Polydactals

[crickets mom]

May be this isnt the right spot for this, as I know they are not a breed.  I was just wondering how many of you guys have polydactals (extra toe kitties)? And if youve noticed any personality traits that go along with the extra toes? Also are they more likely female, cuz all my polys were.

I had a cat from the time I was 13 til I was 32 who was a poly.  She was my best friend.  I went a few years without a cat, and found a stray who was also a poly, and I felt like it was fate.  She was pregnant when I found her, and she had 7 kittens, 2 of them also poly.  I kept one of the polys, so now I have 2. 

In researching the subject, I found that about 10percent of cats have extra toes.  Also, that it is a genetic trait, which has to be passed down from one of the parents.  Every one always told me it was just imbreeding, but my research contridicted that.  Anyway, I guess all purbred cats were imbred at sometime, huh?

The subject just interests me, and I would like to get you alls thoughts.

 

[nekochan]

I have a polydactyl Maine Coon.
The only traits I've noticed that aren't just regular Maine Coon traits are that she is really good at grabbing toys and picking things up and such with her "thumbs" and she is a very good climber. She basically has opposable thumbs, she can grasp things between her "thumb" and her paw.

She's also very smart and quick(good at catching bugs and such) but I think that's just a general Maine Coon thing.

 

[crickets mom]

Your cat is beautiful!  My cats have "thumbs" too, and its so cool to watch them use them.

Heres a pic of my cat who passed away, and her awsome little feet!

 

[nekochan]

Oh also here is a photo of Roxy with her fitting ID tag heh:

 

[wendyb]

I'll have to get some pics of my Precious girl.  She has six toes per foot.  Her favorite thing to do is bat back toys at me when I toss them at her.

 

[nekochan]

Roxy has 6 "toes" in front if the dewclaws count as a toe? She has the 4 regular toes, plus a dewclaw and a "thumb" on each front foot. I call the dewclaws her "hidden daggers" because they are between the regular toes and the thumb so they are hidden under the thumb in her thick fur. I have to be careful to keep the dewclaws trimmed though since they don't really get worn down because they are hidden in there.

On the back feet she has 5 toes (4 regular toes plus dewclaws.)

 

[crickets mom]

       

        Banshee, my cat that passed away (the one the previous pics are of) had 7 on one front foot, six on the other, and 5 on each back foot.

        Some of the front extras were pretty deformed though, and the nail never grew right, sort of flat and ridged.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

       Cricket, the mama cat has her normal 4 toes, then a long thumb, and a nail that sticks out between the thumb and "normal" toes.

       Her long thumb can wrap around your finger. I also have to clip the extra toe nails for the same reason. She has four toes on each back foot, plus             back dewclaws.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Cicada, Crickets daughter has the exact same toes as her mama (as did another female in the litter who my friend adopted).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  This is Crickets Front Foot.