The gift that changed everything: a paralyzed kitten received a new wheelchair
Veterinarians at a shelter in Ohio initially improvised a wheelchair from cardboard and toy car parts, until an engineer developed a custom chair for Gelato on a 3D printer. The exposure on social media made the kitten viral, and the shelter hopes it will also help other animals with special needs find a home.
Gelato, a disabled kitten found on the side of a road in the United States along with four other kittens, can now move on his own after receiving a dedicated wheelchair printed for him on a 3D printer. The kitten, who suffers from a spinal injury and is unable to use his hind legs, previously relied on an improvised wheelchair made of cardboard and toy car parts, until the new solution was prepared for him. According to The Independent, the new chair was specially adapted to his measurements and is expected to fit him as he grows.
Staff at the municipal animal shelter in Cincinnati, Ohio, said that at the time of the rescue, Gelato was unable to stand or walk. Tests conducted on him revealed that the injury was in the lower back area of the spine, which prevented him from using his hind legs. Due to his condition, it was decided to find a temporary solution that would allow him to move around until a custom-fitted chair could be made for him.
Mallory Smith, head of the veterinary assistant team at the shelter, built him a temporary wheelchair out of cardboard, rulers, and wheels from toy cars. The creative solution received wide exposure on social media and illustrated the difficulty Gelato—who then weighed a little over 450 grams—had in using the standard wheelchairs available at the shelter.
"We have a lot of wheelchairs, but none of them just fit his size," Smith told local TV station Local12. "He started wanting to run, play, and be a little more active. He just wasn't able to do that on his own, so I wanted to give him some independence."
Later, a dedicated wheelchair was created for him using 3D printing, with the help of an engineer Smith knows. According to her, printing the new wheels took about two hours, and they are stronger and adjustable so they can fit Gelato as he grows. She also said that the kitten continues to get stronger and his physical condition is improving.
Gelato and his improvised wheelchair went viral, and the significant exposure he received sparked great interest on social media. According to Smith, the publicity may also help other animals with special needs and encourage their adoption.
"I really think all this attention is a positive thing, especially because it raises awareness for animals with special needs," she said. "He is just the sweetest cat ever. I'm really happy he's getting so much attention, because once he's available for adoption, there will be an endless line of people who will want to adopt him. But the truth is, it definitely surprised us."
