Fat cat goes to 'fat camp' at University of Florida, weight loss journey goes viral

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - A fat cat's weight loss journey is going viral.

Laila, a cat from Gainesville, loves to eat. Her owners, Lee and Sidney Ferinden, said that she "has always been obsessed with food. We found her when she was starving to death." 

After being fixed, her owners noticed that she really started to pack on pounds. At one point, she weighed at least 23 pounds. "She couldn't jump on anything," her owners said.

So, after consulting with a vet, Laila began visiting 'fat camp' at the University of Florida once a week. Specialists help her lose weight through a variety of workouts, like walking on a treadmill and even swimming.

"She loves swimming. She did swimming last week," her owners told Fox 35. "She actually kind of liked it."

The specialists did not think they could get Laila to do anything at first, but now, she can do seven minutes on the treadmill and ten minutes on the water treadmill. 

She is the only cat the University of Florida that attends fat camp. She has lost about two pounds so far.

This story was written in Orlando, Florida.