Animals of different cat breeds can be polydacts, which means such an anomaly as six-fingeredness. It is clearly visible externally - due to the presence of an extra finger, the paws of cats are wider and more dexterous. And this does not bother them, but rather helps to lead a full-fledged lifestyle, providing many advantages.
Advantages and disadvantages
The polydact, in relation to people and animals, means "multi-fingered." This is a feature that is transmitted at the genetic level. In humans, such a hereditary defect occurs, but it is usually one extra finger, and mostly the little finger. Polydactyl cats have a preaxial form of pathology - extra thumb, although in fact there may be two. These fingers are located on the side, but can be located on the same level with other, main ones.
In the latter case, the anatomical feature is called postaxial. However, both options are considered normal.
Extra fingers are found on the forelimbs, but sometimes are simultaneously observed on the hind limbs. Extremely rarely, such a defect is noted only on the hind legs of the animal.
Certain advantages of having another part of the body are:
- excellent sense of balance;
- stronger grip and ability to cling better, unlike five-fingered cats;
- increased skill of swimming and moving in the snow;
- easy tread, on which it is impossible to hear the approach of the animal.
The fantastic tenacity of six-fingered cats is amazing: with their wide legs they can easily open cabinets and doors, deftly turning the handle. Such an animal is a real find for a professional trainer, especially since most individuals are distinguished by good ingenuity, and are easy to learn. Not to mention the fact that all of these qualities make animals great hunters.
But, along with such advantages, there are also disadvantages. Often, excellent anatomy entails:
- joint diseases
- the growth of claws in the tissue of the paws;
- limb deformity.
The presence of extra phalanges is a cause of predisposition to injuries, and fused fingers with claw growth can cause pain. In addition, the anomaly is often accompanied by infectious lesions of the nail base, dysbacteriosis of the stratum corneum, and uneven growth. In this case, the animal needs medical attention. Sometimes the best solution to the problem is surgical removal.
Fortunately, some pathologies can be cured, but the most unpleasant consequence of polydactyly is the birth of weak, non-viable cubs with health problems, especially in cats with a three-phalanx thumb.
Sick kittens have congenital deformity of the forearms, therefore, in order to exclude the appearance of the next generation with obvious malformations, the animals have to be sterilized.
Natural origin
At different times, polydactyl animals were treated differently: as witch accomplices or as a talisman that brings luck. Today the phenomenon of six paws is studied, and thoroughbred animals born with one or more additional fingers are recorded in special felinological systems, at least in America.
In nature, multi-fingered most common in Maine Coons - large individuals, whose natural habitat forced them to adapt to the harsh living conditions: quickly and easily move on ice and a thick layer of snow to overtake prey.
In accordance with studies of the genetics of this breed, it turned out that six-toed feline representatives are the result of the natural evolution of American cats.
The largest population of individuals with such a mutation is noted in the city of Boston. Such animals were kept on ships to get rid of rodents, and thus they became widespread in different parts of the world. According to statistics, polydacts are most often found in port cities.
Until some time, polydactyly was considered a marriage, so even animals with a pedigree did not participate in breeding and exhibition shows. But now with Maine Coons, this feature is the standard, and six-fingered cats take part in championships arranged for wide-legged representatives of the breed.
Selection Features
Breeding of six-fingered individuals is distinguished by special specificity, which is due to the unpredictability of the genetics of cats. Nevertheless, it was possible to figure out how to derive the offspring of Maine Coon with polydactyly:
- to get kittens with paw anomaly, only one parent with polydactyly is needed, and then the success of mating will be 56%;
- two multi-fingered parents increase the chances of giving birth to polydacts by another 20%;
- if at least one parent has homozygous - homologous chromosomes that do not give splitting in subsequent generations, then all offspring can have the so-called anomaly.
By the way, the Maine Coons number of multi-fingered felines is not limited. At the moment, specialists are engaged in the selection of such animals, and there is even an artificially bred breed - pixy-bean.
When purchasing a polydactyl kitten, the owner does not need to worry that he will need special care. Animals differ in needs that are identical to the needs of ordinary, five-fingered cats. On the other hand, the predominant qualities of a polydact will certainly interest the owner, in addition, these animals have a lively mind, good memory and are easy to train.
Hemingway Pets Characteristics
Ernest Hemingway, a famous writer and military journalist, did not pass over the unusual six-fingered animals with his love. It all started with a pet nicknamed F. Keyes, who anxiously guarded the firstborn of Ham in the absence of the owners. Later, on Key West Island, next to Florida, the writer received a white kitten from his acquaintance captain, with six fingers on his front legs.
At that time, sailors believed that a six-toed cat brings good luck, protects the ship from storms, and also destroys rats.
Snowball, as the cat was named Ham and his wife, became the ancestor of all multi-fingered cats, and now 50 of his descendants still live in the writer's home, which became a museum house.
Animals of different sizes and colors were collected in Hemingway's feline paradise on a small island, and each of them had its own character, but they were all kindly and awarded bright nicknames in honor of world famous singers, actors and politicians. Thanks to Snezhka, half of their offspring was born six-fingered, and now animals live in the house, who have two, or even three extra fingers. This is a reliable fact, so there is no need to doubt that a variety of cat breeds are subject to rare mutations.
In general, both veterinarians and breeders are not encouraged polydactyly, but multi-fingered pets have become so popular and in demand that they are still bred for sale. Many experts directly speak about the inhumane attitude towards mutating cats, since complications against the background of birth defects often lead to animal suffering, but this is only one opinion among many other judgments.
About the six-toed Hemingway cats, see below.
