We all know that most cats’ paws have five toes on each front paw, and four toes on each back paw. But did you know, some cats have even more than that? You see, the word “polydactyl” comes from the Greek word’s “poly”, which means many, and “daktylos”, which means fingers or toes. These cats are so interesting, they’re deemed the cat of the week!

Origin:

Just know that a polydactyl isn’t a breed of cat. The extra toes are just a common genetic mutation. These cats grew popular in the 1800’s as ships cats. They were praised for chasing the mice on the ship. These cats were also considered good luck by the sailors because their big paws gave them better balance on a rocking ship in stormy weather. Soon, the polydactyl cats were spread among the port cities in the Eastern coast of the U.S.A and Canada and the polydactyly rate in cats increased in those cities. They were also believed to have been shipped to Boston not just by ships but also the early Protestants who fled to Boston.

Polydactyls’ have many different names, and one of them includes the Hemingway Cat. Why? Ernest Hemingway, who was a famous writer, was given a polydactyl as a gift from a friend. He named it Snow White, and loved her so much, that he had more of these cats added to his home. Most of them were the descendants of Snow White. People can still visit his estate where many of those cats roam on the land.

Appearance:

Like mentioned earlier, a polydactyl cat isn’t a distinct breed, it’s just a genetic mutation. Which means, any breed of cat can be a polydactyl, the only difference in appearance is just the extra toes or claws. For anyone who didn’t know about this mutation in cats, don’t be alarmed! It’s actually pretty common. Just make sure you trim those extra claws!

Fun Fact: Polydactyls can also get “mitten paws”. This is when the paw grows extra toes that looks like a thumb or gives the paw a mitten like appearance. Just know that it’s not opposable, so don’t expect your cat to pour its own food!

Personality:

I’ve wrote it before, I’ll write it again. Polydactyls are just a mutated cat. So, the personality will depend on a few things.

First, of course, it will depend on the breed. Remember, different breeds have different personalities. Some cats are more energetic, and some cats are lazier than others. Some are lap cats, and some are not. You should also be careful about your choice especially if you have another cat or dog. If the cat is a mixed breed, they might inherit their parents’ personality traits.

Next, how social is the cat you want? Socialization is essential for any cat to live with people and other pets. Otherwise, they will become feral, or stray, and will try to avoid people.

What has the cat been through. If it was stray, it will likely be more territorial and aggressive to humans and will be more anxious towards them too. If the cat came from, say, a breeder, it means it has had experience with humans, and will be less aggressive and territorial than if it was a stray.

The cat will also develop personality traits from its parents, especially its mom. The mom is the primary caregiver and teaches the kitten how to interact with people.

Diet:

The polydactyl doesn’t need anything special. They just need the normal diet like any other cat. Look, it’s not like they’re from another planet or something. They just need the regular meat they need every day. If you want your cat to have the best, get them some high-quality cat food. Talk to your local animal shelter or vet about the best food choices.

Health Problems:

There is no such thing as a cat that can’t catch disease. In fact, some diseases in the polydactyl are caused by the extra toes and claws. The extra dew claws won’t get worn out by scratching, and it will be a bigger problem if you don’t trim them daily. The riskiest thing about dew claws is that they can get embedded into the toes, highly dangerous. The claws can also grow around the toe, leading to limiting essential movement for the cat.

As for the toe itself, they can grow differently in polydactyly. It can happen that the toe can be ripped by accident if the paw gets caught on something, so, it may lead to the cat getting surgery, and the toe will be extracted. These toe and claw problems can also lead to infection. So, make sure your cat gets regular checkups and talk to your vet about how to deal with polydactyly beforehand. As in, when you adopt the cat, talk to your vet about how to prevent less problems in the future.

Long story short, these cats are very interesting, and more are waiting to be adopted. Speaking of interesting, make sure to check out the Meet Munchkin page! He’s not a polydactyl, but he’s still very cute! You can also see his kitten pictures too!

We also have an upcoming page, “Mousers and Mongrels on the Market”. We show the cats and dogs that are ready to be adopted, and the buttons and links lead to the website where you can see if that pet matches you! Once your inquiry is done, it’ll lead to the adoption page depending on the results (If you are signed up or logged in). I’ll say it again, it’ll lead to a different website, we’re just giving you the heads up.

The dogs and cats will appreciate it! Until next time!