Kroshik, a 14-year-old ginger cat from the Russian city of Perm lost his ability to walk after ballooning to a whopping 17 kilograms (38 pounds) in weight due to overfeeding by his loving humans.

Photos of the obese Kroshik went viral last week after being shared on Russian social network VKontakte by volunteers at the Matroskin Animal Shelter in Perm. In them, a young woman is struggling to hold him in her arms, which makes sense, considering he weighs three times as much as he should. According to Matroskin staff, Kroshik was rescued from a local hospital whose staff contacted them after the 14-year-old feline lost his ability to walk due to his weight and advanced age. Kroshik had been living in the hospital basement for years, hunting rodents and enjoying the affection of humans, but in the last few years, he ballooned in seize due to overfeeding. When he got so fat that he literally couldn’t stand on his four legs, nurses at the hospital called the animal shelter.

The Matroskin Animal Shelter presented Kroshik’s case as a clear example of too much love. As the hospital’s unofficial mascot, he was beloved by almost everyone there, and most of his fans constantly brought him food and treats, and since the staff worked in shifts, there was always someone there to fill his food bowl and offer him tasty treats. At one point, Kroshik stopped hunting rats and became fully dependent on humans for sustenance.

After examining the 14-year-old feline, veterinarians determined that he should ideally weigh between five and seven kilograms, but he weighed a whopping 17 kilograms, which made him morbidly obese. He was put on a drastic weight-loss program and doctors estimate that he will begin losing between 85 to 170 grams per week on his way to a normal weight.

Photo: Matroskin Animal Shelter/VK

Apart from limiting the caloric intake, Kroshik’s new caretakers are also trying to make him burn calories by improvising a water treadmill for him in a small bathtub. He is reportedly a grumpy cat who seems to hate water, but he unfortunately has no choice but to comply. Hopefully, he will be back on his feet, quite literally, in a few months’ time.

Kroshik’s story of chronic overfeeding is reminiscent of Krugets, the Russian dog that ballooned to 100 kilograms after being overfed by people at a meat market in Nizhny Novgorod.