Paralyzed Kitten Gets A Wheelchair Made From Hot Wheels And Duct Tape
A small tabby kitten arrived at Cincinnati Animal CARE in Ohio with a spinal injury that left his back legs too weak to support his weight. Staff named him Gelato. He could move his legs and retained bowel and bladder control, which veterinarians said were encouraging signs, but he still needed a way to navigate the world while his body worked on healing. The shelter had no mobility device small enough to fit him. So veterinary assistant lead Mallory Smith looked at what she had on hand, which was cardboard, a couple of rulers, Hot Wheels toy cars, and duct tape, and she built him one. She told Local 12 News that Gelato really wanted to play and walk around, and that she used what she had. Cincinnati Animal CARE described the result as Transformers-inspired. Gelato is now in foster care with Smith, wearing his custom mobility aid while his strength returns, and the shelter says he is getting stronger every day and is even starting to stand on his own for small moments.
The shelter posted about Gelato on Instagram, where the story spread quickly, and described the philosophy behind the DIY solution in one sentence that felt applicable to a lot more than kitten wheelchairs: shelter medicine is all about working with what you have, and a little creativity can go a very long way. The vet team told Local 12 News they are pretty optimistic that Gelato will make a full recovery, which means he may not even need a mobility device for long. The wheelchair is functioning as a bridge, not a permanent fixture, supporting him while his body catches up. Smith described every small moment of independent standing as a huge victory and said the team is genuinely excited to watch him continue on the journey. Gelato is not the first cat or dog to use a wheelchair at a shelter, but he may be the first to use one that also has wheels from a Hot Wheels car, which makes him, at minimum, the fastest-looking paralyzed kitten in Cincinnati.
Source:https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/cincinnati-animal-care-shelter-kitten-wheelchair
