Okay, okay, you’re probably wondering…what the heck is a polydactyl cat and why are there so many in Florida?! The truth is, polydactyl cats are very rare and there are quite a few in only one particular area of Florida—Key West. At The Hemingway Home Museum in Florida there are nearly 50 polydactyl cats that you can see up close, and also learn an interesting backstory about during your visit. Take a look…
Ernest Hemingway, the famed novelist who spent plenty of this free time crafting literary classics, had a home in Key West, Florida where he relaxed, wrote, and hung out with his cats.
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But these weren’t just any ol’ cats, you see, these were what are known as polydactyl cats, which translates to 6-toed.
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Normal cats have five front toes and four back toes on their cute little paws—polydactyl cats have a few extra toes making them very unique…and probably quite well-balanced.
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What is so wonderful about The Hemingway Home Museum in Florida where the cats reside, is that there are between 40-50 polydactyl cats roaming freely at any given time.
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Polydactyl cats are just as adorable as regular cats, but just sometimes look like they are wearing mittens due to the extra thumb on their paw.
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The history behind these cats is that Hemingway was given one by a ship’s captain many moons ago, and brought it to his Key West home.
Wikipedia Lloyd Arnold
Now a museum, the Hemingway House has tons more cats thanks in part to the lineage passed down from that one cat decades ago, who was named Snow White.
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Polydactyl cats are not a specific breed, but carry a specific trait that can be found in any breed of cat from Tortoise Shell to Tabby.
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You can visit the Hemingway Home Museum today in Key West and explore the property for the afternoon, spending time watching these polydactyl beauties lounging in the sunshine and cool Florida air.
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Pretty cool cats, huh? Have you ever been to the Hemingway Home Museum in Florida before? Share with us your experience in the comments section! Or for more information about touring the home and about the famous six-toed cats, visit the website or Facebook Page.
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Instagram @hemingwayhomecats
Wikipedia Lloyd Arnold
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Address: 907 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
