31-pound 'flabby tabby' has a new name - and a new home

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The flabby tabby - formerly known as "Mister Handsome" - is settling in to his new home.

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We first showed you "Mister Handsome" last week, and it's a story that quickly went viral.

A Fayetteville woman is the cat's new owner, and she's renamed him "Meatball."

Right, now, life for this big kitty is the cat's meow, but that's about to change.

"He's got weight-management food," said Angela Frazee, the fat cat's new owner.

"Justin is planning on taking him for walks on a leash," she said.

Does Meatball know that?

"Nooooooo."

Justin is Frazee's son, soon to be Meatball's best ex-friend.

Angela adopted Meatball from the Chatham County Animal Shelter. He was a 31-pound cat and his pictures went viral and touched a lot of hearts, including Frazee's.

"He looked so sad, and I wanted him healthy. I thought he was so cute," she said.

A week later, this flabby tabby has dropped four pounds but is still a bit of a porker.

Frazee said she's been contacted by several morning TV shows who want to put Meatball on TV.

But as for Meatball, he is recovering from pneumonia and just taking it easy.

"He pretty much lays around and eats whenever he gets hungry," Justin said.

Soon, Meatball is going to have to work for a meal, and exercise, but his new owners say it's for his own good.

"Just knowing that they are safe and loved and safe, happy and healthy, that makes you feel good too," Frazee said."