Ryzhik (meaning Redhead or Ginger) lost all four paws in January, in -40C cold in Tomsk, but it's walking again with artificial titanium limbs.

Ryzhik was found with all paws so badly frostbitten and with gangrene developing so fast, that there was no other option but amputation.

Ryzhik got himself a new owner who had other plans...

The cat was taken to a clinic in Novosibirsk, which is pioneering new methods of helping animals in trouble. The clinic is working at rebuilding beaks for parrots, and hoods for cattle and implanting artificial limbs, as for Ryznik.

Computer tomography and 3D modelling were used to manufacture the most comfortable and suitable artificial limbs for the cat.

Ryzhik is now probably the only cat in the world with four functioning artificial paws.

‘He is definitely the first cat in the world who experienced such surgeries.The limbs have fully connected with the skin and bone. The part of the limb that goes inside the body is spongy, the bone tissue grows inside it. We achieved a good result. We have secured the function of the limb, although part of it has been removed,’ said russian surgeon Sergey Gorshkov, for Siberian Times.

The cat is not trying to remove the limbs suggesting he is content with his new mobility.

As the video shows, Ryzhik is not yet fully confident but it is early days and the specialists say he will find walking easier in future.