A dominant gene’s mutation is what causes polydactyly and the additional toes that form as a result on a cat’s paws can number four to seven. These extra toes are often found on the front paws but can also be on the hind paws as well. Very few cats have additional toes on all four paws. 

Certain cat breeds are associated with bringing good luck to sailors, like calico cats and black cats. Interestingly, polydactyl cats are thought to be lucky for sailors as well and have commonly been brought onboard for long journeys. Due to all those extra toes, their paws are quite wide, making them excellent mousers on ships, which keeps the supplies free of vermin. Their wide paws also help them keep their balance, even on rocky seas. 

Due to time spent traveling on transcontinental ships, polydactyl cats are more often found in the Eastern United States, Canada, Western England, and Wales. They likely came across the Atlantic Ocean from England to America, and proliferating the genetic trait by breeding with non-polydactyl cats. 

The state of Maine is on the East Coast of the United States where polydactyl cats are more common and where Maine coon cats first appeared. The state’s harsh winters and snowy conditions have caused the breed to evolve so that they have big, insulated paws that work like tiny snow boots.  ❄️

Luckily, polydactyly is quite common among Maine coons, with about 40% having extra toes. This gives the breed larger, wider, more insulated paws, which are great for traversing on snow. Today, the genetic mutation has been bred out of a lot of Maine coons, but there is a breed of cats called polydactyl Maine coon, which is still recognized by some in the world of cat fanciers. 

The extra toes on polydactyl cats are more than just cute, they can be quite beneficial as well. Because they cause the paws to be wider and larger, polydactyl cats have an easier time balancing on different surfaces, as well as hunting, climbing, and capturing their prey. 

If your cat is a polydactyl, make sure you have plenty of scratching posts and boards around your house because their extra toes have nails that can do a lot of damage to your upholstered chairs and sofas. 

Cats with “mitten paws” have their extra toes in the center of the paw, which makes the paw look kind of like a mitten with a thumb. These extra toes may look like thumbs, but they are not opposable like actual thumbs. 

The Guinness Book of World Records has a polydactyl cat named Jake who is a ginger tabby, and he holds the world record for having the most toes. Jake has a total of 28 toes, with seven on each paw. Each of Jake’s toes has a nail and a pad. 

Polydactyl cats are also known as “Hemingway cats” and it’s because the famous author loved them. The captain of a ship gave Hemingway a fluffy white polydactyl cat that he named “Snow Ball.” Ernest Hemingway then grew to adore these multi-toed cats. 

Upon his 1961 death, Hemingway’s Key West, Florida home was turned into a museum and home devoted to his beloved cats. Today there are about 50 descendants of his brood living there and about half are polydactyl.