What Causes Extra Toes on Cats?

The condition of being polydactyl, or having extra toes, is not terribly uncommon in cats. As a child, I remember seeing double-pawed cats quite often; as I recall, it seemed to occur most often in gold or marmalade tomcats (we had one). I know that "double-pawed" is not a technically correct term, but I've always liked the sound of it, and will continue to use it. So, there, scientists.

Polydactylism is the result of a genetic mutation, obviously a dominant one. According to Wikipedia, it is most commonly found on the front paws, and occasionally on the back as well; it is rare to see extra toes on the back feet only. Generally, the extra toes present themselves as one or two extra toes that resemble thumbs--hence the terms "thumb cat" or "mitten feet". The condition does not harm the cat, or seem to cause problems. As a matter of fact, some cats find extra dexterity from the extra toes, according to the article. Perhaps that is why it has persisted in the general population for so long.

Just as Hemingway obtained his multi-toed cat from a sea captain, it is believed that areas such as Boston also received their fair share of these animals from ships, as well. Sailors considered them good luck, perhaps because the extra-large paws were more adept at catching mice and other vermin.

Some cat breeds are more susceptible to this condition. Wikipedia notes that there is a particular Maine Coon breed that is polydactyl, and a breed called "American Polydactyl" is currently being bred, with physical characteristics other than just extra digits contributing to its special status. An article about this breed on the Dog Breed Info Center site describes them as hardy cats, with sturdy legs, broad heads and muscular bodies. It is noted that they do very well in snowy terrain, perhaps because of their built-in "snowshoes"!

One thing I recall about our "double-pawed" cat is that his extra toes would always "click" on the linoleum floor. Like dewclaws, the claws in these extra toes are usually non-retractable, so be sure to give them extra attention when grooming, since they could inadvertently get hooked on things if they get too long.
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Hemingway Cats

For Valentine's Day, our pal Miss P. gave us a box of note cards called, "Hemingway Cats" based on the paintings of Canadian artist Lucie Bilodeau (who currently lives in Massachusetts!). Besides being a great gift, it piqued my interest on this subject. I know, as most people do, that besides being able to string words together like nobody's business, Hemingway lived a colorful life. This intense attraction to cats, though, was news to me. So, I decided to do a little research.

Hemingway's obsession started when a sea captain presented him with a six-toed kitten whom he named "Snowball". Many of the cats now residing at the Hemingway Home and Museum are descendants of this first polydactyl, or multi-toed cat. All the cats that now reside on the Florida keys (well, most of them, at least) are descended from cats that originally were seafarers, since they were used aboard ships to control the mouse and rat populations. Hemingway apparently fell in love with the mitten-like paws of little Snowball and his entire estate soon became overrun with the little critter's bloodline.

Today, there are approximately 60 cats living at the Museum, about half of which are polydactyl, according to Wikipedia. Just to spice things up, Hemingway named each of his cats after a famous artist, celebrity or politician. The staff at the Hemingway Home and Museum have kept up this practice. Michael Palin, of Monty Python fame, writes of meeting a "marmalade tom" named Bill Clinton when he and his crew did their tour of the Home and Museum. He notes, as many other tourists who have visited the site have, that the cats are the most interesting part of the tour. Other famous names living on in furry infamy are those of Gertrude Stein, Lionel Barrymore, Audrey Hepburn, Emily Dickinson, "Hairy" Truman and the especially photogenic Archibald MacLeish.

The cats are all well taken care of, healthy, happy and roam the grounds freely. A little too freely, it seems; a dispute involving the museum, a neighbor's complaint and the United States Department of Agriculture nearly brought the Hemingway Cats' sojourn on the great man's estate to an end. More on that story tomorrow.
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Above photo of "One of the many six-toed cats at the Ernest Hemingway House in Key West, Florida" by WKnight94, courtesy of WikiMedia Commons. Photo taken 10 August 2006.