Simply Cats

Q: My partner and I adopted a cat over the weekend. It's been a real adventure, and a lot of fun. We noticed that it has huge feet, though, and tons of toes. One paw has seven toes! What's going on?

A: Cats normally have five toes on each of their front paws, and four on each of their back paws. Occasionally, cats show up who are more gifted in the toe department than others. Cats with extra toes are called polydactyl, meaning “many fingers/toes.” It tends to be caused by cats inbreeding too much. So if your cat calls its parents “Uncle Dad” and “Aunt Mom,” it probably has extra toes. Such cats are also sometimes called “Hemingway Cats” or “Hemingway’s Cats.”

Ernest Hemingway was a big fan of cats and kept quite a colony at his home. Currently there are about sixty cats at what was his home, and half of them are polydactyl. They are, at least some of them, descendents of a six-toed cat he was given by a ship’s captain.

Polydactyly doesn’t seem to slow down most cats, and many find it a distinct advantage. More than one wily kitty, born with what amounts to a thumb or two, learns to open cabinets and doors. Be thankful they don’t all have thumbs, or they would have long since learned to open food cans for themselves.

Disclaimer: Ask Dr. Moses is not a substitute for seeing your vet. We are, however, happy to do our best to answer any questions. Just drop us a line!

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Q. My cat recently came home after having surgery. The veterinarian told me that is was up to me to make sure that the incision heals properly. But how can you tell if the redness and swelling are part of a normal healing process or signs of trouble?

Q. Winter weather is just around the corner. I was wondering if there was anything specific I can do to keep my cat safe during the winter months.