Bionic British cat gets faux paws


LONDON—Oscar the cat may have lost one of his nine lives, but his new prosthetic paws have made up for it. After losing his two rear paws in a nasty encounter with a combine harvester last October, the black cat with green eyes was outfitted with metallic pegs that link the ankles to new prosthetic feet and mimic the way deer antlers grow through skin. Oscar is now back on his feet and hopping over hurdles like tissue paper rolls.


Together with biomedical engineering experts, Fitzpatrick gave Oscar two metal prosthetic implants, or pegs. Those were attached to custom-built faux paws that are a bit wobbly, to imitate a cat's natural walk. But first, he covered the brown implants with black tape to match Oscar's fur.







In 2008, Fitzpatrick made an artificial knee for a cat named Missy who was struck by a hit and run driver. In the U.S., several animals have received artificial limbs directly attached to their bones at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.Dr. Johnston said the next six months to a year would be critical for Oscar. He said veterinarians would have to closely monitor the feline to make sure no infections, sores or other movement problems crop up. "It may not last forever, but even if you provide the cat with a few years of pain-free mobility, it may well be worth it," he said.

This story was first reported in 2010 and since then Oscar has become somewhat of a world hero.

Guinness World Records

Oscar holds two Guinness World Records, one for being the first animal with two bionic leg implants, and the other for being the first animal to receive implants into its moving joints.

Dave Klug