A rescue kitten born with a debilitating disability is now able to walk thanks to leg braces.

Athena was born with radial hypoplasia, a condition which means that her bones in her front two legs are shorter and weaker.

At just three weeks old, Athena was surrendered to animal control to be euthanised until a local humane society stepped in and put her up for adoption.

Two months later, Madison Russell, 24, spotted Athena on Petfinder, an online pet adoption website, and immediately fell in love.



Madison, who is disabled herself after a spinal chord injury resulting from a cyst in her spine, felt an instant connection with the moggie.

Madison, a digital accessibility specialist from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, said: "I was very drawn to Athena when I first saw her advert online."

"When I went to visit her, I swore I was just visiting and not adopting but as soon as they placed her in my lap, that was it."

"I definitely feel a deep connection with Athena because she's disabled and I can see just how determined she is."

Madison spent weeks trying to figure out how she could give Athena a better quality of life and took her to three different vets.

The first vet said there was nothing to be done, the second suggested an £8.5 ($11k) surgery and the third was able to give Madison a diagnosis -

radial hypoplasia.

Madison said: "When I went to pick her up, she already had a pressure sore from sliding."

"The vet said if she'd continued this way it would have led to spinal issues and that she was probably in pain just trying to get around."

The vet suggested to fit Athena braces, although they were not certain they would help.

Madison said: "When I first brought her in to try on the braces, I was told to have no expectations."

"The vet thought it was worth a try but it was very likely that they wouldn't work or she would hate wearing them."

"But she took to them really well and can now walk around the house independently."

Athena, now six months old, is still getting used to the braces and only wears them an hour a day but Madison hopes that she'll eventually be able to wear them throughout the day.