Cats with Thumbs

Several populations of cats exhibit polydactyly, or extra digits. Cats typically have five toes on their front paws and four on their rear paws. This quality was recognized and discussed by Charles Darwin as an inherited trait.

Hemingway house is home to a population cats about half of which have an extra toe on their front paws. They are descended from a polydactyl cats called Snowball who was given to Earnest Hemingway.

Polydactyl Maine Coons are also known as snowshoe cats. Like Hemingway's Snowball they have a link to cats favored by sailors. The polydactyl gene was present in the breed during its early development in the state of Maine.

C.f. white footed cats by the same name.

The only currently recognized breed that allow extra toes is the Pixie Bob.

The American Polydactyl Cat is breed specifically for the extra toe trait with the goal of developing a recognized breed.

Munchkins are cat with short front legs, they also sometime have polydactyly.

Extra toes have also been documented in a number of breeds in which is is considered a deformity to be avoided, including Bengal.

Polydactyly seems to be linked to having a bobbed tail in the Pixie Bob, Hemingway and American Polydactyl Cat.

Extra toes may also be linked to genes that cause harmful abnormalities in the legs sometimes referred to has "twisty cat".

Cats with thumbs appear in LOLcats such as:

• I have evolved thumbs
  
• Wastes talents