Cat's Name, Gender, & Age:
Catfish John, Male, 4 1/2 months
Best Characteristics of the Polydactyl Cat
He is a CLIMBER. He loves to be in high places and attack my other cat from above. I have seen him scale the front of my tallboy dresser (all the drawers were closed, he used the knobs as footholds). I also saw him climb about a foot up a wall of stucco like Spiderman!
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Polydact
He's in the playful kitten stage so that's the basic challenge; but because he likes climbing and carrying things he's found in his mouth, I've learned to keep my drawers closed. I think his extra digits (7 on each front paw, 5 on the back) give him a boldness that is challenging, but adorable!
When, Where and How I Got My Polydactyl Cat
I had been considering getting a second cat for a couple of years and knew I wanted a marmie/ginger/orange kitten, and a male. On craigslist one day, I saw an ad from a woman who had fostered and bottle-fed Catfish John and his siblings - all girls who had already been adopted. When I called her, she said sheepishly, "Well, he also has an extra toe on his paws," as if I would think it was a deformity. "He's a poly! That means he's lucky!" I cried. She didn't even know about his extra back toes or the teeny extra digit between the "two thumbs." I was thrilled - we bonded instantly and he is a delight.
I'd Describe My Cat As…
Very, very playful, exceptionally agile. He can balance on the top of one of my dining room chairs - it's about 1/4 inch wide (he can leap to and from that point as well). The "toenail" between the "thumbs" grows in a slightly odd direction, and the extra toes (because they don't properly retract) need to be trimmed (which he does not like). There have been no other medical problems. The vet clinic I take him to LOVES him, as he tends to warm up to anyone who holds him. He continues to attempt to play to my other cat (a very fussy, 14 year old female who does not like many cats), and he's actually made some progress. Unrelated to his toes, he is a biter (thankfully getting better) and for a while seemed to enjoy attacking my nose with his teeth while I was sleeping. Overall, he is loving and exuberant, and a wonderful addition to my life, and everyone who has met him love both his toes and his personality. (Also, he is going to be a BIG CAT; I don't know if that's common to polys, but he's STILL growing into his feet and legs).
Advice
- I can understand why polydactyls developed a reputation for being "good luck" on ships; I'm sure Catfish John would be an exceptionally good mouser, and his sense of balance and agility is remarkable even by feline standards. If there is anything that is "genetic" about his behavior, I would assume it is that boldness and desire to climb and explore. My guess is that most polys would tend to be more like a breed like the Siamese - very, very aggressive and playful - than the more sedate "lap cats." If you can commit to trimming the nails, then there's nothing unusual in terms of caring for a polydactyl.
