'I used what I had': Tiny rescue kitten was too small for a wheelchair, so vets improvised one with rulers and Hot Wheels so he could play and be a "normal" kitten

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Aug 18, 2026 2:15 PM EDT

In this purrticular case, size does matter. The size of Gelato's legs, and the size of his vet's heart.

All cats deserve to live a life that they enjoy, and nothing should get in the way of that. Not a missing eye or a missing leg, nor a wobbly leg syndrome or a very sensitive tummy. But the problem isn't the cats - it's how much we as hoomans want to invest in their happiness.

Many people see cats as less than themselves - they're pets. They're not as smart as we are, they don't have jobs or contribute to the household finances, and you more or less have to make every decision for them. But that doesn't mean that they deserve to life a fulfilling life any less than we do. We tend to put a priority on our lives instead of theirs, but Gelato's story is proof that it doesn't take a huge amount of money to give a cat the life they deserve - it just takes some tape, rulers, and a whole lot of creativity.

Gelato is a tiny rescue kitten who was brought to Cincinnati Animal Care a few months ago. They discovered he had a spinal injury, but unfortunately, none of the clinic's wheelchairs were small enough for him. So, the lead veterinarian, Mallory Smith, MacGyvered a tiny wheelchair made from rulers, pieces of cardboard, lots of tape, and tiny Hot Wheels ambulances. And the ameowzing thing was that not only did it work, but it allowed him to act like the kitten he was supposed to be.

Where there's a will, there's a way - and Gelato had the will, but without Mallory Smith, he never would have found the way.

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“Being a shelter med, in and of itself, is kind of working with what you have to do what you can for the animals."
- Lead veterinary technician, Mallory Smith
Most people would have given up on Gelato or been content with keeping him alive, but not Mallory Smith. She used dollar store products to fashion up this impromptu wheelchair for him, and in the video, you can see how grateful he is because of it.
That wasn't the only thing that came from this adorably small wheelchair - because Gelato's story went viral, someone donated a custom 3D-printed wheelchair, just for him. Was he faster with his Hot Wheels? Well, that's a question only Gelato can answer.
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Gelato has a need for speed, and we're pretty sure he would be a wild child with or without two working hind legs. But now he can play with the other kittens and live life as normally as he can, which is a bigger blessing than any of us might even realize.
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Gelato in his new 3D-printed wheelchair

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