Sponge Bob the 33-Pound Cat: Large, in Charge, in Need of New Home

A 33-pound orange cat named Sponge Bob lives in a palatial space typically reserved for litters of puppies at an animal shelter in New York City.

He can't fit anywhere else, after all.

The nine-year-old male cat was given up recently when his elderly owner had to be moved to a nursing home, and has baffled his caretakers.

"We don't how how he became so big," says Animal Haven associate director Kendra Mara. "We can guess that his owner, because he was ill, was feeding him dry food on a regular basis, maybe just leaving it out, so he was able to eat whenever he wanted."

Now available for adoption, Sponge Bob will not be challenging Meow the 39-pound cat's record. Now on a diet, Bob is down three pounds in two months!

Due to his extreme size, Sponge Bob can't groom himself, so he gets brushed by hand. The staff tries to get him moving with daily exercise.

Sponge Bob has already started to run ... for a (small) treat.

"I am exceptionally sweet and LOVE kids!" reads his adoption page. "Besides eating and sleeping, my favorite activities are being brushed, sun bathing and people-watching."

And sitting around the house ... sort of literally.

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