Cats with frozen claws get new claws made of titanium

A Russian cat lost all four claws due to frostbite. The veterinarian replaced its claws with a titanium 3D printed prosthesis. Now the cat can walk, run and even climb stairs again.

According to the Russian news website, a driver found a cat named dimka in the snow of Novo Kuznetsk in Siberia and took it to a clinic in Novosibirsk.

According to the Moscow Times, dimka's claws, ears and tail were frostbitten, and veterinarian Sergei Gorshkov had to amputate it.

Gorshkov and his colleagues Томский политехнический университет (TPU) In cooperation with researchers from TPU, a set of prosthetics was made for dimka. TPU representatives said in a statement that scientists have developed and applied a coating made of calcium phosphate to help install titanium implants that are inserted and fused into its leg bones and minimize the risk of infection and implant rejection.

The researchers used computed tomography (CT) X-rays to scan dimka's leg model, and then three-dimensional printed titanium rods. According to Novosibirsk news, dimka underwent prosthetic implantation - first in the front leg and then in the back leg. In a video shared by the veterinary clinic, seven months after the installation of his new claw, dimka is walking around an examination room, playing with tassels on a blanket.

Close up shows where the titanium rod connects to its legs, and finally a "foot" made of soft black material with a texture at the bottom.