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“One cat just leads to another.” –Ernest Hemingway
If you visit the Hemingway House in Key West, Florida, USA, you will find that there is something special about the historic home: it is crawling with cats. This is no feral cat colony run amok. The cats here are friendly and well-cared for, happy to be petted or to sit in the laps of guests (1). But if you do get up close with one of these cats, you may notice something special about them, too. About half of the cats at the Hemingway House have extra toes (1)!
Polydactyly is Greek for “many fingers.” It is a genetic condition that causes extra digits. The trait has been found in humans, mice, dogs, cats, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, springboks and birds (2). Polydactyly is seen more often in cats than any other mammal, although no one knows exactly why (3). Sailors used to consider cats with extra toes even luckier to have aboard than a normal cat. It was thought that they were better mousers and could keep their balance better on rough seas (4). It’s suspected that sailors and their lucky ship’s cats are the reason that polydactyl cats are particularly common along the northeast coast of North America (4), and the same may explain their prevalence in Key West.
According to legend, a nautical friend of Ernest Hemingway gifted him a white, six-toed cat variously named Snow White, Snowball, or Princess, depending upon who you ask. Snowball then snowballed into up to eighty cats living at his Key West home, many of which inherited her extra toes. Today, many cats around Key West, not just at the Hemingway House, are polydactyl.
The truth of this tale is uncertain. While Hemingway certainly had a fondness for cats, some friends and family members say there was no Snow White/Snowball/Princess, or that he never kept cats in Key West at all. Whatever the truth may be, when the Hemingway House was turned into a museum in 1964, it abounded with cats. The family who kept up the museum chose to care for the cats as well, however they might have come to be there. Hemingway named many of his cats after famous people, and this tradition is kept up with Hemingway’s cats today (1).
In honor of the legendary connection between Hemingway and the lucky six-toed cats, polydactyl cats are often called Hemingway cats no matter where they live. The average cat has five toes on each front paw (including the dew claw) and four toes on each hind paw, for a total of eighteen. Polydactyl cats can have a wide variety of numbers and positions of extra toes. The extras are usually on the front paws or on both the front and back, but rarely on only the hind paws. Two of the most common configurations are called “mitten paw” and “patty paw” (2).
“Mitten paws” have extra toes to the side of the normal toes, causing the cat to look like they have mittens on (4). “Patty paws” have extra toes in line with the other toes, resulting in paws that just appear rather large (2). However, other configurations are possible. Polydactyly is a complex trait. It is caused by a dominant mutation that affects limb development very early on, hence the wide array of possible presentations (3).
Occasionally, polydactyl cats can have health problems such as nail infections, ingrown claws, or bone abnormalities (3, 4). In the vast majority of cases, however, the cats have no difficulty at all. It’s thought that in some environments, polydactyly may even be beneficial. Although the old idea that cats with extra toes are better hunters is generally regarded as myth, it was observed long ago that Maine Coon cats, which evolved as a breed in the wild in New England, had a high incidence of polydactyly. Up to 40% of Maine Coons had extra toes before breeders began to select the trait out (4). It is believed that the extra toes helped give Maine Coons even larger paws than they already have, big paws they use like snowshoes to prevent sinking in deep snow during harsh New England winters (4).
There’s no need for snowshoes in Florida, but the cats at the Hemingway House aren’t required to hunt for themselves, anyway. They are fed, pampered, and seen by a vet once a week. Most are spayed and neutered, with a few left intact to keep the colony at about forty to fifty cats. Although guests are not allowed to sit on the antique furniture, the cats get a pass, because this is their house. I have paid the Hemingway House a visit myself and can vouch for how delightful an experience it is to be surrounded by so many happy cats in a beautiful house. Their unique feet is an added bonus.
If you would like to visit the Hemingway House, the address is 907 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. They ask that you do not pick up the cats or bring any catnip or catnip toys with you. Apparently this happens a lot and has caused cats to fight over the limited herbal offerings. I imagine the same goes for bringing treats or anything else. No reservations are required, and each ticket includes a 30-minute tour.
Fun Facts
- US President Theodore Roosevelt kept a polydactyl First Cat named Slippers while he was in the White House.
- The current World Record for most toes on a cat belongs to Jake, a ginger tabby tom with 28 toes (seven on each paw).
- There is an unsubstantiated report of a 32-toed cat named Mickey Mouse from 1974 (eight on each paw)!
Works Cited
- Hemingway Home Museum: https://www.hemingwayhome.com/cats/.
- Hamelin, A., et al. (2016). Clinical characterisation of polydactyly in Maine Coon cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 19(4), 1-12. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X16628920
- Basepaws. (2019). Genetics of polydactyly: Celebrating the Hemingway cats. https://www.basepaws.com/blog/genetics-of-polydactyly-celebrating-the-hemingway-cats/.
- Manhattan Cat Specialists. (2019). Polydactylism (extra toes). https://www.manhattancats.com/blog/2019/august/polydactylism-extra-toes-/.
Published June 6th, 2020
Updated November 4th, 2020
