Chonky cat up for adoption in Virginia weighs 40.3 pounds

A Virginia animal shelter is seeking a new home for a strikingly corpulent cat weighing in at a staggering 40.3 pounds.

Richmond Animal Care and Control said Patches the cat is on a special diet and exercise plan to help him come down to a healthier weight.

"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," RACC said in a Facebook post.

Veterinarians say the average domestic cat weighs about 10 pounds, although that number can vary by breed.

The RACC said portly Patches is seeking a new owner willing to help him continue with his weight loss plan.

An Australian cat named Himmy held the Guinness World Record for heaviest cat when he weighed in at 46 pounds, 15.5 ounces before his death at the age of 10 years and 4 months in 1986. The record-keeping organization has since retired the title category to discourage owners from over-feeding their pets.