Polydactyl Paws in Cats

A cat born with extra toes on its paw has a condition referred to as polydactyly. Cats normally have a total of 18 toes but it is not unheard of for a cat to have a total of 24 toes. Polydactyl paws do not create a medical problem but there are some considerations to take into account.

  1. Identification

    • Cats normally have 5 toes on each front paw and 4 toes on each back paw. A cat that has more than 18 toes total is considered to be polydactyl, no matter where the extra toe, or toes, are located.

    Significance

    • It is fairly common for cats to have extra toes on a paw. The extra toes are usually on the cat's front paws.

    Effects

    • A polydactyl cat may develop ingrown nails because the cat's nails are not evenly worn down.

    Warnings

    • Breeding two polydactyl cats is not recommended, as it increases the chance of producing kittens with genetic defects.

    Famous Polydactyl Cats

    • Ernest Hemingway owned a polydactyl cat named "Princess Six Toes," while Theodore Roosevelt's extra-toed cat was called "Slippers."