How to Identify a Hemingway Cat

By Nella Bella

Instructions

Step 1:
Observe the cat from a distance, noticing its paws. Do the paws seem to be oversized? Maybe it is the way the fur falls. Or, are there extra toes?
Step 2:
Approach the cat carefully, unless you already know the feline is friendly. If the cat is friendly, pet it, and then pick it up. Speak softly and calmly at all times. Make no sudden moves.
Step 3:
Take a forepaw in one hand and very softly squeeze the underpads with finger and thumb. If more than five toes appear, the cat is a Hemingway, or polydactyl, cat.
Step 4:
Check the back paws in the same manner. Are there extra toes there, too? How many toes does your Hemingway cat have?

Tips & Warnings

Hemingway cats are pretty much like other domestic cats and have no special needs.
Polydactyl cats are typically larger and hardier than the average domestic feline.
Some owners claim that the extra digits enable the felines to open boxes and similar tasks.
According to thecatgallery.com, Maine Coon cats account for 40 percent of all polydactyls.
Descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s original polydactyl cats live on the same Florida estate, now a museum, today as Hemingway did in the beginning of the last century.
Feral cats and/or unfriendly cats can cause serious injury. Make sure the cat is friendly and used to humans before interacting with it.

Resources

Photo/Video Credit

wikipedia.org

More Puppy Pages

How to Understand Feline Distemper

Instructions Step 1: Feline distemper is spread by contact with an animal that has feline distemper--or coming in contact with the secretions of an animal that has feline distemper. This means you do not actually have to handle a cat that has feline...

Instructions Step 1: Find your cat quickly if he or she gets lost. Every spoiled kitty must have a jeweled necklace with an attached sparkly identification tag to bring them safely back home to you. Step 2: Strut the town with your cat, always leashed...

Instructions Step 1: When you first see a cat outdoors, you need to determine if the cat is stray (usually an abandoned or lost kitty) or feral--a truly wild cat. Feral cats will run when they see you, even if you have been feeding them for months. This...

Instructions Step 1: Put the fly-swatter down. Physical punishment will not deter a cat’s natural tendencies. Instead, do a little sleuthing to figure out if you can control the spraying while helping your feline become more secure. Step 2: Block...

Instructions Step 1: Place the poinsettia and other toxic plants like mistletoe on hard-to-reach shelves or in rooms that are usually locked or inaccessible to your cat. Sure, cats are notorious for getting into even the most far-off corners of your...