Meet Des..cat with 26 toes!!!

[LuzyC 0]

They say cats have nine lives - so meet Des, who has 26 toes.

While most pet cats have 18 - five on their front paws and four on their rear - the 10-year-old boasts seven on his front and six on his back paws.

The extra digits have left owner Alison Thomas, of Felindre, near Swansea, pondering whether it is a UK record.

One expert said cats with extra toes were common in the area around the old county of Cardiganshire and were sometimes known as "Cardi-cats".

A cat with too many toes is called a Polydactyl.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/s...est/6741167.stm

..and here I am worrying about my kitties claws..I have a lot of scrathes.. (arms and legs ) how much more if I have cat like that..?

dont like the idea of declawing them.. ..any option?

[LaL 418]

wow! look at those feet! i bet she can shred a couch in a matter of seconds.

[sereia 0]

i used to have a kitty with 2 extra toes on each paw also. it was weird!!! extra special kitty

[Nagishkaw 510]

My 16 year old cat has a total of 24.....7 on each front paw and 5 on the back of each paw.

[PaulineA 1]

Luz,

I've heard a lot of people saying they have cats with extra toes. As far as your kitties and their scratching you could try soft claws here is a link:

http://www.softclaws.com/

[LuzyC 0]

Luz,

I've heard a lot of people saying they have cats with extra toes. As far as your kitties and their scratching you could try soft claws here is a link:

http://www.softclaws.com/

Thank you very much Pauline .

I will definitely give it a try !!

[Mark&Steph 0]

Mark and I are spending our honeymoon in Key West, FL and plan to visit Ernest Hemingway's house while we are there. They have about 60 cats there that are all descendants of a cat that Hemingway used to own and a lot of them are polydactyl. They used to sell or give away kittens but they don't do that anymore. We don't need anymore cats but I was kind of disappointed anyway.

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm

Edited June 11, 2007 by Mark&Steph

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Don't declaw - basically declawing is amputating part of their toes - and may set up a lifetime of other problems. Kittens are still learning and socializing. They will climb where you don't want them to and wrestle using their claws. Soft Claw caps are one thing you can try when they get older. When they are this little you can 'train' them not to scratch you. When you play with them and they start to wrestle and try to attack you with their claws, and you try to draw your hand away they will cling harder. Don't pull your hand away, but get small little beanie baby type of toys and have them around the house. When they start to scratch and wrestle, reach for one of these toys (that is why you have them lying around - so one is in reach!) and substitute the stuffed toy for your hand. Eventually they will learn that your hand isn't a toy and will just enjoy being petted by your hand instead. Also, get some of the inexpensive corrugated cardboard scratching posts. Young kittens may not react to catnip yet but as they get older they will. You can 'practise' scratch moving their little paws on the scratching post for them until they get used to the idea. As well, you might want to get them a cat tree - a tall one with platforms that they can run up and down and climb. Then, if they start climbing up the furniture (or drapes!) you just pick them up and transfer them to the cat tree. You can buy sisal rope in the hardware store and wrap the posts of the cat tree yourself. Cats love the texture and the feel of sisal and often use it as a scratching post. Most commercial scratching posts are fine for kittens but are too short for adult cats who like to stretch out to scratch.

While they are little the best thing is to practise the toy transfer technique to get them to stop scratching you. Cats don't learn by fear or punishment; they learn by positive re-enforcement and making it easier for them to do what you want them to do than what you don't want them to do.

We had a polydactyl cat while I was growing up. Peter had 7 toes on his front paws. He looked like he was wearing mittens.

Edited June 11, 2007 by Kathryn41

[Mary Lou 681]

Des is adorable, extra toes and all!

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

i bet mags wants that cat now

[Nagishkaw 510]

That would be so cute if mags made different hats for the kitty!

[Mags 112]

My 16 year old cat has a total of 24.....7 on each front paw and 5 on the back of each paw.

My Sassy (see below, she is the one in a box) has 24 toes also. 7 on the front and 5 on the back. She is gorgeous and I love her so much I'm going to squeeze her til she pops.

That would be so cute if mags made different hats for the kitty!

i bet mags wants that cat now

I want every cat in the whole wide world!! Bwahahahahaha!

[Sinergy 3]

Hes such a cute kitty

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

i bet mags wants that cat now

I want every cat in the whole wide world!! Bwahahahahaha!

don't steal my putty tat! he's adorable

gratuitous kitty pic

[Jackie&Yosdani 0]

Awww... cute and special!