Overweight Cat's Family Cruelly Accused Of Overfeeding Her For Attention
Liznya the cat has become the target of cruel online accusations, and her family says the truth is far less dramatic than the trolls claim.
The overweight cat has been blamed for attention-seeking by people who do not know her story, even though her owners say her weight gain is tied to serious health problems and a difficult pregnancy. Vlad, Liznya's human brother, says she is on a diet and regularly visits a veterinary clinic while the family tries to figure out what is causing the issue.
Now the family is pushing back against the hate, and Liznya's story is getting a lot more attention than they ever wanted. Read on.
Liznya's family and her team of vets have been trying to find the reason behind her drastic weight gain.
They are currently exploring the possibility of thyroid or hormonal problems.
Liznya is on a strict diet plan, and while she seems to have stopped gaining weight, she is still struggling to lose any. The Russian cat doesn't have an exercise regime, but her family encourages her to play and move about as much as possible.
"Despite her weight, she likes to be active like other cats, and we play with her," Vlad said.
That has not stopped people from making assumptions.
"She loves to chase a laser or our legs when we pass by."
It's clear that Liznya's weight hasn't affected her happiness.
"She is a very calm cat but loves to purr when someone is near her," Vlad said.
"When she loves someone, she licks them - that's how her name came about," Vlad explained. "Liznya is very close to the word 'lick' in Russian, although her official name is Charlize."
In response to the trolls accusing the family of purposely overfeeding Liznya, Vlad said, "I would like to say to all the people criticizing me and my cat that it's none of their business."
"Without knowing the whole situation, they write only angry comments," Vlad said. Some people have sent the family hateful messages and even told them they should "get arrested or even die."
The family says Liznya has stayed affectionate through all of it.
It also echoes the cat-mom who cried as her husband kept fat-shaming their overweight cat.
"But there are always two sides to everything," Vlad said.
"Some wish us all the worst while others show their love and even argue with haters."
And luckily for all of Liznya's fans, her family intends to continue sharing her journey on Dr. Lawrence Cohen's website. Vlad says the family appreciates any advice people may have for them and welcomes fans to leave comments. But when it comes to the trolls, Vlad says they should find something useful to do. "What's the point in reading how 'cruel' we are and how we 'do everything wrong?'" he asked. As Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, notes, "Criticism often reflects the critic's own insecurities rather than the reality of the situation," which emphasizes the need for compassion over judgment.
Supporters have been quick to defend the family.
We think Liznya's family is doing a brilliant job, and the gorgeous cat is lucky to have such loving owners. Here's hoping they will find some answers and that Liznya's health will improve.
"Although maybe we are not perfect owners, we always do our best," Vlad said. After all, that's all any of us can ever do.
May the trolls move on.
Then see how one owner ignored the vet, burning through a month’s supply in two weeks.
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