HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- Patches, the once 42-pound cat Kay Ford adopted from Richmond Animal Care and Control nearly three years ago, is closing in on his next weight loss goal after losing nearly 24 pounds.
The white and gray Domestic Shorthair weighed in at 18.48 pounds on Wednesday morning, Ford wrote on Facebook. He is now about 2.5 pounds away from his goal of 16 pounds.
Ford noted that Patches, who reached his first weight-loss goal of 20 pounds in late July, has become more and more mobile — and obsessed — since slimming down.
In fact, Ford said the 8-year-old feline "has become a steamroller" and recently used brute force to try to access food.
"Patches finally broke the door to the pantry (it can be fixed) by muscling his way in when I was sure it was secure," Ford explained that the cat's "constant headbutting" loosened the door.
The Mechanicsville woman has taken extreme measures to avoid caving to the demands of her five pets.
"On more than one occasion, I’ve left the house to go sit in the car when they started their begging before their meal times," Ford admitted.
Ford has previously credited Patches' strict diet and veterinary care since his adoption in late April 2023 with helping him lose more than half his body weight.
"My amazing vet, Dr. Meaghan, is extremely passionate about cat nutrition," Ford previously told the national outlet, The Dodo. "She helped me create a plan. She was able to give me a calorie count and what kind of food would be best for him."
Ford said she is proud of his progress and grateful for all the support.
More than 54,000 people are following Patches' weight-loss journey on the Patches Journey Facebook page.
"We are overwhelmed by the number of people who share with us both publicly on the page and privately how much light following Patches’ Journey page brings to you. Patches' Journey continues," Ford wrote.
Ford told The Dodo that when she first adopted Patches, he could only "take two or three steps and then he'd have to lie down."
"The size of him took my breath away," she said. "I don't know what his backstory is, but he is too sweet of a cat to not have been loved."
Ford said the feline's "personality was completely encased in his obesity."
"In the very beginning, he would only lie down on the floor and eat," she said. "So I made a commitment to get him moving by committing myself to doing at least 10 minutes of time, five times a day of play, whether it was a stick toy or a laser pointer; any kind of movement whatsoever was necessary."
WATCH: This cat's weight loss journey captured the world's attention. CBS 6 wanted to help out
The household's latest addition is a 10-year-old calico named Sumi. She joined the clowder, which includes three other cats, in August.
Ford adopted a 25-pound cat named Remy from an animal shelter in Ohio in September 2024. That cat is also on a similar weight loss journey as Patches.
She also fostered an orange cat named Tigger, who weighed nearly 23 pounds in late March 2025. That cat has now been adopted and "is doing so well."
Ford also has another cat, Wellesley, who has similar coloring to Patches and Remy. She also has a 6-pound dog named Bella.
WATCH: What fat cat Patches did that left owner in tears: ‘Oh my God!’
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