Viral cat dubbed 'largest cat anyone has ever seen' gets adopted

By Yi-Jin Yu, Emily Keown & Laura Machuca Pacheco

A 40-pound cat named Patches has been adopted just one day after a Virginia animal shelter put an adoption ad for him.

Richmond Animal Care and Control in Virginia shared a Facebook post Wednesday introducing Patches and calling for anyone interested in adopting him to reach out to the shelter.

"Did you wake up today and say, 'let's adopt the largest cat anyone has ever seen'? If so, we have the cat for you. 😻," the shelter said in their post.

Courtesy of Kay Ford

According to Richmond Animal Care and Control, Patches is a healthy cat despite his extra weight.

"Meet Patches; all 40.3 POUNDS of him! He's been regulated to a very special diet, is on an exercise plan and is very sweet. He's neutered, tested, chipped and ready to go today!" the shelter continued, before asking potential adopters to share their information and commit to helping Patches "get to a safe and heathy weight."

After they shared the post, RACC told "GMA" they received hundreds of inquiries -- from Maine to California -- from people interested in the feline.

Richmond Animal Care & Control

Patches the cat is on a special diet and exercise plan, according to Richmond Animal Care and Control.

The shelter eventually determined that one interested party -- a local woman named Kay Ford -- would be Patches' new owner.

Ford told "GMA" when she first learned of Patches, she knew it was meant to be.

Courtesy of Kay Ford

Kay Ford adopted Patches the cat earlier this week after seeing a photo of the 40-pound cat in a social media post shared by Richmond Animal Care and Control in Richmond, Virginia.

"My daughter sent me the [social media] post yesterday morning and she said … 'This is your moment.' And I clicked on the picture and I went, 'Oh my gosh, I have to have Patches. I just have to have Patches,'" Ford recalled, adding that she 'immediately contacted" the shelter and was able to stop by the shelter for a visit that same day.

"When I rounded the corner at Richmond Animal Care and Control, to see him on his bed, on the floor, I just was like, 'Oh, my Lord.' He's like ... half of a whiskey barrel. Let's put it that way," Ford said.

The grandmother of two said she's looking forward to helping Patches shed some weight.

"It's going to be a very long process, very long process, since he can't lose more than a pound a month and more like between a half a pound and a pound a month. So if he needs to lose 20, 25 pounds, it's going to be a long journey," Ford said.

But aside from his weight, RACC said Patches is a healthy cat.

"He's very easy to fall in love with," Ford added. "I truly feel incredibly blessed that I was the chosen one."