@c5news: A kitten with paralysed hind legs is now getting around on some really hot wheels. The kitten, named Gelato by staff at Cincinnati Animal Care in Ohio, was found injured and unable to walk when a litter was rescued from the side of the road. An X-ray later showed Gelato had a spinal injury in his lower back, but despite this, he was still keen to play with his siblings and toys. Too small for a cat-wheelchair, Mallory Smith, the veterinary assistant at the centre came up with an unconventional solution, creating a mechanism to help the kitten move out of recycled materials. She cut cardboard from a package to make a frame and legs, then stuck two Hot Wheels toy ambulances to the bottom. Ms Smith made a bar at the back of the contraption to support Gelato’s back and pelvis and fashioned a small harness to stap him in. When the first attempt failed with the carboard too flimsy to hold the three-month-old's weight, Ms Smith replaced the struts with wooden rulers, attaching them with tape and zip-ties. “It was really cute to get to see him kind of have that autonomy,” the 27-year-old told the Washington Post. “He’s definitely gained a lot of confidence.” Ms Smith said Gelato has got used to his wheelchair and races around her one-bedroom apartment with her three other cats. Having undergone daily physical therapy, Gelato can now stand unassisted. With video of Gelato going viral, a friend of Ms Smith has now offered to 3-D print an adjustable wheelchair that will grow with the kitten. Ms Smith is helping Gelato strengthen his legs before he’s put up for adoption. With his newfound-internet fame, he’s not likely to be available for long. A post about Gelato on Cincinnati Animal Care’s Facebook page has over 30,000 likes and 900 comments. One reads: “10/10 would die for Gelato.” “We couldn’t be happier to see this special guy getting the chance to explore and enjoy life on wheels,” the post reads.

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Tuesday 04 August 2026 16:09:12 GMT