Rescue Cat Nicknamed ‘Thicken Nugget’ Takes Up Swimming to Help Him Shed Additional Weight

The orange cat named Ty weighed 30 lbs. when he was surrendered on the Vanderburgh Humane Society in Indiana

A rescue cat in Indiana is swimming his method towards his purpose weight!

Ty—affectionately nicknamed “Thicken Nugget”—was surrendered to the Vanderburgh Humane Society in January. When he arrived, the shelter employees was shocked that the feline weighed 30 lbs.

“We had fairly the shock,” employees member Mackenzee McKittrick instructed the native outlet Tristate Homepage in regards to the second the shelter first met Ty.

Related: 28-Lb. Cat Named ‘One Frosty Too Many’ Wants to Slim Down and Find a Family for the New Year

While the perfect weight for cats varies primarily based on breed and intercourse, a male home cat ought to typically weigh between 11-15 lbs., based on Purina. Ty weighed twice the common when he was surrendered, which led the shelter to formulate a singular train plan for the orange cat: swimming.

The shelter raised money for Ty’s water remedy, which takes place twice weekly on the Canine Aquatic Center, based on Facebook. At first, the cat wasn’t a fan of classes, however in an April 3 update posted by Vanderburgh Humane Society, it was revealed all of Ty’s onerous work is paying off.

“Remember Ty? He is properly on his method to reaching his purpose weight, because of everybody who donated in direction of his water remedy at Canine Aquatic Center! 💪,” the shelter wrote alongside images that includes the kitty in a pool and on land. “He is swimming twice every week, is rather more cell and down from 30 kilos to 26.8 🐠 He’s even swimming throughout the pool all by himself 🥹 Go Ty, go!”

The Canine Aquatic Center additionally shared an update on Facebook, together with movies of Ty swimming throughout the pool in his little life vest. In the put up, the middle shared that the “chonky cat” who “so famously” protested in opposition to his first pool session is now “fairly the swimmer.”

“Well take a look at this candy boy now! He is kind of the swimmer!!🙀,” the put up learn. “It took time and reassurance (observe the ledge pep talks😄) however this man is kind of the trooper and doesn’t fuss or battle and is swimming throughout the pool by himself. He has misplaced 3+ kilos since being surrendered and his care staff will preserve working onerous to assist him so he can have an extended, completely happy and wholesome life.💕🐈🌊”

Story continues

Related: Patches, a 40-Lb. Cat, Gets Adopted by Owner Committed to Helping Him Get to a ‘Healthy Weight’

As lovely as Ty is now, the additional weight impacts his high quality of life, which is why the shelter hopes to assist him lose round 15 lbs earlier than discovering him a eternally home.

McKittrick and volunteers on the shelter instructed native station WEHT that the cat’s measurement had impacted his joints and, if left unchecked, might trigger spinal harm.

“Lots of people assume it is cute when it is like that Garfield-type cat, however it’s not cute,” McKittrick mentioned. “Ty’s high quality of life is affected at this level, so we need to give him a great high quality of life, and we all know that the adoptive home goes to stick to his weight-reduction plan and train restrictions.”

Never miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to remain up-to-date on the most effective of what PEOPLE has to supply, from movie star information to forcing human curiosity tales.

Thankfully, Ty has taken to the water.

“Day one, he did not know he might swim, and he had a little bit bit extra weight on him,” canine therapist (and Ty’s frequent swim teacher) Laura Novack instructed Tristate Homepage earlier than including. “He’s swimming very well.”

McKittrick has observed a constructive change, too. These days, “Thicken Nugget” is “positively extra cell,” she instructed the outlet.

“He’s shifting across the clinic now extra, which is simply going to expedite his weight reduction.”

For extra People information, be certain to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the unique article on People.