THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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BLACKWOOD, New Jersey - The fat cat of New Jersey, who drew attention across America for his mammoth size, has a home.

A family in southern New Jersey will get the 44-pound cat nicknamed "Prince Chunk" next week, according to the Camden County Animal Shelter. The shelter won't disclose the family's identity.

About 500 people applied to adopt the 10-year-old cat found lumbering around Voorhees, New Jersey, after his owner lost her home to foreclosure.

Catherine Harr, president of the animal shelter's board, said the cat's new family is a couple with a teenage child. She said they are building a castle to go over Prince Chunk's litter box.

The adoption comes after a vet gave the cat a clean bill of health - other than his large weight.

Harr said the couple was chosen because they have past experience with cats, and their finances are stable - unlike the cat's former owner.

Prince Chunk received national attention when he was found, including an appearance on the "Live with Regis & Kelly" talk show. The attention was so intense that shelter officials last Sunday had to sneak the cat out of a foster home and move him to another foster family, Harr said.

Thousands of people from as far away as London and California called to inquire about adopting the cat, Harr said. Unfortunately, she said no one who contacted the shelter was interested in adopting any of the more than 200 other cats and kittens in the shelter's care.

The shelter had to euthanize about 1,000 unwanted cats last year, about a third of the cats it took in, she said.