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Polydactlys2007-11-25 12:25:09

We have several, anyone heard of them before?

Answers:

Yes! I love kitties with extra toes. They look like they are wearing mittens. So cute! They are also called "Hemingway" cats sometimes.

I see far more ingrown toenails at my clinic in polydactyl cats than non-polys, so make sure you are trimming those extra nails often, especially the ones that do not reach the floor or scratching post, as the cat cannot shed the sheaths on these toes very well.

Also, rarely an extra toe may cause chronic infection and need to be amputated. Just keep an eye on those toes and you should be fine!

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Polydactyls are a dominant mutation (meaning that a polydactyl kitten has to have a polydactyl parent, only polydactyls can produce one and a polydactyl bred to a normal cat will produce polydactyl kittens), unless there would happen to be another spontaneous mutation (spontaneous mutations are quite rare). Polydactyly is common in cats, with variable numbers of toes, 6 or more on the front foot, 5 or more on the rear foot. I once helped a lady who had a litter sired by two different fathers, and the five sired by the polydactyl all had 6 toes on front and 5 on back, and the one kitten sired by a different father, had normal toes and a long black coat whereas the polydactyl kittens had their dad's black and white markings as well as his feet. I once saw a picture of a polydactyl that had more than 6 toes on front feet, it was more like 8 or 9 if I remember right. Polydactyly doesn't affect the cat in any way for better or worse, but its an oddity that many people enjoy seeing or having.

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Yes they exist around the county however there rare in all areas of the USA except Key west were there are hundreds around Hemmingways house there were they may of originated from.