Oscar, World's First Bionic Kitty

Saving a kitty's life! Unbelievable proof of what modern science can do.

Courtesy of Neuro-Orthopaedic Noel Fitzpatrick, Oscar, a two year old kitty who was fighting for his life after a horrific accident cost him both his rear paws is now the world's only kitty with a pair groundbreaking prosthetic paws!

This is certainly an upgrade from handicapped animals in wheelchairs. Biomedical engineers were able to fit Oscar with Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthetics, or ITAPs, which is basically metal pegs coated with a bone growth-promoting substance that fuse together both metal and bone. Oscar's prosthetic paws have been specially made with a degree of wobble to enable walking, climbing and running. Only catch is Oscar will have to retreat to being an indoor cat as the false limbs are not suitable for outdoor life.

Update: BBC 1 is airing the tale of Oscar on The Bionic Vet at 2245 BST, Wednesday, 30 June 2010.