Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West, Florida, and was given a 6-toed cat by a ship's captain in the 1930's. Cats with extra toes, also known as gypsy cats, were considered lucky by seafaring folk since they were considered superior mousers and kept their balance better on a ship. Cats normally have 5 toes in front, with 4 toes in the back, and when they have more than that they are called "polydactyl". Other nicknames for them include "snowshoe paws", "pancake feet", or "big-foot cats". Hemingway's cat went on to parent many polydactyl cats on his estate, the ancestors of which still live and are cared for there today.
Maggie, a kitten I adopted from The Marshmallow Foundation is polydactly, with six toes on all feet. She's only six months old, and you can see the size of her paw compared to my hand.
So why are they called Hemingway Cats? In my opinion, because it's much easier to say than polydactyl!
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