So How Did She Reach 34 1/2 Pounds?

Olivia was adopted from a shelter in October 2009 when my father-in-law was still fairly able-bodied.  She was found as a stray, so there was no previous history on her.  At the time she weighed 17.5 lbs, which I considered slightly overweight.  In the first 8 months, she only gained 1 1/4 lbs., but over the next six months, her owner's health and mobility declined. The less mobile he became, the fatter she became and she gained an astounding 13 lbs in that six month period.  At this point she had nearly doubled her body weight! And in the next few months, she would more than double her ideal body weight.  To get an idea of the kind of strain this puts on her body, say your ideal weight is 140 lbs, strap on a back pack or body suit that raises your weight to 280 lbs and wear it around day and night.  How do you think your knees, hips, and back would feel?