POLYDACTYL CATZ
What does that big word mean?
Poly comes from the Greek word "polys" which means many or more than one. Dactyl also comes from a Greek word "daktylos" or finger.
Polydactyl cats usually have six toes on their front paws.
An article from Cornell University, Cat Watch, (1998) stated that studies done on polydactlous cats, beginning in the 1940's and continuing into the 1970's, showed that the trait probably initially occurred in cats who came over from England to the Boston area with the Puritans in the mid-1600. This article also speculated that it was possible that the mutation developed in cats already in the Boston area. Scientist surmise that the immediate descendents of these cats may have lived on board trading ships, and soon found their ways to Halifax, Yarmouth MA, and Nova Scotia, which now have sizable multi-toed cat populations. In Europe, polydactyl cats are virtually non-existent, because during Medieval times any cat which was unusual was put to death due to superstitions regarding witchcraft (Kelly, Larson, 1993).
The gene is a dominant gene that only seems to express itself from 40% to 50% of the time. However the nonpoly kittens of a poly parent seen to have heavier boning than kittens of a non-poly mating. The increased boning is more noticeable in the front legs and chest. Some breeders report that the extra toe causes greater width than the double dewclaw. According to Dr. Montgomery, Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine, historically many owners are not even aware their cat has polydactylism. He also stated that owners of polydactyls have not seen adverse affects. Polydactylism is a fairly common anomaly in cats that is not detrimental to their orthopedic soundness.
There have been many famous polys. Our President Theodore Roosevelt had a poly named Slippers. Slippers was one of the first feline residents of the White House. At press conferences and official functions, Slippers was often the center of attention. The author Ernest Hemingway had a Maine Coon poly who was named Snowball. He reportedly had 6 toes on his front paws. The author had an estate on the island of Key West in the Florida Keys. One story sited that Snowball was a gift from one of Hemingway's drinking buddies who was a sea captain named Stanley Dexter. Another chronicle claims that a sea captain gave Hemingway a female double pawed cat who was named Princess. Sailors believed six-toed cats were lucky. Cats arrived on Key West in the early 19th century in the company of sailors looking for sunken treasure.
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