A kitten who was born with twisted hind legs, is so happy to be able to walk and run on all fours.
Rubbix, an orange kitten, was born with a pair of twisted back legs. A few weeks ago, he and his sister, Boo, were brought to Chatons Orphelins Montréal, a cat rescue in Montreal, Canada, for a chance at a better life.
“Rubbix’s hind legs were twisted at 180 degrees and his paws went the other way. He moved around using his front legs and back knees,” Celine Crom of Chatons Orphelins Montréal shared with us.
Despite having the deformity in his legs, Rubbix didn’t seem to notice any difference. “At the clinic, all he wanted to do was play with feathers. He was so sweet and gentle.”
He was an attention seeker and always ready to play. He would try to catch anything that moved and pounce at it with all his might. Nothing could stop him from having fun.
To ensure the best quality of life for the little guy, the rescue took Rubbix to an orthopedic specialist. They determined that a surgery to correct his back legs would be the best option for the kitten.
“The earlier the operation was done, the more chances he would have for good results,” Celine shared with us.
“As he grew, the malformation would worsen because of the tension in his tendons. We want to give him every chance to improve his quality of life and have a normal (pain-free) life that he deserves.”
24 hours after surgery, Rubbix was already up on his paws, walking around the room without any assistance. “He took his first steps with his paws in the right direction.”
The orange tabby was so excited to be able to move around like any other kitten. He tried to explore every nook and cranny using his new-found mobility. “Since his surgery, his life has changed significantly.”
“Rubbix has been wearing external fixators for several weeks and his legs have improved greatly. The progress he’s made is surprising to see,” Celine shared with us.
Watch Rubbix the kitten and his incredible journey in this video:
Rubbix has turned into a rambunctious little mischief-maker, creating antics around the house. He doesn’t hold back when he plays, putting his legs to good use.
He likes to hang out and roughhouse with other cats. The tabby boy has befriended the resident cats in his foster home, and will try to catch their big, fluffy tails when they aren’t looking.
“Rubbix is sweet, cuddly and very playful. He loves jumping and running, which are new to him. The little guy was lucky to have his operation at such a young age, and it gave him the best chance for it to work,” Celine added.
The sweet kitten is 14 weeks old now and well on his way to a full recovery.
Despite everything Rubbix has gone through, he is always in good spirits and just wants to play and have a good time.
