A kitten left unable to use his back legs after a spinal injury has been given the chance to walk again, thanks to an ingeniously crafted wheelchair made from household items and toys.
Gelato, as staff at Cincinnati Animal Care in Ohio named him, was among a litter of five kittens discovered by the roadside by Sayre Morgan, who brought them to the shelter.
X-ray imaging revealed the young cat had sustained damage to his lower spine, leaving his hind legs paralysed.
Despite his condition, Gelato remained eager to interact with his littermates and chase after toys, but he was far too small for any of the wheelchairs available at the centre.
Mallory Smith, the 27-year-old veterinary assistant lead at the shelter, devised an unconventional solution using recycled materials.
She cut strips from a cardboard package, taping them into a frame with legs, before attaching two Hot Wheels toy ambulances underneath to serve as wheels.
A bar at the rear provided pelvic support, while a small harness kept the kitten secured.
However, the initial design proved too flimsy, with the cardboard buckling under Gelato's weight
Gelato has been given a new lease of life after a wheelchair was made to help Gelato get walking again
|CINCINNATI ANIMAL CARE
To remedy this, Ms Smith swapped the cardboard straps for wooden rulers purchased from Walgreens, fixing two on each side using tape and zip ties.
The reinforced version worked, allowing the three-month-old to move freely at last.
"It was really cute to get to see him kind of have that autonomy," Ms Smith told the Washington Post.
"He's definitely gained a lot of confidence."
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Mallory Smith has been working to rehabilitate Gelato
|CINCINNATI ANIMAL CARE
The kitten has since settled into Ms Smith's one-bedroom flat, where he races around alongside her three other cats and plays with toys.
He has grown thoroughly accustomed to his wheeled contraption.
Gelato also follows a daily physical therapy regimen, which has yielded remarkable progress, he can now support himself on his legs and stand without the wheelchair.
Ms Smith continues working to build up strength in his hind limbs ahead of his eventual move to a permanent home.
A photograph of Gelato in his improvised wheelchair, shared online by the rescue centre, quickly went viral.
In response to the widespread attention, a friend of Ms Smith has offered to produce a 3D-printed adjustable wheelchair in black, designed to expand as the kitten grows.
Ms Smith is continuing to help Gelato build strength in his legs before he is made available for adoption.
Given the wave of online interest the young cat has generated, it seems unlikely he will be waiting long for a forever home once he is ready.