat flu and gastrointestinal issues was brought to the center after being found wandering on the streets. Despite receiving treatment for a month, he showed no signs of recovery. My daughter, who has autism, developed a strong connection with him as he followed her around and playfully climbed onto her shoulders. Worried about his health, I decided to take the young cat home to provide him with a better chance of survival. However, I couldn’t risk exposing my other cats to any contagious diseases he may have had. Therefore, without revealing the truth to my daughter, I secretly took him to the vet for further tests. The next day, which also happened to be Charlie’s tenth birthday, we surprised her by bringing home the six-month-old kitten from the vet. Initially, she named him Spartacus, thinking he was a brave warrior. Nevertheless, we soon discovered that his comical and humorous personality was more suited to the name Keith, inspired by the comedian Keith Lemon.
I’ve noticed that Keith has recently shed some weight and I’m curious to know how he did it. Keith has always struggled with his weight, even when he was a young cat. When he was just one year old, he weighed 5.5kg and had to be put on a special diet by the vet. However, he never seemed to feel full and would often have flare-ups whenever we tried to limit his food intake.
Keith also loved to go outside and would regularly eat from bins or other sources of food, which only made matters worse. Despite our efforts to regulate his feeding through a feeder, his weight continued to increase. We even had every test performed on him to try and figure out the root cause of his weight gain, but nothing seemed to work.
Our goal now is to prevent Keith from gaining any more weight. We’re always coming up with new ways to keep food away from him and slow down his eating. Despite his weight issues, Keith is still an active and playful cat, which is pretty impressive for a cat his size.
