Polydactyl cats are born with more toes on their paws than usual. Though most cats have five on the forepaw and four on the rearward, polydactyl cats can have six or more toes on either paw. A genetic ailment known as polydactyly, which develops extra digits, is more common in some regions of the world than others. It can impact any breed of cat, big or small, male or female.Keep reading to learn more about the hereditary causes of the disorder and to view adorable images of polydactyly-affected cats.
Key Lessons:
- A “polydactyl cat” is a cat whose count is more than the usual eighteen toes.
- Bred from a polydactyl cat and a non-polydactyl cat, each kitten has a 50% possibility of becoming polydactyl.
- The world record holders maintain ten extra toes; most polydactyl cats only have one or two.
What exactly are polydactyl cats?
Polydactyl cats are the people who have extra toes on any foot. From Greek, the word “polydactyl” indicates “many toes/fingers.” Allow me to count your cat’s toenails.
It is not polydactyl if your cat has eighteen total toes—five on each front paw and four on each hind paw. A polydactyl cat could have at least 19. The most number of toes ever seen in a polydactyl cat is 28.
Why do some cats have extra toes?
Extra-toed cats have a genetic mutation passed down from one of the parents via a dominant gene. Although polydactyly can occur in any breed, Maine Coon cats seem to have more likelihood of inheriting this feature.
Rarity of Polydactyl Cats
Against widespread assumption, polydactyl cats are indeed relatively common. Should one parent have polydactylism, there is a 50% likelihood their kittens will inherit it. According to reports, Maine Coons have increased polydactyly; forty percent of them are thought to be polydactyl at one point.
Still, there have been attempts to produce this feature from Maine Coons. There are no rare polydactyl cats. “The offspring of a polydactyl cat breeding with a non-polydactyl cat have a 50% chance of inheriting the polydactyl gene,” Caos notes. “The chances of their offspring being polydactyl rise if both parent cats are polydactyl.”
Usually found in cats, polydactylism manifests as one or two extra toes on the front paws, like thumbs or gloves. Considered rare are cats like Jake and Paws with many additional toes.
Live Longer: Polydactyl Cats
Regarding life expectancy, polydactyl cats are exactly like ordinary cats. Depending on their conditions and state of health, cats typically live for 15 years.
Does the health of polydactyl cats suffer?
Any additional toes in polydactyl cats usually have little effect on their health since they are not known to have more health issues than ordinary cats. Maintaining on top of cutting their extra claws—which are sometimes prone to curling and becoming ingrown—is the only difference. Apart from that, polydactylism does not aggravate any discomfort or health problems.
Is polydactyly in a cat dangerous?
Apart from the additional effort required in your kitten’s nail care routine, more toes are usually not detrimental. Checking your cat’s nails carefully is crucial since owners sometimes overlook the fact their pet has one or more extra toes. These extra toes, whether they are really tiny or just hiding in the hair, will grow nails, and, left unclipped, they may get ingrown and cause pain or infections. Extra toes may also be more prone to being caught, resulting in another damage like a nail fracture.
Taking Care of Polydactyl Cats
While cats are adept at maintaining their own claws, you should still examine their paws and nails to assist them in looking after themselves. The paws should be clean; the nails should be smooth. Regular claw trimming helps stop the claws from expanding inward, so preventing pain and infection.
Although they can advise on trimming them yourself, vet clinics sometimes schedule visits for claw cutting. Not try to cut your cat’s claws without first being shown how since they bleed heavily and would be rather painful if cut too short.
If you have a polydactyl cat, another thing to consider is that their scratching power rises in direct proportion to their number of claws. Fortunately, investing in a scratching mat or scratching tree will help you avoid your cat tearing your sofa or harming your carpet. See our simple advice if you wish for further information on how to prevent furniture scratching by cats.
From where did polydactyl cats come?
History notes the first polydactyl cats in the 1800s, on commerce ships between the United States and Canada. On trips, sailors used to bring these polydactyl cats with them as they thought these unique kittens were lucky and quite flexible in capturing rodents.
As sailors said, the cats were able to maintain their balance better than those with a standard number of toes; the extra toes made them not only prolific mousers but also rather well suited to surviving on ships facing continual winds and waves.
Well-known Polydactyl Cats
Generations of people have been amazed by cats with numerous toes. Here are some of these wonderful kitties together with their well-known owners.
Snowball Written by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway, the author, adored polydactyl cats so much that these cats are today sometimes referred to as “Hemingway cats.” A ship’s captain in the 1930s handed Snowball, his first polydactyl cat, to him; soon others followed. The Hemingway Museum in Florida today has over 50 cats, most of whom are polydactyl. Though they are part of the museum legacy and closely guarded as such, it is unknown if they are direct descendants of Snowball.
Slippers used by Theodore Roosevelt
There also dwelt at the White House a six-toed polydactyl cat. Slippers, a kitten belonging to President Theodore Roosevelt, was among the several animals the First Family carried to the White House. When officials visited the President, slippers were typically part of the decorum, either joining guests at formal dinners or falling asleep in the middle of the corridor.
Jake, the cat maintaining the record for multi-toed kittens
There is a section in the Guinness Book of World Records specifically honoring ginger tabby Jake. With seven on each paw and a total of 28, Jake is the cat with the most toes ever; each one of them has a unique bone structure, claw, and pad.
Leading Polydactyl Cats Facts
A polydactyl cat’s number of toes ranges. While some have just one extra toe, others may have several more on each paw. The most often occurring form, nevertheless, is the “mitten” form in which the extra toes mimic a thumb.
Extra toes on polydactyl cats could improve their balance and dexterity, therefore improving their jumping and climbing ability.
Any cat, of any breed, can be polydactyl. Polydactylism can strike any breed as long as one of the parents contains the gene, even though Maine Coon cats are most usually connected with it.
Polydactyl cats are regarded in some societies as lucky
Many sailors of past times kept them on board ships since they are said to bring wealth, money, and success to their owners.
With 28 toes altogether between them, polydactyl cats from Canada and Minnesota, respectively, claim the Guinness World Record for the most toes.
Are polydactyl cats rare?
Not very rare at all are polydactyl cats. As it happens, they are really common.
Polydactyl cats have what a lengthy life?
Generally speaking, polydactyl cats live just as long as standard cats—about 15 years.
Are Polydactyl Cats Harmful for Your Health?
Usually leading regular, healthy lives, polydactyl cats hardly have health problems or discomfort. On occasion, though, toes without appropriate bone structure can hang free and catch nails, perhaps resulting in damage. Trimming all their nails correctly is so crucial.
Polydactyl cats are worth how much?
Unless they are also purebred, polydactyl cats are not worth more than ordinary cats.
Your cat is certainly a unique member of the family, whether or not it has eighteen toes. See our simple guide on grooming your cat if you wish for further knowledge on how to effectively look after your pet—polydactyl or not.
Cats typically have eighteen toes—four on each front paw and five on each back paw. Usually this contains a dewclaw on every front paw but not on the rear.
“Polydactyly” is the condition whereby extra digits—even just one additional toe or dewclaw—are present. One finds extra toes on either the front or the hind limbs.
Extra toes most usually develop on the pre-axial (thumb) side of the paw, within. Less often either in the middle (meso-axial) or on the outside of the paw (post-axial, or pinky side). Extra digits do not usually pair off; hence your cat’s paws could be asymmetrical.
How many toes may a cat have? With seven digits on each paw—that is, 28 total—an orange tabby called Jake boasts the most toes on a cat. Polydactyl cat Paws holds world records in Minnesota as well.The Fascinating World of Polydactyl Cats: Rare Traits and Irresistible Appeal.
Why Do Some Cats Have Polydactyls?
Why do Jake and Paws have so many toes? Experts say that genes are essential.
An autosomal dominant characteristic with certain complexity is polydactylism. For particular kittens in a litter, only one parent must inherit the polydactyly gene to produce additional toes.
Why some polydactyl cats have one additional toe while others have numerous is not entirely clear. “The genetic basis of polydactylism is complex,” notes Caos. It is an autosomal dominant feature with inadequate penetration and variable expression that helps to produce the several configurations of additional toes.
The causes of polydactyly in cats are unknown entirely. But it’s thought that sailors and early immigrants might have transported polydactyl cats to the Americas. Their bigger paws would have made them rather good at catching rodents.
Although more toes (such as improved balance and grip) have possible benefits, the incidence of polydactyly in cats is more likely resulting from chance than from an evolutionary adaptation. “Polydactylism is not considered a crucial adaptation for cats’ survival in the wild,” notes Caos.
Which polydactyl breeds of cats exist?
Extra toes are most often found in the Maine Coon and Pixiebob breeds. “Maine Coon cats are known for their big size and tufted ears; extra toes accentuate their distinctive look,” says Caos. Still, depending on its genetic composition and gene expression, any cat can have additional toes at birth.
Although you might have also heard of the “American Polydactyl,” this breed is not existent. The name describes Key West, Florida, descendants of polydactyl cats. Former Key West resident novelist Ernest Hemingway had a six-toed cat named Snow White who passed on the polydactyly gene. Hemingway’s Key West villa today counts more than sixty polydactyl cats.
Do polydactyl cats require more attention?
Though there are a few things to consider, tending to a polydactyl cat is not much different from tending to a cat with eighteen toes.
Polydactyl cats are more likely to suffer overgrowth of their nails since they have more than ordinary cats (some may never touch the ground!). Overgrown nails can be uncomfortable, create an infection, or snag on surfaces. One must routinely cut nails.
Extra toes in polydactyl cats open extra areas between the toes, which could gather litter, dirt, or waste. Check your cat’s paws often and, as necessary, clean them.
Polydactyl cats usually have little trouble being mobile or adapted. If your cat has abnormally big or strange toe formations, though, pay close attention to their capacity for pain-free jumping, running, and walking. See a veterinarian for additional evaluation if you observe limping or movement changes.
A genetic mutation causes polydactyly.
Usually leaving between four and seven toes on a cat’s paws, polydactyly is brought on by a genetic mutation in a dominant gene. Though it can occasionally afflict the hind paws, most usually polydactyly affects the front paws. A cat seldom exhibits polydactyly on all four of its paws.
In cats, there are three varieties of polydactyl paws:
- Post axial: Extra outside of the paw toes
- Preaxial: Internal extra toes on the paw
- Mesoaxial: Extra toes dispersed over the paw
Polydactyly is benign most of the time. Though generally happy and healthy, polydactyl cats may find cutting their nails more labor-intensive.
A few polydactyl cats have “mittens.”
Extra toes in the middle of the paw allow preaxial polydactyl cats to have a thumb-like or mitten-like appearance. Though they seem like thumbs, these additional digits are not opposable.
Polydactyly Helps Certain Cats
More enormous, more wide paws of polydactyl cats improve their balance, climbing and prey capturing skills. If your cat is polydactyl, be sure they have a scratching post and that you correctly cut all of their nails. Your furnishings may suffer from their extra toes.
Considered lucky are polydactyl cats.
Like black and calico cats, polydactyl cats are said to bring luck—especially for sailors. Excellent mousers produced by polydactyl cats kept ship supplies free from vermin and safe. Their broad paws enabled them to balance on uneven waves as well.
With their frequency in Western England, Wales, Canada, and the Eastern United States, polydactyl cats are most usually found in areas connected with their time aboard ships.
Ernest Hemingway loved polydactyl cats and was a devoted follower of polydactyl cats. Hemingway grew to adore these unusual cats after seeing Snow Ball, a white, polydactyl cat acquired from a ship captain. His Key West house became a museum and a haven for his cherished pets following his 1961 death. Hemingway’s estate houses more than 60 of his cats now; half of them are polydactyl.
Polydactyly Was Once Common in Maine Coon Cats
Renowned for their considerable stature and tufted ears, Maine coons developed in the snow of Maine. Often polydactyl, their more significant, insulated paws functioned as natural snow boots. Once, polydactyly affected forty percent of Maine Coons. Although many Maine Coons have been bred out of polydactylism nowadays, some cat enthusiasts still value the polydactyl variation.There are many more interesting facts and stories to know about Maine coons cats.
One Cat Has the Most Toes World Record
With an incredible 28 toes—seven on each paw, each with its own claw, pad, and bone structure—a polydactyl ginger tabby called Jake holds the record for the most toes on a cat, according to the Guinness World Records.
