A jumbo cat has gone viral – after animal rescuers put it up for adoption.

A Virginia shelter sent out a call for a caring new owner for Patches – who tips the scales at a whopping 40.3 pounds (18.3kg).

Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) accompanied it with a hilarious picture of a staff member struggling to hold the podgy pussy.

The listing for what the centre dubbed "the largest cat anyone has ever seen" came complete with the caption: "We love that belly". "

It also asked for a person with "commitment to help Patches get to a safe and heathy weight." "

Thankfully, the eye-catching social media post worked, and a kindly adopter stepped forward.

An amusing video shows two people struggling to carry Patches out of the centre in his cage.

RACC wrote in their plea for help: "Did you wake up today and say, "let’s adopt the largest cat anyone has ever seen"? If so, we have the cat for you. "

"Meet Patches; all 40.3 POUNDS of him! He’s been regulated to a very special diet, is on an exercise plan and is very sweet. He’s neutered, tested, chipped and ready to go today! "

"Until then, we will marvel at his gloriously gluttoness body!"

Christie Chipps Peters, Director of RACC, adds: "We don’t know how he got so big, he came to us that large!"

"The new owner is lovely and has a plan in place to help him lose weight slowly and safely."

Guinness World Records listed the heaviest cat as Himmy, who weighed just over 46lb (21.3kg) when it died in 1986.

The category was discontinued in 1998 to deter people from over-feeding their pets just to appear in the book.