Prince Chunk, the fat cat, no more

An enormously fat cat named Prince Chunk who became famous when he was found wandering in New Jersey after his owner lost her home to foreclosure has died.

Prince Chunk’s adoptive owner, Vince Damiani of Blackwood, says the white tabby died in his sleep Sunday. He was about 10 years old.
Prince Chunk skyrocketed to fame in August 2008 after the animal shelter that took him in reported that he weighed 44 pounds, just shy of a world record.

Good Morning America, People magazine and others picked up the story, and he became a media sensation.

The Damiani family was chosen from among 500 applicants to adopt him.

The pet’s plight inspired the Damianis to establish the Prince Chunk Foundation, a nonprofit that helps financially distressed pet owners keep their animals.