Super Chunk! Pretty kitty nearly purr-fect

New Jersey's most famous fat cat "looks great," according to officials at the Camden County Animal Shelter, after an initial visit to the vet by the 44-pound feline -- known to the world as 'Prince Chunk' -- found no immediate signs of health problems.

The vet visit revealed the cat boasts beautiful teeth that look like those of a seven-year old, not a 10-year old, reported Catherine Harr, president of the animal shelter's board. The previous owner of the cat said that he was 10, said Harr.

Prince Chunk's exam included blood work, the results of which are expected later this week. Those results may yield some clues as to why the cat is so fat, shelter officials said.

"He did have an initial wellness exam. Apart from how obese he is, his teeth look great. Until blood work comes back, we can't say anything about choosing an adoptive family because if the cat has a thyroid condition or diabetes, we want to make sure that the adoptive family would be comfortable administering any medication he may need," Harr said.

The vet intends to put Prince Chunk on a weight-loss plan as soon as possible, Harr relayed.

Following last week's expansive media coverage of the portly pussycat, found on July 30 in Voorhees, N.J. by Animal Rescue, Prince Chunk was moved to a foster home until an adoptive family is chosen for the famous feline.

"It really was necessary to protect [Prince Chunk] because the media had gotten so aggressive [with] photographers hiding out in the bushes," Harr said.

In the last two weeks, as the celebrity cat has generated national media attention and caught the attention of animal lovers from coast to coast, the Camden County Animal Shelter has received more than 500 applications from individuals wishing to adopt him.

When shelter officials informed applicants that the shelter had many other animals who also needed homes, the response from most people has been that they only wanted Prince Chunk, said Harr.

"That's unfortunate because we have so many animals that aren't celebrities and therefore aren't receiving this intense media attention," she said.

Anyone interested in adopting an animal can call the Camden County Animal Shelter at 856-401-1300.