Cats have nine lives so they say, but few felines can have had a luckier escape from the jaws of death than Oscar, whose rear paws were chopped off by a combine harvester while he was basking in the sunshine, only to have them replaced through a bioengineering miracle, performed by one of the country’s leading neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeons. The work of this pioneering vet is also the focus of a new six part documentary series The Bionic Vet, to be broadcast on BBC1 from 30 June.

Surrey-based Noel Fitzpatrick is a neuro-orthopaedic surgeon who has given the two year old cat a pair of new artificial feet in a single surgical procedure – something which has never been done before by any team anywhere in the world. The revolutionary design of the feet uses custom-made implants to ‘peg’ the ankle to the foot and mimics the way in which deer antler bone grows through skin – a case of science ‘copycatting’ the natural world.

These pegs, or ITAPs (intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthetics), were first developed by a team from University College London led by Professor Gordon Blunn, Head of the Centre for Bio-Medical Engineering at UCL’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science.

In a three-hour operation, the veterinary surgical team had to insert the ITAPs by drilling into one of the ankle bones in each of the back legs – an extremely delicate feat, which could have fractured the ankle joint before the procedure had even begun, and even more challeging had to be performed twice. These artificial implants which are attached to the bone at an amputation site are coated with hydroxyapatite, which encourages bone cells to grow onto the metal. The skin then grows over the special umbrella at the end of the ITAP to form a resilient seal against bacteria and potentially fatal infections. The ITAP itself protrudes through the bone and skin, allowing the custom-built artifical paws to be securely attached.

Oscar’s lucky break began when his local vet Peter Howarth from St Saviour in Jersey referred his owners Kate and Mike Nolan who live in the Channel Isles, to Fitzpatrick Referrals in Eashing in Surrey, following the accident last October. His life-threatening injuries first had to be treated and a course of antibiotics administered before surgery could be contemplated. "We had to do a lot of soul-searching and our main concern has always been whether this operation would be in Oscar’s best interests and would give him a better quality of life," explained Kate. Her husband Mike continues, "Through our own background reading, we were aware that this sort of procedure is cutting-edge and also has an impact on human medicine, so knowledge about the way that Oscar’s been treated can be carried over to human treatment going forward, so that’s good for everyone."

Following successful surgery on 13 November, the focus of the veterinary team has turned to the slow process of rehabilitation and helping Oscar to learn to walk again – firstly using external scaffolding anchored to the tibia for five weeks to protect the new implants until the ITAPs integrated into the bone and also the skin grew onto the ITAP. Remarkably Oscar was trying to stand within a day of the operation and despite some problems with infection that had to be overcome, in less than four months Oscar could stand and bear weight equally on all four limbs. He has since been fitted with a series of prototype new paws to ensure the best possible long term fit and now can claim to a be a truly bionic cat.

Full limb amputation frequently constitutes the standard of care in cases of trauma victims such as Oscar, who have experienced irreversible vascular or neurological damage to limbs. While such procedures are common in both humans and animals, and despite a range of technological and surgical advances, post-amputation complications still arise when stump-socket exoprostheses (strap-on) are used, including infection, stump morbidity, abrasions and pressure sores, and mobility problems associated with weight-bearing, often leading to fractures and limb failure.

What makes this procedure so complicated is that Oscar’s feet were severed at the junction of the tarsus and metatarsus, which is the junction between the ankle bones and the arch of the foot, but a cat stands up on its toes, whereas humans stand on the entire flat of the foot, so the ankle is the equivalent of the cat’s hock.

As Noel Fitzpatrick explains: “The real revolution with Oscar is because we have put a piece of metal and a flange into which skin grows into an extremely tight bone, with very narrow tolerances in the region of nanometres, rather than millimetres. We have then successfully managed to get the bone and skin to grow into the implant and we have developed an exoprosthesis that allows this implant to work as a see-saw on the bottom of an animal’s limbs to give him effectively normal gait. Oscar can now run and jump about as cats should do.

In 2008 Noel Fitzpatrick opened a £10million state-of-the-art facility at Eashing in Surrey aiming to transform the face of modern veterinary surgery, offering a unique amalgam of the leading edge diagnostics and surgery with rehabilitation including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy techniques. "Harnessing advanced biomimetic material and mechanics with the latest sugical techniques", he says, "is set to transform the future of orthopaedic practice in both human and animal medicine."

Escaped pet tiger found in South Africa

A tiger kept as a pet which escaped in South Africa has been found after a two-day search with a helicopter, a tracker, and sniffer dogs.

The 140kg (310lbs) Bengal tiger, named Panjo, broke free from the back of a vehicle while being taken to a vet.

He was tracked down at a farm about 50km (30 miles) east of Pretoria and coaxed from his hiding spot by his master's voice, local media said.

Panjo was "stressed out" after his adventure, his owner said.

But experts said tigers are dangerous and should not be approached.

Tigers are not native to Africa but are found on game reserves.

One in three dogs 'too fat'

Man's best friend is eating too much of his food. Well-intentioned animal-lovers are helping canines mirror the rise in human obesity by giving them their own treats and scraps instead of counting calories, according to an animal welfare group.

More than one in three dogs (35%) are now overweight, according to the veterinary charity PDSA, up from 21% four years ago. If the trend continues nearly half of the dogs could be needing to shed pounds by 2013. The statistics come from checks made on 30,000 dogs over that time but numbers of fat cats and obese rabbits are also on the rise, say vets.

Part of the problem is that pet-loving families do not realise how even little amounts of human foods, such as cake, biscuits or cheese, make their animals candidates for Weight Watchers.

"One small plain biscuit for a 10kg dog is the equivalent of us eating a hamburger or chocolate bar", said Sean Wensley, a senior vet with the charity said.

"If you have different family members slipping a bit [of food] here and there, the effects become cumulative."

Owners did not act out of malice, but affection. In most cases, their pets' normal food was offering a nutritionally complete diet. But dogs only need a certain amount of calories in a day.

"Once you start exceeding that calorie requirement, these are not burnt off, get converted into fat and stored, and you start seeing health implications."

As in humans, these include diabetes and heart disease, said Wensley. Other problems in dogs are some cancers, especially bladder cancer, other urinary tract disorders and arthritis. Some breeds such as labradors, basset hounds, and cavalier King Charles spaniels are more prone to obesity.

Lack of proper exercise is another problem, said another of the charity's vets, Elaine Pendlebury. She told the BBC that people underestimated the amount their dogs required. An energetic border collie may need 10 miles of walking a day.

Kelly Baron (PhD)

There's no doubt that people love their animals! It's estimated that in the US, 63 million households contain pets!

One survey from a few years ago estimated that Americans have 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 139 million freshwater fish, 9 million saltwater fish, 16 million birds, 18 million small animals and 11 million reptiles.

There isn't a scientific survey about this to my knowledge but several surveys published on the web report that between 30 and 60% of Americans prefer to sleep with their pet (I'm assuming these are not the fish or reptile owners).

How Pets Can Help You Heal

Studies have shown for years how pets can help us emotionally as well as physically. They can give us a sense of purpose; help ease loneliness and isolation, while helping us to keep our blood pressure and cholesterol levels low.

Just ask Sara Krill, author of the book My Pal Lou: The Story of Me who recalled how her faithful beagle Louie eased her pain when she was recovering from a painful hysterectomy brought on by endometriosis.

"I can't describe the heartache of the decision I finally had to make to have the surgery," she said. "I had always wanted children, but the pain of the endometriosis became too much to bear, often bringing me literally to my knees. I knew that once I had the surgery, there would be no chance whatsoever that I could have a child of my own. That being said, perhaps I transferred those maternal feelings to the way I treated Lou, but the truth is that my relationship with him helped to heal me, and kept me whole during one of the most difficult periods of my life."

Krill discovered the subtle nuances of Lou's personality, how he could be playful one minute, but protective the next.

"The day I came home from the hospital, he was so happy to see me, that he knocked me over when he greeted me," she said. "As physically painful as that was, my heart was singing that my friend missed me so much. I lay in my bed, enveloped in the happy haze of painkillers, with my Lou at my side. He lay next to me, his head up and alert, as if to say he was my guard and he was on the job. Little things like that, along with the way he could make me smile with a simple tilt of his head or the way he'd cling to my side, kept me in good spirits."

Sara Krill fell into the world of dogs when she bought her first pup, a beagle she named Louie. Sara realized quickly how much she could offer to other pet owners by sharing her stories of daily life with Louie.

Pets and bequests - A factsheet for a Queensland pet

Note: This guide is intended to inform pet owners about the basic concepts and processes of wills and estate law in order that they can better instruct their advisors. It is neither intended as, nor can it replace professional advice which should be sought promptly in matters involving wills or bequests.

Fact 1: You cannot leave your money or other property to your pet

* In Queensland you cannot leave money or property to your pet, however much you love it. This is because pets are not capable of inheriting money or property under our law.

* Many people worry about what will happen to their pets after they die. This can be very stressful for pet owners who love their pets dearly. So what can you do for your pet? There are several possibilities:
1. Your pet can be given away to a loving home before your death when you have the opportunity to arrange your affairs in good time.
2. However, some pet owners could not bear to be parted from their pets before they die, particularly if they are sick or alone. In that case, arrangements could be made for the loving care of your pet immediately before your death, if you are incapacitated, or for pick up of your pet immediately after your death, to be followed by its on-going care by those who will love and cherish your pet for the remainder of its life.
3. Your pet can be left to a beneficiary (someone you leave money or property to) in your will - this is best advised in the case where the pet is known and loved already by the person you have made your beneficiary.
4. Your pet can be left to a beneficiary in your will together with a pecuniary legacy (a cash amount) for its maintenance - this is again best advised where your pet is already known and loved by the beneficiary in question. Otherwise, it is impossible to know whether the pet will be cared for once the legacy has been obtained.
5. Your pet can be left to a beneficiary in a will as a proviso to the receipt of a pecuniary legacy. In that case, if the beneficiary cannot or will not take the pet, the legacy will not go to that person. However, it is impossible to ensure that the beneficiary will continue to care for the pet if he or she does accept the legacy in your will.
6. Your pet can be left in the care of the RSPCA Pet Legacy Program - this enables your pet to be cared for by the RSPCA until a new home is found for it. The RSPCA in each State has a pet legacy program, which requires that you leave a bequest to the RSPCA. This is best for those who have no willing carer amongst their family and friends, or for those with very long-lived pets such as parrots and tortoises. Contact the RSPCA in your State for details of this program or (in Queensland) visit www.rspcaqld.org.au. Alternatively, other animal charities in your State may be able to assist you.

Fact 2: You can leave your money or property to an animal charity

* It is possible to leave a bequest (of property) or a pecuniary legacy (cash) to the care of animals generally provided the bequest is for charitable purposes. Many animal charities advertise for such bequests in Queensland, and include suggested wording for bequest clauses in your will
on their websites. It is particularly important to use the correct form of words if you write your own will or use a purchased will kit.
* The wording of a bequest clause can be important so that it is clear that the bequest is for a charitable purpose within the meaning of that term in Queensland, and that the bequest is given with a general charitable intention. If not, the bequest may not be able to be carried out.
* Although Queensland law does not specifically mention animal welfare as a charitable purpose, it is very widely stated, and will include an animal care charity.
* There are three things to remember here:
1. It is better to have legal advice when making a bequest to a charity of any kind to ensure that it is practicable, and worded correctly;
2. If you write your own will or use a purchased will kit, look at the website of the animal charity you want to leave money or property to so you can use the charity's preferred bequest clause wording;
3. It is important to let the charity know about a bequest in advance so that it can make suggestions as to what kind of bequest would be most useful, suggest standard bequest clauses to use (the ones on the charity's website may not always cover your situation), and discuss with you how the bequest will be used.

Fact 3: You cannot ignore your family and only remember your pet in your will

* While you can make any legacy or bequest that you want to charity, each Australian state has legislation which allows your family members and your other dependants of various kinds to make a claim on your estate which can overturn or reduce any charitable legacy you leave in your will.
* Therefore, while you may leave your entire estate to an animal charity, a family member or dependant who is a proper claimant on your estate, and who is found not to be properly provided for in your will, may apply to the court have proper provision made to them. Depending on the circumstances, this type of application may mean that the entire bequest will be lost for the animal charity. In addition, there will be substantial legal costs involved which might take up the whole or a large part of your estate.
* There is extensive case law on the issue in Australia which strongly favours family claimants as against charities of all kinds. Therefore, it is important for any will-maker who wants to leave a legacy to an animal charity to take into account the possibility of a family provision claim.
* Ultimately, there is nothing that can practically be done to avoid such claims, but the following steps are advisable:
1. have legal advice on the framing of the legacy and its wording
2. discuss openly with your family any intention you might have to leave a legacy to an animal charity
3. subject to legal advice, avoid leaving an entire estate to an animal charity, unless you have no family or dependants
4. inform the charity of your intention to leave a legacy, and take the charity's advice as to what kind of legacy would be most suitable.

Things to remember:
You should instruct your lawyer to make your will, and review it regularly. In that context and subject to legal advice, it is usual NOT TO:

* leave a legacy directly to your pet e.g. 'and I leave $3 million to my rabbit, Munchie'
* leave complicated or onerous conditions attached to any legacy connected to your pet e.g. ' and I leave $15000 to my niece on condition that she look after my beloved dog, Gottfried, and that she feed it only fillet steak, sliced thinly, and mixed with bread cubes measuring 8 cm cubed, plus minted peas, all warmed to 55 degrees C, and walk him twice a day at dawn and dusk only'
* leave your entire estate to an animal charity to look after your pet, though a bequest is appropriate if the charity undertakes to look after the pet through a pet legacy program
* leave your entire estate to an animal charity unless you have no family or dependants who might make a family provision claim
* leave any bequest to an animal charity without discussing the proposed bequest with your family
* leave any bequest to an animal charity without letting that charity know about it and seeking its advice on how to word your bequest and what type of bequest would be most useful.