Home / Lifestyle / Tiny Kitten Gets Custom Wheels After Shelter Find
Tiny Kitten Gets Custom Wheels After Shelter Find
5 Aug
Summary
- A tiny kitten named Gelato, found injured, received a custom wheelchair.
- The kitten's initial wheelchair was ingeniously crafted from household items.
- Gelato is showing progress in physical therapy and may walk unassisted soon.
A small tabby kitten, identified as Gelato, arrived at a Cincinnati animal shelter last month with a spinal injury that affected his back legs. Initially weighing less than one pound, Gelato was too small for conventional animal wheelchairs. A veterinary assistant fostering Gelato took a creative approach, constructing a temporary mobility device from household items like rulers and toy cars.
This unique wheelchair allowed Gelato to move independently, facilitating physical therapy to strengthen his atrophied muscles. After this initial success, Gelato's fosterer collaborated with an engineer to design a more advanced, 3D-printed wheelchair that can be adjusted as he grows.
Gelato is currently undergoing regular physiotherapy and is showing promising signs of recovery, including standing unaided. This situation highlights the need for diverse assisted mobility devices for special needs animals, potentially paving the way for other animals to receive similar care. Gelato is expected to be ready for adoption soon.
