FREDERICTON -- He's not the first fat cat honoured on the floor of the New Brunswick legislature, but he's probably the first one with four legs.
Tiny is a large and lovable grey house cat whose obesity attracted worldwide attention two years ago.
He was introduced in the legislature Friday as part of the 100th anniversary of the Fredericton SPCA.
Well accustomed to the attention, Tiny sat quietly in owner Nancy Garon's lap while Local Government Minister Danny Soucy told Tiny's story of being left at the SPCA in December 2011, weighing 13.7 kilograms.
"With the help of his then-foster mom Nancy Garon, Tiny began his year-long weight loss challenge that captured global attention," Soucy told the house.
"I'm going to have to talk to Tiny after to get some of his tips," Soucy joked.
After exercise and a strict diet, Tiny now weighs 7.4 kilograms.
Garon said Tiny's initial weight was a serious issue and it took a lot of work to get him to a healthy size. It also meant lots of visits to the vet.
Despite all the weight loss, Tiny still doesn't live up to his name.
"He's a big cat still, but he's not a young cat," Garon said. "So as long as he stays on his maintenance weight, between 6.8 and 7.7 kilograms, he's good."
A Facebook page called Tiny's Weight Loss Challenge attracted close to 6,000 friends and helped attract widespread media attention.
"Having reached his goal weight and maintaining it for a year, Tiny's mission now is to spread awareness about the dangers of pet obesity," Soucy said.
Tiny is also helping to raise funds for the SPCA. More than $10,000 has been raised through the sale of pet apparel, including Tiny's Ties -- a cat-sized tie with the New Brunswick tartan.
Both Tiny and Soucy wore tartan ties in the legislature.
The money raised helps to pay the medical bills of stray animals requiring expensive surgeries and treatments.
