FAT CAT DIES!

Prince Chunk, the astonishingly fat cat whose plight captivated the nation, has died.
The portly pussycat passed away in his sleep Sunday just days after he was diagnosed with heart disease, his owner said.

"We're all upset," said Vince Damiani, 20, of Blackwood, N.J. "We lost a family member."

Chunk became an international sensation two years ago when he was discovered wandering the streets of Voorhees, N.J., and was dropped off at the Camden County Animal Shelter.

The tubby tabby had been abandoned after his owner lost her home to foreclosure - a tale that was splashed across newspapers from New York to New Zealand.

Chunk was said to tip the scales at 44 pounds and was waltzed down red carpets and treated like royalty by morning TV hosts.

Days after the Damianis received Chunk in late August, they found he actually weighed about 22 pounds, and shelter officials said they were baffled by the discrepancy.

His Chunkiness adjusted well to his new life. He used a litter box enclosed in a homemade castle and even shed a few pounds.

But two weeks ago, Damiani rushed his famous pet to the vet after he noticed he was breathing heavily.

The animal doctor said the cat, thought to be about 10 years old, was experiencing congestive heart failure and likely had only days to live.

"He was doing good for a couple of days and then he started going downhill," Damiani said. "It's so sad."

The Damianis are not the only ones devastated by Chunk's death. The feline's best pal, a stick-thin domestic shorthaired cat named Tito, hasn't been the same since.

"Tito's missing him," Damiani said. "They were like best buds. They did everything together. We're just trying to keep him occupied."

Anyone wishing to donate to the Prince Chunk Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides free vet care and pet food to financially strapped pet owners, should visit the website princechunkfoundation.org.