Cat's Name, Gender, & Age:
Sugar Ray, neutered male, approx. 2 yrs. old
Best Characteristics of the Polydactyl Cat
Those feet, of course! We love his feet, which we usually refer to as "snowshoes", although sometimes I think they're more like clown shoes. They've entertained us every day since he arrived from the shelter.
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Polydact
Those feet! Sugar Ray has never really managed to adapt to those extra toes and has a hard time climbing and jumping up on things.
When, Where and How I Got My Polydactyl Cat
We run a cat sanctuary in Nevada, and a friend asked me to rescue a cat due to be euthanized at a high-kill facility in Los Angeles. The cat seemed to have been abused and was injured, but mostly it had no chance for adoption because shelter staff deemed it "feral", and "vicious". To adopt Sugar Ray we actually had to sign a release saying we wouldn't hold the shelter responsible if he injured us! The poor little guy was transported to Vegas, where he was diagnosed as FIV+ and immediately nearly succumbed to pneumonia. After a bit of patience and love (and a lot of vet care), he's become a sweet and loving cat.
I'd Describe My Cat As…
Slow and steady. He's a serious guy (after so much trauma in his early life), but he loves other cats and craves affection from people who approach him gently. He's surprisingly trusting. We've encountered no medical issues with hit feet, although his extra toes have no bones/muscles in them and sometimes seem a bit difficult for him to carry around. He has difficultly balancing on narrow surfaces because the extra toes are on the outside of his feet and he can't use them to grip like his regular toes. Polydactyl cats have toes in a variety of formations, so his problem may not be common amongst other polydactyls.
Advice
- If given the opportunity, adopt one of these wonderful cats for its unusual looks and the chance to massage those big, furry mitts!
