Pooh the cat loves to run, jump and play as much as any other one-year-old kitty. So what makes this particular black and white longhair so special?
He is one of two Bulgarian felines to be surgically fitted with curved titanium, polymer and rubber prosthetics in place of the hind legs he lost in a car or train accident last year.
Bulgarian veterinary surgeon Vladislav Zlatinov used the innovative technique of Irish neuro-orthopedic surgeon, Noel Fitzpatrick to get Pooh and the other kitty, Steven back on their “feet” again. Fitzpatrick was responsible for performing the first “Bionic Cat” surgery on a kitty named Oscar in 2009.
Представете си място, на което Пух е само една от много добри новини. 🙂
Огромни благодарности към www.uspelite.bg за т…
Posted by Let’s Adopt – Bulgaria on Friday, January 27, 2017
Pooh and Steven represent the first European surgeries of this kind outside of the far-advanced Britain.
“[The operations] give hope that even in a country like Bulgaria innovative things can be done,” Zlatinov said in an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Това е Пух.
Пух живеел добре в малко селце в Северна България, докато един ден не се появил на обичайното място – не п…
Posted by Let’s Adopt – Bulgaria on Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Dr. Vlatinov performed the surgery and multiple grafts – the last of which was in December – at Central Vet Clinic in Sofia, Bulgaria and the rescue group, Let’s Adopt Bulgaria footed the bill for both Pooh and Steven.
More than a month has passed since Pooh’s final procedure and Vlatinov is now comfortable in declaring it a success. Eventually his skin will grow over the bone and titanium posts creating a seal against infection. The surgeon says there may be some clumsiness, but Pooh will be able to do anything an average cat can do with a little practice – far more than would have been possible without the prosthetics.
“Cats who lost one leg do pretty well. But what happens if they lose both their hind legs? Yes, they move somehow, but what quality of life are we talking about?”
Now that Pooh has recovered from his long ordeal and made worldwide headlines, he is ready for the final step in his journey towards a normal, happy life – adoption! Several applicants have already expressed interest in making Bulgaria’s first bionic kitty a member of their family. View Pooh’s rescue page here.
BULGARIA-BIONIC/CAT
A picture shows Pooh the cat using his two bionic legs in Sofia’s Central Vet Clinic, Bulgaria,…
Posted by Mano Amiga Melaque on Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Steven is still in the graft process, then he, too will be available for adoption.
H/T to Agence France-Presse
Featured Image via Facebook/Let’s Adopt – Bulgaria