Thumbs and Toes

Dr. Wilson at our Willow Grove office saw 2 cats on Wednesday called “Thumbs” and “Toes”. They are 15 weeks old, came from a farm in New York, and were born polydactyl (poly- “many”, -dactyl “toed”), with extra toes. “Thumbs” has 22 toes and “Toes” has 25 toes. A normal amount of toes is 18 for a cat, 5 on each front paw and 4 on each back paw.

Why do these cats have extra toes? It’s really just a mutation, called a cat body-type mutation, and probably is caused by multiple genes, not just one. Usually, the mutation is not harmful in any way. Sometimes, kittens have some difficulty learning to walk, but when they get bigger they can learn to use their extra toes as thumbs, and they’ll open latches or catch objects with one paw. It is important to pay attention to how their claws grow, and make sure they stay trimmed so their claws do not grow into their skin.

Look at those crazy toes!

The most famous polydactyl cats belonged to Ernest Hemingway, who, while living in Key West, received a 6-toed cat from a sailor. He collected polydactyl cats and these days the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West has been converted to a museum, where as many as 60 cats live and roam free, with the help and safety of Purr..fect Fence.

Polydactyl cats are excellent climbers due to their extra claws, and were common on ships because of their excellent rodent-control abilities. They were also considered good luck by the sailors. These cats are most common along the US East Coast, and in SW England and Wales.