Polydactyl cat 3176986 225944169 2008-07-16T03:34:15Z Sephiroth BCR 621952 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/70.118.72.235|70.118.72.235]] to last version by Brian0918 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) [[Image:Polydactylcat.jpg|thumb|300px|One of the polydactyl cats at the [[Ernest Hemingway House]] in [[Key West, Florida]]. This particular cat has 7 (2 extra) toes on each paw.]] A '''polydactyl cat''' is a [[cat]] with a [[congenital disorder|congenital physical anomaly]], with more than usual number of toes on one or all of its [[paw]]s as a result of a [[cat body type genetic mutations | cat body type genetic mutation]]. In [[animal]]s including humans, [[polydactyly]] (or polydactylism, also known as hyperdactyly) is the [[anatomy|anatomical]] abnormality of having more than the usual number of [[toe|digit]]s on the [[hand]]s or [[foot|feet]]. ==Description== Normal cats have five toes on each front paw and four toes on each hind paw. Polydactyl cats may have as many as seven digits on front and/or hind paws, and various combinations of anywhere from four to seven are common, although each of the front and rear paws are typically the same. Polydactyly is most commonly found on the front paws only, with polydactyly of all four paws being less common. It is rare for a cat to have polydactyl hind paws only. The true polydactyly - commonly called '''mitten cat''' or '''thumb cat''' condition - is a [[congenital]] abnormality, [[genetics|genetically]] inherited as an [[autosome|autosomal]] [[dominance relationship|dominant]] trait of the '''Pd gene''' with incomplete penetrance. This type of polydactyly is not life-threatening and usually not even debilitating to a cat. Some polydactyl [[kitten]]s initially have more difficulty in learning to walk and climb than normal animals. However in some cases it appears to improve the dexterity of the animal. For example, a common variation of polydactyly with six toes on the front paws, with two opposing digits on each, (comparable in use to human [[thumb]]s) enables the cat to learn and perform feats of [[dexterity|manual dexterity]] generally not observed in non-polydactyl cats, such as opening latches or catching objects with a single paw. Feline radial hypoplasia (see [[squitten]]) is a mimic of polydactyly and is considered a severe condition. Radial hypoplasia may cause the formation of extra jointed toes, but it is not a result of the Pd gene normally associated with polydactyls. It thus does not cause the "mitten cat" or "thumb cat" condition where the extra toes occur separated from the normal ones just like a [[dewclaw]], usually associated with an additional pad which makes them look like a underdeveloped foot sticking out near the base of the normal toes. Rather, radial hypoplasia-related extra toes are immediately adjacent to the normal ones, giving the cat overly large, flat feet - colloquially known as "[[patty]] feet" or "hamburger feet". Though this looks less serious than true polydactyly (as the feet appear "normal" apart from having one or two extra toes), breeding such cats will eventually result in severely crippled offspring that will have to be euthanized. Cats used in polydactyl breeding programs can be screened by x-ray for indicators of radial hypoplasia, and cats suspected to have radial hypoplasia should not be used for breeding. ==History== The condition seems to be most commonly found in cats along the eastern coast of the [[United States]] and in [[South West England]]. Some sources state that these cats are rare in Europe because they were killed as witches' [[familiar]]s,<ref name="straightdope">{{cite web| url = http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m6toecat.html| title = Is it true many New England cats have extra paws because Boston ships' captains considered them lucky?| accessdate = 2007-01-20| date = 1999-06-29| work = The Straight Dope| }}</ref> but other sources indicate that they are quite common in England. <ref name="messybeast">{{cite web| url = http://www.messybeast.com/poly-cats.html| title = Polydactyl Cats (Part 1)| accessdate = 2007-01-20| }}</ref> Polydactyl Cats are very common in the Cardigan area of Wales and are known as Cardi-Cats. A Canadian cat called Tiger was recognised by [[Guinness World Records]] as having the highest number of toes on a cat, with 27 toes. <ref>[http://www.fatcats.com/html_site/yourcat.shtml Fat Cat, Inc. - Your Cat Magazine Articles!<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although there is some controversy over whether the commonest variant of the trait originated as a mutation in [[New England]] or was brought there from [[England]], there does seem to be agreement that it spread widely as a result of cats carried on ships originating in Boston, and the [[prevalence]] of polydactylism among the cat population of various ports correlates with the dates when they first established trade with Boston.<ref name="straightdope" /><ref name="messybeast" /> Contributing to the spread of polydactyl cats by this means, [[sailor]]s were long-known to especially value polydactyl cats for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities as an aid in controlling shipboard [[rodent]]s. Some sailors also considered them to be extremely [[good luck]] when at sea. ==Breeds and Varieties== [[Nobel Prize]]-winning author [[Ernest Hemingway]] was one of the more famous lovers of polydactyl cats, after being first given a six-toed cat by a ship's captain. Upon Hemingway's death in [[1961]], his former home in [[Key West, Florida]], became a museum and a home for his cats, and it currently houses approximately sixty descendants of his cats (about half of which are polydactyl). Because of his love for these animals, '''Hemingway cat''', or simply '''Hemingway''', is a slang term which has come to describe polydactyls ([[Michael Palin]] describes one such cat named "Bill Clinton" he found at a former residence of Hemingway's in [[Key West]] during the filming of his "Hemingway Adventure" special<ref name=""palin">{{cite web| url = http://www.palinstravels.co.uk/book-2383| title = Palin's Travels: Key West, Florida, USA, Hemingway Adventure| accessdate = 2007-01-20| }}</ref>). Other nicknames include "boxers" or "boxing cats", "mitten cats", "thumb cats", "six-finger cats", "Boston Thumb Cats", "Cardi-cats" and "double-pawed cats" (a misnomer since there is a specific double paw condition).<ref name="messybeast" /> American Polydactyl Cats are also being bred as a specific cat breed, with specific physical and behavioral characteristics in addition to extra digits.<ref name="centralpets">{{cite web| url = http://www.centralpets.com/animals/mammals/cats/cat5776.html| title = American Polydactyl| accessdate = 2007-01-20|}}</ref> A particular strain native to [[Ithaca, New York]], is known as the "Ithacats". The American Polydactyl is not to be confused with the pedigree [[Maine Coon]] polydactyl. The polydactyl form of the Maine Coon is being reinstated by some breeders<ref name="poly_mc">[http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2250/poly_mc.html The History of the Polydactyl Maine Coon]</ref>. Thanatos Cattery, Inc. , a primary breeder of Ithacats, is a prolific and renowned breeder in the area. John Thanatos himself typically breeds the cats.<ref name="mainecoon">{{cite web| url = http://maine-coon-polys-uk.tripod.com/id1.html| title = So What Happened to the Maine Coon Polydactyl?| accessdate = 2007-01-20|}}</ref> Polydactyly has also been observed in [[big cats]]. ==Additional Images== <gallery> Image:Male_polydactyl_grey_house_cat_-_right_front_paw,_circles.jpg|Right front paw of male polydactyl cat. Image:Male_polydactyl_grey_house_cat_-_thumb.jpg|Opposable 'thumb' on male polydactyl cat. Image:Male polydactyl grey house cat - dewclaw.jpg|Hind [[dewclaw]] on male polydactyl cat. Image:toes2.jpg|Extra toes on front paws, female polydactyl cat. Image:toes1.jpg|Extra toes on back paws, female polydactyl cat. Image:thumb1.jpg|'Thumb' on female polydactyl cat. </gallery> ==References== <references/> * Chapman, VA; Zeiner, FN: The anatomy of polydactylism in cats with observations on genetic control Anatomical Record 141:205-217, 1961 * Danforth CH: Heredity of polydactyly in the cat. Journal of Heredity 38: 107, 1947 * Danforth CH: Morphology of the feet of polydactyl cats. American Journal of Anatomy 80:143, 1947 * Jude, AC: Cat Genetics, 1955 * Robinson R: Genetics for Cat Breeders, Mar 1977 * Sis, RF; Getty, R: Polydactylism in cats Veterinary Medicine and Small Animal Clinician 63:948-951, 1968 * Todd, NB; Jones, TC: On independent assortmant of dominant white and polydactyly in the cat Journal of Cat Genetics 1:16-17, 1964 * Vella, C; Shelton LM; McGonagle J; Stanglein TW: Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians, Butterworth- Heinemann Ltd (19 Aug 1999) * Wenthe, M; Lazarz, B: A case of atavistic polydactyly at the hind limb of a cat [German] Kleintierpraxis 40:617-619, 1995 * Wittmann, F: Polydactylism in a Cat Praktische Tierarzt 73:709, 1992 ==External links== *[http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm Hemingway Home Museum, Key West Florida, cats webpage] *[http://www.messybeast.com/poly-cats.html Different Types of Polydactyly in Cats] *[http://www.mcpi.org Maine Coon Polydactyl International] *[http://www.centralpets.com/animals/mammals/cats/cat5776.html American Polydactyl Cats] *[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m6toecat.html Article on polydactylism in cats in New England] *[http://www.thecatgallery.com/polydactyl_cats.html Polydactyl Cats Photo Gallery online] *[http://www.flickr.com/groups/polydactylity/pool/ Images of polydactyl cats] *[http://www.polytrak.net Maine Coon Polydactyl Tracking Database and Resource] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6741167.stm Owner's appeal over cat's 26 toes] {{domestic cat}} [[Category:Cat types|Polydactyl cat]] [[no:Skipskatt]] [[fi:Laivakissa]] [[sv:Skeppskatt]]