Check out this polydactl paw
-
- May
- 30
What you say? Hey, kitties have issues just like us, but that’s what makes us all special. Check out this photo of a local cat, then read the short piece below from my buddy Diane Terezakis.
Happy Feet!
Cats normally have five toes on each of their front paws and four toes on each of their back paws. Polydactyl cats can have as many as seven toes on their front paws and sometimes even on their back paws.
A common genetic mutation, the American Polydactyl cat tends to be medium to large with a strong, muscular body. Some polydactyl cats have opposable toes, which look like thumbs and allow them to learn how to manipulate objects, even learning how to open up cans of cat food!
The most famous owner of polydactyl cats was Ernest Hemingway who was given a polydactyl cat, Snowball, in Florida, circa 1935. Snowball’s polydactyl descendents currently have premiere residence at the Hemingway Museum in Key West, Florida where their full, thick paws happily trounce on furniture, beds, and shelves that are roped off to human visitors.
It is believed that the American Polydactyl Cat originated in England and came to the states during the Colonial Period.
Me again….I’ve seen the kitties in Ket West and they are a riot. However, my girls cause enough trouble with the toes they have so I’m glad they don’t have any extra.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, May 30th, 2009 at 7:00 am by Laurel Babcock.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Print
| 
Email
