A cat in Siberia who survived -40C degrees has been fitted with a brand new set of titanium feet after losing his paws to gangrene.
Ryzhik had all four paws removed, which in most cases wouldn’t have happened because the cat would have been humanely euthanized. Ryzhik’s new owners were determined to save him and took him to a clinic in Novosibirsk, Russia to have his new artificial limbs fitted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f4fxVDDQfU
It’s believed Ryzhik is the first cat to be fitted with the computer tomography and 3D modeled paws. Veterinarian Sergey Gorshkov stated in an interview with Siberian Times
“He is definitely the first cat in the world who experienced such surgeries. The limbs have fully connected with the skin and bone. The part of the limb that goes inside the body is spongy, the bone tissue grows inside it.”
The fact that Ryzhik hasn’t tried to remove his new legs suggests he’s happy about having feet to walk on again. He’s a bit unsteady now but everyone is hopeful he’ll adjust over time.
The clinic who performed the surgery is seeking to patent the technology. They’ve already attached artificial limbs to birds and are experimenting on ways to rebuild beaks for parrots and hooves for cows.
It’s amazing how groundbreaking technology is making life more comfortable for pets. There have been other cats who were fitted with the legs. Ryzhiks progress shows it’s possible to replace all four limbs if needed.
