“Wheelie the Cat” isn’t letting his physical condition slow him down.
Wheelie, a now eight-month-old orange tabby kitten at the Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary, has little movement in his back legs. Yet, thanks to a special wheelchair, he can often be seen racing around the facility. 
“A friend of mine made me aware of a woman on Facebook who was looking for help with taking care of Wheelie,” Mare Clarey, director of operations at Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary, said. “So, I got in touch with the woman and convinced her to sign him over to us so he could be properly cared for.”
While Clarey doesn’t know for sure how Wheelie sustained his injuries, he needed immediate attention and treatment once he arrived at the Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary. Due to his physical inability to use a litter box, he had been wearing a very soiled preemie infant diaper, causing him to suffer burns to his skin. Treatment, including laser, water and physical therapy, started right away, and continues.
Clarey says the therapy is working.
“We don’t know if he will ever regain full mobility, but he’s getting stronger each day,” Clarey said. “When he first arrived, he had no movement in his back legs. Now, his back legs shake and his tail twitches a lot, especially when he gets excited.”
As Wheelie works hard to get back on all four of his feet, his ability to move around like a “normal” cat largely relies on the wheelchair that gave him his name.
Staff at the Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary found and purchased the wheelchair he currently uses online. Although it has helped him learn how to place his hind paws on the ground, without it, he drags his back legs behind him. Wheelie will also soon outgrow the wheelchair.
After hearing about Wheelie’s story and his eventual need for a larger wheelchair, the Upper Elementary School’s Zone for Imagination, Innovation and Inspiration (Zi3) Club contacted the Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary with an offer to help.
On October 15, the club, along with Mrs. Davis, advisor, and Mr. Polera, principal, visited the rescue and sanctuary to meet Wheelie and learn more about his journey and needs. Over the next several months, the club will be designing and building a new, larger wheelchair for Wheelie using its 3-D printer.
“The Zi3 Club is dedicating this school year to helping animal rescue organizations,” Mrs. Davis said. “Meeting Wheelie kicked off our first meeting. Students learned about how the rescue worked, its struggles and needs. We are doing several other projects besides the wheelchair. Club members are also making fleece blankets, braided dog toys, catnip toy socks and homemade dog treats that will be donated to local shelters.”
Mrs. Davis hopes to have the new wheelchair constructed and delivered to Wheelie before Holiday Recess.
The Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary was opened in August 2017 by Dr. Jessica Price, veterinarian at Clinton Pet Vet, which is located across the street. Dr. Price opened the facility because she found there was a need for more rescues in our area.
According to Clarey, the Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary can house up to 32 cats and is a “no kill” rescue, meaning cats remain there until they get adopted. As of October 2019, 220 cats have been adopted. Once Wheelie is stronger, he will become eligible for adoption.
Clarey says she’s grateful for the support of the Zi3 Club, as the rescue relies solely on volunteers and donations to operate.
“I love it, absolutely love it,” Clarey, when asked about the Zi3 Club’s willingness to help Wheelie, said. “Community support in general is wonderful and it’s great when kids are involved.”
The Clinton Pet Vet Rescue and Sanctuary is always in need of volunteers and donations. Frequently needed items include Purina dry cat food, bottled water, scoop-able cat litter, cat toys and cat beds. For more information, contact the rescue at (315) 381-3605.