These days, polydactyly is still common in Maine Coons, but not quite as prevalent as it used to be.Ĭurrently, only one breed of cats is bred selectively for polydactyly.

Some Maine Coon breed experts think that up to 40 percent of the breed was polydactyl in its early years. Maine Coon cats used to have a large percentage of polydactyl cats in their bloodlines. Polydactyly can occur in any breed of cat regardless of the coloring. This also explains why the trait is more common in Maine Coon cats. It is believed they were brought to the East Coast of the United States from ships sailing from England and Wales. Polydactyl cats are most common on the East coast of the United States, Wales, and Southwest England. Here’s polydactyl cat Ernie showing of his gorgeous big paws And it turns out, that polydactyl cats are really quite fascinating. In fact, it wasn’t until much later that I realized this trait had a name: polydactyly. I could not quite wrap my head around this as a kid.

And one of them had enormous paws with extra toes. She had several Maine Coons, which she had rescued from behind a dumpster. Growing up, I was fascinated by my aunt’s cats. Polydactyl cat behavior & personality traits.Let’s dig down into those digits! Contents We’ll find out where polydactyl cats come from and how they are affected by their unusual paws. We’re going to look at the origins and causes of feline polydactyly. Polydactyl cats are also more common in certain parts of the world, particularly South West England and Eastern USA Polydactyly can affect all cats but is a more common trait in some breeds, such as the large Maine Coon, than it is in others. Polydactyly is an inherited, and usually harmless, genetic abnormality that some cats are born with. Also known as mitten cats, or six toed cats, each polydactyl cat has more toes than usual. Polydactyl cats inspire great affection in their human friends.

Cat with thumbs