Cat
Breed Description:
American Polydactyl Cats were those that Ernest Hemingway wrote about, and as a result this breed is sometimes known as the Hemingway Cat or Mitten Cat. A polydactyl cat is a cat with a congenital physical anomaly, with more than usual number of toes on one or more of its paws as a result of a cat body type genetic mutation. In animals including humans, polydactyly (or polydactylism, also known as hyperdactyly) is the anatomical abnormality of having more than the usual number of digits on the hands or feet.
Weight:
American Polydactyl Cats are medium to large.
Health Problems:
American Polydactyl cats sometimes inherit discomfort if their feet are such that they appear deformed or hinder the cat's walking.
Living Conditions:
American Polydactyl Cats adapt very well to indoor or outdoor life, or a combination of the two. Because of their larger feet, American Polydactyl Cats have an easier time walking on snow than do other cats.
Grooming:
Longhaired American Polydactyl Cats should have silky smooth hair.
Origin:
The condition seems to be most commonly found in cats along the eastern coast of the United States and in South West England. Polydactyl Cats are very common in the Cardigan area of Wales and are known as Cardi-Cats. A Canadian cat called Tiger was recognized by Guinness World Records as having the highest number of toes on a cat, with 27 toes. The current alleged world record for the American Polydactyl cat with most toes is said to belong to Jake with 28 toes, seven on each paw. This is not confirmed.
Sailors were long-known to especially value polydactyl cats for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities as an aid in controlling shipboard rodents. Some sailors also considered them to be extremely good luck when at sea. 