Taylor had a condition known as polydactylism, which resulted in him having six fingers on both hands. As is usual with the condition, the extra digits were rudimentary nubbins and could not be moved. One night, while drunk, he cut off the extra digit on his right hand using a straight razor.
Heh heh... I contacted my ex who volunteers at a local cat shelter, and I told her about this cat with "thumbs". It was she who informed me of polydactyl cats. I'd never heard of them before, let alone seen one. They have an interesting history.
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The condition seems to be most commonly found in cats along the East Coast of North America (in the United States and Canada) and in South West England, Wales and Kingston-upon-Hull. Polydactyl cats have been extremely popular as ship's cats. Although there is some controversy over whether the most common variant of the trait originated as a mutation in New England or was brought there from Britain, there seems to be agreement that it spread widely as a result of cats carried on ships originating in Boston, Massachusetts, and the prevalence of polydactyly among the cat population of various ports correlates with the dates when they first established trade with Boston. Contributing to the spread of polydactyl cats by this means, sailors were long known to value polydactyl cats especially for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities as an aid in controlling shipboard rodents. Some sailors thought they bring good luck at sea. The rarity of polydactyl cats in Europe may be because they were hunted and killed based on superstitions about witchcraft.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 03-30-2024).]
This very unusual cat turned up at my place a couple of weeks ago. I've never seen anything like this before!
My daughter's boyfriend has a cat like that... also white and black fur too. Except this cat (I think it's a girl) has 7 fingers on each of the front paws. The cat doesn't know any better of course, but has no issues... does all the same things other cats do.
The cat doesn't know any better of course, but has no issues... does all the same things other cats do.
And actually may be able to do some things even better (climbing and hunting, as mentioned earlier)... with the aid of its extra digits and therefore extra claws.
When I watch this cat roaming about in my backyard, I can see that these odd looking paws are of no impediment whatsoever. I was thinking of keeping this cat (if it indeed turns out it hasn't got a home)... but my other cat is scared of it. So... that's kind of a deal killer.
With the help of a long-time friend who's very much into animal rescue, I think we've tracked down the owner this cat's servant. My friend saw the video above that I had also linked to on Facebook, and she pointed me in the right direction. The cat appears to be about a mile from its home, and various people have reported online seeing the happy wanderer. (I've attached a couple of photos that someone had posted of it.) However, they all report they haven't seen it for about two weeks... and that's because it's taken up residence in my backyard. lol
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-06-2024).]
With the help of a long-time friend who's very much into animal rescue, I think we've tracked down the owner this cat's servant. My friend saw the video above that I had also linked to on Facebook, and she pointed me in the right direction. The cat appears to be about a mile from its home, and various people have reported online seeing the happy wanderer. (I've attached a couple of photos that someone had posted of it.) However, they all report they haven't seen it for about two weeks... and that's because it's taken up residence in my backyard. lol
Keep in mind that those two photos were posted by someone in the neighborhood who took them when this cat was just "visiting" them. I've been the one the last two or three weeks who has "well cared for" it.
By the way, here's the photo of the cat posted by the owner. I'm 99.99% sure it's the same cat. The angle of the photo makes it appear as though the back paws are massive, when in reality it's the front paws with the extra toes that are huge! lol
Take a trip to Ernest Hemingway's house in Key West, Florida.
Hemingway had an affinity for polydactyl cats, and left a trust, that cares for them roaming around the house.
Yes, I came across the Hemingway connection when I initially ran a Google search for "cats with thumbs". Here's a Hemmingway cat. Look at the freakin' size of that mitt! lol
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Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
Monty Python had several episodes one here where, in between skits, they would say... "And now for something... completely different."
The funny thing is... when I titled this thread, it was Monty Python's use of that phrase that I was actually thinking of and mimicking. But I have no recollection of "The Larch".
I forgot to mention that I returned the cat to it's family on Saturday. They were overjoyed to get him back again after an absence of at least three weeks. They probably figured he was a goner by now. If it's not a car that usually gets 'em, it's a coyote. They wanted to give me a reward. I refused any kind of reimbursement. Instead, I asked them to please use the money on the cat. I strongly suggested/encouraged them to get him neutered and microchipped. I kind of miss him already... however, my resident cat has been doing cartwheels since his departure. Even though this young male cat had the sweetest disposition, my (female) cat didn't like him. She's delighted he's no longer on her turf.
So yesterday morning (a week after I had returned the wayward cat), I was in my kitchen... and in through my open back door waltzes that cat again! I had no idea how long it might've been gone from it's home this time (seven blocks away), so I offered it some food which it eagerly consumed. I emailed the cat's family, to tell them their cat had returned to my yard. It took several hours for someone to respond. It turned out that the cat had escaped their home just that very morning. It apparently made a beeline immediately for my place. Anyway... by this time, the cat had moved on. I told them I'd let them know when their cat was back on my porch... probably around dinnertime.
A couple hours later I got an email from the cat's family, telling me the cat had returned. This is so bizarre. The cat escapes from its home in the morning... crosses seven streets to get to my place... sponges a meal... and then goes straight home that afternoon crossing seven streets again.
As much as I enjoyed the visit, I strongly reiterated to the family that they need to get this young male cat neutered before his roaming ways get him terminated by either a car or a coyote. And no, if he turns up here again I won't be feeding him. He obviously knows his way home, and the last thing I wish to do is to encourage his wayward journeys!
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-14-2024).]
One of the problems with a wandering cat in an urban setting, is that people it encounters, think it's hungry (sometimes, they are right) and they feed it. That's sets up a pattern of it wandering about to several different known food sources. A neutered well fed at home cat won't wander about much, especially if it doesn't find any handouts on it's first couple of walkabouts. That cat is either bored at home, is looking for some tush, or hungry.
That cat is either bored at home, is looking for some tush, or hungry.
The previous time this cat "visited" me, he stayed for three weeks before I drove him home (after learning where he lived). I guess what I find so strange is that he came straight here last Saturday after escaping out of his home, stayed for one meal, and then went straight home on his own.
It's actually kind of funny... a fourteen block round trip for him just to say "hi" (and grab a snack). But as stated earlier, I don't want to see him get injured or killed during these excursions. I've implored upon his family to get him neutered, and I definitely won't feed him again (which no doubt had helped motivate him to re-visit me).
I quite like this cat (both his paws and his behavior are so interesting), but my resident cat doesn't like him... so it's best if he simply does not come by this way again.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-15-2024).]
My friend saw the video above that I had also linked to on Facebook, and she pointed me in the right direction. The cat appears to be about a mile from its home, and various people have reported online seeing the happy wanderer. (I've attached a couple of photos that someone had posted of it.) However, they all report they haven't seen it for about two weeks... and that's because it's taken up residence in my backyard. lol 
lol
They probably figured he was a goner by now. If it's not a car that usually gets 'em, it's a coyote. They wanted to give me a reward. I refused any kind of reimbursement. Instead, I asked them to please use the money on the cat. I strongly suggested/encouraged them to get him neutered and microchipped. I kind of miss him already... however, my resident cat has been doing cartwheels since his departure. Even though this young male cat had the sweetest disposition, my (female) cat didn't like him. She's delighted he's no longer on her turf. 
