Meow, a 39-pound cat, dies of obesity complications

A cat that drew national attention for weighing in at 39 pounds has died from apparent complications of his obesity, the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society reports.

Meow was reputed to be the nation's most overweight cat, the society says. The orange–and-white tabby died Saturday after he developed respiratory complications.

"We are devastated," said Mary Martin, the Santa Fe shelter's executive director. "We were in a race against time to get the weight off Meow ... and we lost."

Meow found refuge at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter after his elderly owner could no longer care for him. He was transferred from a southeastern New Mexico shelter that called the Santa Fe shelter for help.

Meow had lost 2 pounds and was doing well when he began having breathing problems Wednesday, shelter Director Mary Martin told the Associated Press.

Meow underwent a battery of tests, including X-rays and a cardiac ultrasound, and was put on oxygen.

Despite the shelter's best efforts, Meow died on Saturday.

"It was a shock and a horror for all of us," Martin told AP. "We all fell in love with him."

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