Cincinnati Zoo’s beloved cheetah showing improvement post-injury

The video above is from FOX19 NOW’s previous coverage.

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Kris, the star cheetah at the Cincinnati Zoo, is showing promising signs in recovery after enduring an unexpected injury in April.

The 6-year-old cheetah is now able to walk, the zoo announced Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to share that Kris is up and walking now! Her steps are a little shaky but she’s getting stronger each day! She is purring, enjoying time outside, and is happily spending time with her care team,” the zoo wrote online.

In late-April, Kris was running in the cheetah run when she unexpectedly fell mid-sprint.

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cat Ambassador Andrea Haugen said the MedVet team found a partially ruptured intervertebral disc and trauma on her spinal cord.

They determined that Kris lost mobility in her back legs during the run, which made her to fall. However, they don’t know what caused this to happen.

Thankfully, Kris did not need surgery, but the recovery process will be slow.

Haugen says it’s likely she won’t be able to participate in the cheetah run again.

The cheetah, who has been in the zoo’s care since she was a cub, has been partaking in physical therapy as part of her treatment.

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