Why So Many Six-Toed Cats Live At Hemingway House

MoochNNoodles

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DH and I visited Hemingway House in 2006 and I was able to pet several of the cats. (I asked first.) It was the highlight of the trip! :lol: They used to have a webcam where you can watch the cats but I don’t know if it’s still active. It was really neat to see them there and know they are descendants from his cats! I remember them saying the house is made from the same stone as the island so it fares well in hurricanes.

I do love polydactyls too! One of my cats growing up was awesome. She would use her thumb to grab my pen from my hand if she wanted attention.:lol2: My Mom’s Olivia doesn’t use her extra toes like that. Her mits are still pretty impressive. Especially with her winter coat inplace.
 

Willowy

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That was a great video. :thumbsup: Wow, 48 cats presently living at Hemingway House!:kitty:
Kinda low! I heard they like to keep the number between 50-60.

I read 2 different stories about how the population is managed. One said that each female is allowed one litter, then spayed. Another article said that one female from the previous year's litter is picked each year to have a litter, the rest spayed/neutered. So probably the second one is right; that would result in 2-6 new cats a year. If they did it the first way there could be 18 or more new cats one year, then how many (?!) the next year, and so on, and that would be unsustainable. And if they live an average of 15 years, with 60 cats that means they would lose around 4 cats a year, so, yeah, one litter seems about right.

I'd like to go visit someday. It's not like I don't have enough cats of my own! But I'd like to see how they do it and take tips from them about kitty management, lol.
 

denice

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I remember a while back neighbors complained about one of their Tom cats that had a particular penchant for wander lust. They tried different containments but finally gave up and got him neutered. They do also have to keep some Tom cats around to keep the line going and there are the issues that come with that.
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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My Sis vacationed in Key West. She visited the Hemingway House and fell in love with all the Polydactal kitties. She noted that they were well fed happy cats. She also ate in Hemingway's favorite eatery Sloppy Joe's. She was in Key West at the the time they were having The Conch festival & she took a lot of crazy pics of the bed races and other crazy activities.😄
 

Willowy

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I remember a while back neighbors complained about one of their Tom cats that had a particular penchant for wander lust. They tried different containments but finally gave up and got him neutered. They do also have to keep some Tom cats around to keep the line going and there are the issues that come with that.
Since 2012 they've been under the same rules as a zoo/circus/etc., because it was determined that the cats are a major part of the attraction. So they have to manage the cats pretty strictly now. Before that I think they mostly let them do their cat thing without a ton of interference.
 

Mia6

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We used to go to Key West every February and would always visit the house. Beautiful home, but you had to
hold your nose.

I love it there. Would be a nice place to live. everyone is very nice.
 

MoochNNoodles

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We used to go to Key West every February and would always visit the house. Beautiful home, but you had to
hold your nose.

I love it there. Would be a nice place to live. everyone is very nice.
I don't remember a smell. Maybe since they manage them better now it doesn't smell? We were there in February also. Or maybe I was just so enamored with the cats I forgot anything else? :lol: I could use a Key West vacation right now. Even if it was just sitting on a beach and watching the waves between reading a book. I happen to remember a delicious rum cake place too though. :cloud9::yummy::sigh:
 
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