On a leafy compound at the far end of the Florida Keys, there is a beautiful house known for its famous occupants. Yes, it’s called the Hemingway House because it was once home to famed writer Ernest Hemingway. But the occupants I’m talking about have several extra legs (and more importantly, toes!). The Hemingway Home & Museum is home to about 60 cats, half of whom are polydactyl, meaning they have extra toes.
How Did They Get There?
Back in the 1930s, a ship captain gave Ernest Hemingway a six-toed white cat named Snow White. Extra-toed cats were considered good luck on ships, and Hemingway certainly liked them too – he owned so many that they’re sometimes called “Hemingway cats”! At least some of the cats currently living at the museum are direct descendants of that original cat. But since Key West is such a small island, it’s certainly possible that more of them are related.
Polydactyly is a genetic mutation that causes cats to grow extra toes either on the front or back paws. Most cats have 18 toes (5 on each front paw and 4 on each back paw). But polydactyl cats have extra toes, like 6 on their front paws or 5 on their back paws. The extra toes can make their paws look “mittened” – a truly adorable shape. The mutation doesn’t cause any health problems or require extra care, other than trimming the additional toenail.
According to the museum website, all of the cats regularly receive flea spraying, deworming, and ear mite treatment, along with regular vaccines, check-ups, and heartworm medication. The museum has also carried on Hemingway’s tradition of naming each cat after a famous person (or character).
Taking the Cat Tour
The Hemingway Home & Museum is open every day during regular 9-5 business hours, and you don’t need advance tickets. Luckily, the polydactyl cat tour is included with the regular ticket – and they’re pretty hard to miss!
When I visited the house, there were many-toed cats everywhere you looked. They were draped over the historical beds, lounging behind “do not enter” ropes, dangling perilously from deck chairs, and stretched luxuriously across sun-warmed tiles. Human visitors are restricted from entering certain rooms, like Hemingway’s office and the well-appointed bathrooms, but of course, the resident cats know no such boundaries.
Next time you’re down in Key West, why not take a tour of the Hemingway cat haven? The many polydactyl cats (and their plethora of toes) will be ready to welcome you!
How Did They Get There?
