Wobbly Legged Kitten Gets Braces Made By Kind Hearted Gamers
A kitten in Brampton, Ontario has a new lease on life thanks to two kind hearted gamers who made it their mission to help her walk.
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The 6-month-old kitten, Carly, has a rare condition called Swimmer's Syndrome, which makes her very unstable on her paws. Carly was surrendered to the All Paws Rescue group, but has found it difficult to find a forever home due to her disability.
But things changed for Carly when she was fostered by professional pet groomer, Karen Boerner, in December 2018.
Karen decided to post about Carly's condition on social media in the hope that someone might be able to help her.
Karen's post caught the eye of of a Canadian company that makes gaming equipment for people with disabilities.
Co-founders of Andosh Accessible Gaming, Andrew and Joshua Cameron felt drawn to Carly because the siblings were both born with a rare condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that causes their bodies to dislocate easily due to a lack of connective tissue.
“Andrew has had numerous dislocations in his life and has has worn a number of braces. He felt empathy for Carly … they both know what it’s like when your joints just won’t support you,” said Jennifer Cameron, administrator for Andosh Accessible Gaming who initially spotted Karen’s post.
The brothers collaborated with a certified orthotist to create 3D-printed braces for Carly to help her walk.
When Carly was fitted with the devices for the first time, she took off like a rocket!
“It was amazing to see how quickly she was getting around,” said Cameron. “It was so cute, she stood there upright for the first time, like ‘I’m a big kitten now’, she was so proud of herself.”
Now back at home with her foster carer, Carly should be put back up for adoption within a few weeks if all continues to go well with her new braces.
“She could kind of walk before, but her hind legs dragged behind her, or her bum would drag along the ground,” said Boerner. “She is much more active now. She loves playing with the other cats in the house, now she can keep up with them, before she used to get left behind. With the braces she can now climb in and out of a regular litter box, just like a big girl.
“She seems even happier than before. Nothing gets her down.”