Cat friends this article will blow your minds, have you ever heard of the legend of the six-toed cats? Polydactyl cats are descendants of the mythical Snowball, the 6-toed cat so beloved by Ernest Hemingway. This strange cat and the writer lived quiet years in Florida in the wonderful mansion on Key West Island, still visited by many people today just to see these very special cats.
Polydactyl cats are a curious variety of felines that have a genetic mutation that makes them unique: instead of having the normal number of fingers (five on the front legs and four on the hind legs), these cats have one or more extra fingers, usually 6 fingers. This condition is known as polydactylism and is the result of a recessive gene that, when present, causes extra fingers to form during embryo development.
Polydactylism in cats is not uncommon, especially in certain regions such as New England and especially in Key West, where the population of six-toed cats is particularly large. This physical characteristic makes them immediately recognizable and fascinating, so much so that they are appreciated by many as a natural curiosity. Extra fingers are not just an aesthetic phenomenon: in some cases, it is believed that these extra fingers may give polydactyl cats greater agility and dexterity, characteristics that make them skilled hunters.
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Key West’s 6-Fingered Cat Villa
Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home, now converted into a museum, is a place steeped in history, literature and a touch of magic. This mansion, located at 907 Whitehead Street, is not only the residence where the author wrote some of his most famous works, but also a haven for cats, many of them polydactyls, with the characteristic of having 6 toes on their paws.
When Hemingway moved to Key West in 1931, he brought with him a great passion for animals, particularly cats. It is said that soon after settling in, he began adopting local cats, many of which had the unique mutation of polydactylism. The presence of these felines became a hallmark of the villa, so much so that today it is also known as the “Villa of the 6-Fingered Cats.”
Hemingway’s house is surrounded by a large garden, where cats are free to roam. Today, the direct descendants of Snowball, Hemingway’s famous polydactyl cat, still live in these gardens. Hemingway’s cats are a real tourist attraction: with their distinctive appearance, extra paws and affectionate behavior, they are a part of Key West’s history. Visitors to Key West not only explore the rooms where the writer lived and wrote, but also come across these charming cats that continue to be a symbol of the house and its legacy.
The offspring of Snowball the 6-Fingered Cat by Ernest Hemingway
Many of the six-toed cats living today in the Hemingway House in Key West are considered direct descendants of Snowball, Hemingway’s famous polydactyl cat. Legend has it that Hemingway was so fond of his cats that he let them breed freely in his mansion, creating a small colony of six-toed cats.
Snowball, the first and perhaps most famous of Hemingway’s polydactyl cats, had a special bond with the writer, and Hemingway is said to have loved him so much that he considered him almost an inseparable companion. From Snowball, a numerous lineage of cats with the same 6-toed trait developed. The cats living in the Hemingway House today, many of whom are polydactyls, are largely Snowball’s descendants, and have been cherished and protected by the family and the museum.
These cats continue to be an important part of the house’s legacy and are a major tourist attraction in Key West. Whenever a visitor strolls through the mansion’s gardens, they have the chance to meet one of Snowball‘s descendants , who seem to live on as a symbol of Hemingway’s love for his strange felines.
