Polydactylism, the condition of having more than the usual number of toes, is a separate genetic trait from the calico coat pattern. While both traits can occur in the same cat, they are not connected.
Here's a breakdown:
* Calico coat: This pattern is caused by a gene on the X chromosome, which females have two of. The combination of genes determines the distribution of black, orange, and white patches.
* Polydactylism: This is caused by a different gene, and is not related to the calico coat pattern.
So, you can have calico cats with the usual number of toes, and non-calico cats with extra toes.